Lets talk heating systems
Discussion
An exciting subject I think you'll agree 
I've decided and am happy with an underfloor heating system, but now the bit i'm getting excited about (In a very sad way) is the boiler and wood burner.
I would like a solar panel on the roof to warm the water going to be heated by the boiler in the summer, then have a storage tank which is fed by a gas boiler and also by a wood burner in the lounge.
I've looked at a few companies through the wonder of google but they pretty much all say the same thing.
So, any experiences of systems, downfalls, problems etc of different arrangements then fire away.
As saving for a self build is stopping me playing with the cars I at least want some cool toys in the house to pnder over and look into.
Dave
I've decided and am happy with an underfloor heating system, but now the bit i'm getting excited about (In a very sad way) is the boiler and wood burner.
I would like a solar panel on the roof to warm the water going to be heated by the boiler in the summer, then have a storage tank which is fed by a gas boiler and also by a wood burner in the lounge.
I've looked at a few companies through the wonder of google but they pretty much all say the same thing.
So, any experiences of systems, downfalls, problems etc of different arrangements then fire away.
As saving for a self build is stopping me playing with the cars I at least want some cool toys in the house to pnder over and look into.
Dave
It sounds to me as if your are trying to build too many bells and whistles into this project, and if you do that you are going to need a professional to design it for you, and you won't understand it when he has finished. Can I recommend that you contact Worcester and ask for their nice little DVD about energy efficient heating systems.
No doubt you can preheat water in solar panels, but I'm told it is not terribly efficient. It might be better using your roof for photovoltaics to get some power. If you want really efficient hot water the system to go for is a ground sourced heat pump. Then unfortunately you probably aren't going to need your gas boiler or stove.
I have never been a fan of stoves. It is something that looks innocent enough but is lethally hot and a serious danger to small kids who won't realise that. An open fire at least looks hot and you can put a guard over it. Stoves also look to me like a log fire in a condom, for neo-scandinavian modernist yuppies.
If you have a log fire you could install a back boiler, which will generate enormous amounts of hot water while the fire is alight. If then you designed a simple circulating radiator or underfloor system in the house, with or without pump assistance, all you would need is a filthy big storage tank, and anytime you lit the fire you are going to have more heat and hot water than you know what to do with.
If then you back this up with a GSHP system for when you don't have the fire on (this is where you need an expert - combining different systems) and you can get the electricity for the pumps from your photovoltaics, you better be ready to have one hell of a lot of hot baths. Stuff the gas. You don't need it unless you want it for cooking. And it is 100% renewable. I'm not a believer in man made climate change, but noone can deny the appeal and sense of a easy clean heating system that costs nothing. You don't need to be an ecomental green bean minge muncher to see that.
No doubt you can preheat water in solar panels, but I'm told it is not terribly efficient. It might be better using your roof for photovoltaics to get some power. If you want really efficient hot water the system to go for is a ground sourced heat pump. Then unfortunately you probably aren't going to need your gas boiler or stove.
I have never been a fan of stoves. It is something that looks innocent enough but is lethally hot and a serious danger to small kids who won't realise that. An open fire at least looks hot and you can put a guard over it. Stoves also look to me like a log fire in a condom, for neo-scandinavian modernist yuppies.
If you have a log fire you could install a back boiler, which will generate enormous amounts of hot water while the fire is alight. If then you designed a simple circulating radiator or underfloor system in the house, with or without pump assistance, all you would need is a filthy big storage tank, and anytime you lit the fire you are going to have more heat and hot water than you know what to do with.
If then you back this up with a GSHP system for when you don't have the fire on (this is where you need an expert - combining different systems) and you can get the electricity for the pumps from your photovoltaics, you better be ready to have one hell of a lot of hot baths. Stuff the gas. You don't need it unless you want it for cooking. And it is 100% renewable. I'm not a believer in man made climate change, but noone can deny the appeal and sense of a easy clean heating system that costs nothing. You don't need to be an ecomental green bean minge muncher to see that.
Edited by cardigankid on Tuesday 2nd December 08:17
cardigankid said:
No doubt you can preheat water in solar panels, but I'm told it is not terribly efficient. It might be better using your roof for photovoltaics to get some power.
Its the other way round, solar water heating is the better option, PV doesn't generate much electricity. Ground source heat pumps are a great source of heating but as you've seen they can be expensive to install. Another option is air source systems these work suprisingly well and are very efficient, the plant can be quite large but if you are doing s new build then it can be designed in quite easily, have a look at www.nibe.co.uk. There's also Biomass but you need a large area to store the fuel.
Another website thats worth a look at is http://www.energysavingtrust.org.uk/
Air source will probably pay for itself within 5-7 years (and that when calculated on pre-2008 prices, but including the 30% grant for renewable energy sources). Everyone needs to do their own costings obviously but a day or twos research will pay dividends, especially of / when oil goes ballistic again.
cardigankid said:
I have never been a fan of stoves. It is something that looks innocent enough but is lethally hot and a serious danger to small kids who won't realise that. An open fire at least looks hot and you can put a guard over it. Stoves also look to me like a log fire in a condom, for neo-scandinavian modernist yuppies.
If you have a log fire you could install a back boiler, which will generate enormous amounts of hot water while the fire is alight. If then you designed a simple circulating radiator or underfloor system in the house, with or without pump assistance, all you would need is a filthy big storage tank, and anytime you lit the fire you are going to have more heat and hot water than you know what to do with.
After replacing an open fire for a stove i think they have a lot of advantages over the former If you have a log fire you could install a back boiler, which will generate enormous amounts of hot water while the fire is alight. If then you designed a simple circulating radiator or underfloor system in the house, with or without pump assistance, all you would need is a filthy big storage tank, and anytime you lit the fire you are going to have more heat and hot water than you know what to do with.
Edited by cardigankid on Tuesday 2nd December 08:17
They are more efficient, more heat goes to heat the stove rather than straight up the chimney
They are far cleaner, dont smell and dont spit embers all over the rugs
They use less fuel as they are easier to shut down the air and slow the burning of the logs
The former also means you can open everything up and get it lit and generating heat very quickly
They dont need cleaning out as often and after use you can just shut the door and not see the ash inside
They are safer in so much as the burning logs cant fall out and you can suffocate the fire down when you go to bed this also means you can load up the stove and go out and still have a fire going when you come home
Depending on the application you can put a guard over them and you can also buy stoves with built in back burners.
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