Oversized rads a good idea?

[wiffola]

Thanks everyone for your help.

Ok here's what my feelings our.

More than anything I would like to completely get rid of LPG, it's only going up in cost (just out of control on 47kg cylinders) and I hate the site and idea of it. We also desperately want to get rid of the boiler in our kitchen - that would be a huge bonus for us.

We don't want a halfway house. The idea of still keeping the boiler as a backup (although makes it cheaper to run) just doesnt satisfy me. If I'm tackling this issue, I want LPG gone.

We have space upstairs for a themral store, so buffer or hot water tank is not an issue.

I understand that needing to oversize rads, having a solid wall house and microbore piping is not an ideal setup and we wont achieve the COP stated by the manufacturers, but these are things we can slowly upgrade in the future to improve the COP.

To oversize rads only means buying 2-3 rads and swapping the smaller rads with the ones we're taking out. So wil cost about £600-800 to upgrade.

Something I hadnt mentioned is that we have a 2kw PV array covering the whole roof, which would go a little way to supplementing the elec consumption. But does rule out solar hot water option.

Am I crazy for still wanting an ASHP?

I'm happy to out-lay money now to safe guard for the future.

Or should i be looking at a gasifcation wood boiler (we live next a forest and have space) / biomass boiler or maybe ASHP air to air?

 

[JonasX]

GSHP is by far the better option. Water sourced even better.

You might want to think about getting a thermal store (the only choice for you) and a Land Rover car/home running costs will plummet.

 

[wiffola]

GSHP is by far the better option. Water sourced even better.

You might want to think about getting a thermal store (the only choice for you) and a Land Rover car/home running costs will plummet.

Not sure I understand the land rover reference?!

I will definitely look into a GSHP...we will need boreholes due to space issues so I imagine this is going to be quite a bit more expensive than an ASHP?

We have good access in our driveway (which is due to be relandscaped) so this could be the ideal time.

 

[JonasX]

Not sure I understand the land rover reference?!

Look at current thread re: extracting heat from Land Rover for the house.

 

[DeltaT2]

If you have a source of sessioned wood, well there's no debate! A Wood Gasifcation boiler is the way to go, many people in rural areas are heating their homes with free wood. GSHP & bore hole can be +£12K install price, just silly money & most of these HP will pack in after a few years.

 

[Corgigrouch]

Many years ago a wise old man told me "Never sell a heat pump as the only source of heating". He was right then and is still right..... ALWAYS have a backup/top up source of heating. Keep the combi and a tank of Propane, chances are you will rarely use it but when the airsource struggles you will be pleased that you did.....

The big killer for airsource is cold damp air such as freezing fog as they spend much of their time trying to defrost themselves (You'll be thankful for a buffer tank in such a case)

 

[Corgigrouch]

If you have a source of sessioned wood, well there's no debate! A Wood Gasifcation boiler is the way to go, many people in rural areas are heating their homes with free wood. GSHP & bore hole can be +£12K install price, just silly money & most of these HP will pack in after a few years.

Now you're talking!....

 

[DeltaT2]

Not sure I understand the land rover reference?!

Look at current thread re: extracting heat from Land Rover for the house.

Aye, he's missed his medication again!! NURSE, NURSE!! The screens!!
That's a good boy, you head back into your padded cell son, you just forget about the Green Wellies & Barber Jacket mob Water Systems.

You know, he's starting to become a great strain on the NHS & the British tax payer. Perhaps, given the right medication, he'll drift of in his sleep??
RIP Dr Drivel.

 

[wiffola]

Yeah I'm thinking gasifcation could be the way forward, or maybe even biomass thats capable of burning a variety of things.

We live next to a forest (forestry commision) so even if I couldnt legally collect wood from there, I imagine there's a wealth of supply in our area.

We also live next to a farm that buys and sells horses. I read somewhere some biomass boilers can burn horse bedding - allbeit at a less efficient rate.

It would mean a very different way of life, but I think I'm up for the challenge.

I'm thinking of getting wood delivered but supplementing it everytime I go for a walk in the woods

Any thoughts?

 

[DeltaT2]

Wood Gasification is best with a buffer tank, but a simple multifuel stove or boiler maybe all you'll need?

 

[JonasX]

Wood Gasification is best with a buffer tank,

Cowboy, that is called a thermal store.

 

[Biggles..]

No it's not,it's refered to a either a buffer vessel or load levelling store or an obscure term would be pressure break bottler,thermal stores tend to produce DHW(can't think of any that don't) where as the other 2 don't.

 

[Norcon]

Or an "accumulator" as the big akvatherms are known.
A fan assisted unit is an option and a lot cheaper than gasifiers. And you don't necesarilly need the large resovoir of energy storage.

 

[JonasX]

No it's not,it's refered to a either a buffer vessel or load levelling store or an obscure term would be pressure break bottler,thermal stores tend to produce DHW(can't think of any that don't) where as the other 2 don't.

The point is....
In a domestic setup, you may as well take the DHW off it as well.

 

[Biggles..]

No that's not the point, your definition was incorrect.

Are you a termal store salesman,or just have some sort of fetish towards them.