General heating questions

[dmcclymont]

Finally getting around to the heating at our place, be grateful for peoples comments on these points:-

1. Mix of normal and small bore pipes on the heating - I would propose to have it all made the same, I know nothing really about heating but feel the rads on the smaller pipe are under performing, is it normal to mix technologies like this?

2. Can I have a wood burner/water heater connected to a conventional system with a oil boiler driving it as well?

3. Stay as is - or take the plunge and go to a sealed pressure system with the (hot) tank in the roof replacing the existing cold tank? One option suggested - merits and comments welcome!

4. Could we get a combie boiler for oil (3 bed bungalow), the current one is externally mounted in a metal box!

5. Plastic or copper for the radiators that need to be converted to wide bore pipe (if they do!)

Aplogies if some of these points seem over simple but we want to get this correct.

Thanks.


Edit - dunno if this helps but seen similar on other posts..

It is a 1930's Bungalow with upgraded insultation to modern spec, 6 radiators, bath and currently no shower...

One further point - I was thinking of an electric shower for resilience if the oil boiler ever went wrong, or is it better/more efficient to have a standard shower using the water you have already heated?

 

[kevplumb]

1. Mix of normal and small bore pipes on the heating - I would propose to have it all made the same, I know nothing really about heating but feel the rads on the smaller pipe are under performing, is it normal to mix technologies like this?

if they are undersized you might as well get then changed

2. Can I have a wood burner/water heater connected to a conventional system with a oil boiler driving it as well?

yes

3. Stay as is - or take the plunge and go to a sealed pressure system with the (hot) tank in the roof replacing the existing cold tank? One option suggested - merits and comments welcome!

not if you want to do the above

4. Could we get a combie boiler for oil (3 bed bungalow), the current one is externally mounted in a metal box!

yes

5. Plastic or copper for the radiators that need to be converted to wide bore pipe (if they do!)

personal choice copper looks better plastic is easier

 

[dmcclymont]

Thanks for that, a lot of it is what I expected Nice to get other peoples input before we spend a fortune!

 

[esra_ptrap]

If your mains water pressure is good you would be able to have a vented thermal store which can easily be fitted out to use multiple heat sources, a sealed CH system and wouldn't need to be fitted in the loft.

Check out www.heatweb.com