thermal stores & Heatbanks

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Yorkshire
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Hi I just came across this sight and find it very helpful. Perhaps you can help me.

Has anyone had experience with Thermal Stores or Heat banks? I am renovating a large, old, stone built house and will be replacing a lot of the plumbing, including boiler.

Because of the layout and size of the house I was thinking of placing an oil fired combi boiler in my ground floor Utility (that is where the existing one is) and having the hot water from it feeding the Kitchen (next to the Utility) and the En-suite (above the Utility). I was then going to run the CH side to the radiators and a hot water tank.

I have looked at my options and considered things like the Megaflow to supply the main bathroom and another en-suite. However, I also wish to consider the following.

1, I want to put solar panels on the roof for secondary heating. Most systems only appear to heat hot water, but using a Thermal Store appears to let me use Solar to heat water and the radiators. I do not expect to use only the solar for heating, but it seems pointless heating hot water on sunny winter’s days when I will not be using it. This way I will use the boiler to top up the heating.

2, I am considering putting UFH in my kitchen when I get around to replacing it.

3, There are normally only two of us in the house, but it can 6 or 8 at weekends.

4, I would like to be able to include the back boiler from our wood burner to heat the radiators.

5, Because we have thick stone walls, the house remains cool even on a sunny summer’s day. This is another reason to use the solar panels to trickle heat the radiators.

My problem is there do not appear to be many manufacturers or plumbers with experience of a system like this. Am I barking up the wrong tree?
 
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What you are envisaging is possible, but in reality there is little enough solar gain to dhw in winter months let alone for a heating circuit, even though it will be a low temp underfloor system.

I would use the solar for hw only and get the most from this.

Solar is good, but it is vastly over hyped by the 'greenies'. You will save money with a properly installed system but you have to want to install it for your own 'environment' issues rather than just as a cost saving exercise.
 
Following their figures a professional installed system pays back in 18 years!

Web site is out of date, grant at present is only £250 IF you can get it and waht about the proposed government legislation that we have to be assessed and passed by them to install solar, as in gas boiler legislation, taking it out of the diy market. They are proposing to charge each installer £1800 to be assessed and allowed to operate for the first year, then £450 /year afterwards.

The average family (3 bed house will save around £150/ year running costs and with a high quality system costing £4000- £6000 to install you have to be a greenie!
 
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Thanks guys,

esra_ptrap, Thanks they are one of the firms I had looked at. From your comments I presume you have used them before?

gas4you, Yeh I realise I will not get that much saving, it was a mix of "green" and cost that I was thinking of. I am looking in to the cost factor as I will be having my loft conversion improved and the roof needs replacing any way. I will see if that has any impact on bringing the installation cost down. i.e scaffold up and tiles off may make it easier for access.

Also we just bought the place and do not intend moving in a hurry, so a long payback ain't too bad.
 
As you will have scaffolding up then this will reduce installation costs. I am not trying to put you off solar, I am a solar installer, but I like customers to see both sides of the full picture ;)
 

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