Solid-fuel boiler stove as ONLY boiler in house?

[pb2012]

Hello all!

I've just joined and hope to get a lot of help from this forum, so here is my first post. Please forgive any stupidity on my part which might follow...

So I'll moving into a new house in the near'ish future. A small 2 bed terrace. I've had all sorts of grand plans in mind but as usual when it comes to the crunch and practicalities kick in it all gets throttled back

It has a naff old fire in the lounge with back-boiler which just MUST be replaced! I was thinking of getting a solid-fuel stove with back boiler to replace it with (for 5 rads and lounge heat). Is this sensible?

Q's:

1) would I regularly need the fire burning to provide hot water, even in a scorching summer?

2) would it be largely 'plug and play' and hook up to the existing system (currently gas)? Or can this vary a lot by design?

3) The house is in a smoke-control area. Am I right in assuming this means I'll be ok with a dual-fuel stove and smokeless coal?

4) any rough idea of cost, based on me already having the stove, for the removal of old fire/boiler, installation of the boiler-stove and other prep/chimney work required?

5) would solely relying on a boiler stove like this just be a pain?

Any input would be much appreciated as I need to quickly get my head around costs and work potentially involved pre-purchase of the property.

Thanks!

 

[dcawkwell]

Hello,

The only stupid question is the one not asked.

I would suggest oil boiler or lpg. Probably since it is only
a small place. Lpg combi will easily do it. You can run it
off the red 47kg cylinders not big lpg tank needed.

Forget solid fuel you'll soon get bored with cleaning it out
and lighting it. The dirt, the mess.
Lighting it again!
Keep the fire if you want.

If you are anywhere near Doncaster send a personal message and I'll sort you out.

 

[pb2012]

Hello,

The only stupid question is the one not asked.

I would suggest oil boiler or lpg. Probably since it is only
a small place. Lpg combi will easily do it. You can run it
off the red 47kg cylinders not big lpg tank needed.

Forget solid fuel you'll soon get bored with cleaning it out
and lighting it. The dirt, the mess.
Lighting it again!
Keep the fire if you want.

If you are anywhere near Doncaster send a personal message and I'll sort you out.

Hi mate, thanks for the reply. Where would an LPG setup like that need to be located? Against an exterior wall as usual? I think i'd be struggling for space to be honest as daft as that sounds (it's a small mid-terrace).

I'm a big fan of the 'keep it simple' approach to things and hoped I might be able to do a replacement job without having to fiddle with the general plumbing much, but arent even close to being an expert.

The house is in york so not too far from Donny as it happens.

My dad's had a solid-fuel stove in his last 2 houses and I did really love the cosey glow and crackle that came from it. Might be worth the mess!

 

[FiremanT]

1) would I regularly need the fire burning to provide hot water, even in a scorching summer?
YES, unless you fit an electric immersion heater to the cylinder

2) would it be largely 'plug and play' and hook up to the existing system (currently gas)? Or can this vary a lot by design?
Not necessarily. It has to be viewed and assessed

3) The house is in a smoke-control area. Am I right in assuming this means I'll be ok with a dual-fuel stove and smokeless coal?For dual fuel, it must be DEFRA approved. Most manufacturers specify the coal type allowed to be burned in thier units, and any warranty would rely on compliance

4) any rough idea of cost, based on me already having the stove, for the removal of old fire/boiler, installation of the boiler-stove and other prep/chimney work required?
Pass

5) would solely relying on a boiler stove like this just be a pain?
I'm with darkwell on this. He has assumed that you don't have mains gas. I can't see where he has read that, or maybe I am missing something. Mains gas, IMO, is unbeatable in terms of convenience. In terms of economy coal is not cheap, and if you have no room for gas bottles, where will you store the fuel. If you buy it "as you go", you will pay through the nose for it, but people still think it is cheaper than gas. Deluded is what I think! . It appears cheaper because there is not a big quarterly bill, but I beleive I would drink water if I got my beer bill 4 times a year

For my further thoughts on this subject:

//www.diynot.com/forums/plumbing/replacement-gas-fire-new-coal-log-open-fire.314059/#2311227

Good luck.

 

[pb2012]

Thanks again for the informative response!

This is sounding like a bit of a no-go. If the cost reductions are indeed that mythical and maintenance is too heavy (before even thinking about fuel storage requirements) then it's dead in the water really.

Damn, this is quite frustrating. I have a nice fire surround and gas fire at my current house in storage I'd initially hoped to use in the new one, so that was an issue and cost dealt with. I of course found that you cant just stick any old fire front to any old back boiler unit and that plan faltered too, hence the boiler stove idea.

It's looking like sticking with the naff current fire but installing a nicer hearth and surround OR a whole new boiler setup and associated cost/work I think.

 

[Corgigrouch]

Hi, If you contact a decent HETAS installer he will be able to advise... You have lots of options with solid fuel... There are log boilers that can be used in smokeless areas these days but if you have coal then smokeless in a multifuel stove is good too, If you have space to put an accumulator you can heat it up with the boiler and draw all your heating and hot water from that...Use your noodle and you can top it up using solar panels so you don't have to light the boiler or stove much at all in the Summer.... Another option could be a small pellet boiler such as the Windhager Firewin... Self lighting and will modulate down to match the heating demand......Don't let 'em tell ya that oil is the only way...

 

[Boilerman2]

Where would you put the Windhager pellet boiler in a SMALL 2 BED TERRACE??

I'd go LPG Combi perhaps in the existing airing cupboard, vertical flue through the roof hey-presto!! (AND NO OIL!!)

 

[Onetap]

If the existing system is currently gas, is there a mains gas supply?

 

[Corgigrouch]

Where would you put the Windhager pellet boiler in a SMALL 2 BED TERRACE??

I'd go LPG Combi perhaps in the existing airing cupboard, vertical flue through the roof hey-presto!! (AND NO OIL!!)

Remove the existing fire.... The firewin is designed for livingrooms.. Where would you place the LPG tank?

I think that the OP has lots of options to look at now.... No oil is always good