Which Heating system

Paddyo

Hi Everyone

Can someone please advise on which heating system I should use in my house.

We are building an extension and are considering converting to gas from oil. However there is also the solid fuel (woodchips) option.

Has anyone got any advice on which one to go for?

If the advice is gas, does anyone use a combination boiler (no need for emersion tank) and is it any good?

Many thanks in advance
Paddyo

Pataman

If you have the space go for wood chip. The price of gas and oil is only going to go up, whereas with more people taking up the option of woodchip(government grant) the price should fall as more competition comes into the country.

Builderwoman!

Would go for Wood pellet (different to wood chip) if you had room to store pellets in bulk. Also think about fitting solar panels. Well worth it.

Pataman

Wood pellet if I had the choice. Solar panels, are a great idea, but you have to be south facing to get the full benefit of them.

natbraddy

if you do choose gas a combi boiler is ideal

Paddyo

Thanks for the replies.

I have been told that a combi boiler can only product 11 litres of hot water a minute - is this correct?

Is there anything which can be gas and wood pellett - I can switch form one to the other?

Many thanks
Paddyo

Viking House

Paddyo wrote:

I have been told that a combi boiler can only product 11 litres of hot water a minute - is this correct?

We fit Condensing Combi boilers in most renovations we do in Dublin, they are about 20% more efficient than an ordinary Combi.
The ordinary Combi system is about 30% more efficient than the copper cylinder system which is most popular here.
11 litres per minute is loads for a shower, you can even take two showers at the same time but the pressure will be a bit less.
If you don't want your shower interrupted by anyone using the taps downstairs you can fit a valve that cuts off the water to the rest of the house.

Paddyo

Thanks Viking

Is the 11 litres figure correct and if so what about taking a bath - it would take a long time to fill it up?

Paddyo

Gurgle

Pataman wrote:

Solar panels, are a great idea, but you have to be south facing to get the full benefit of them.

Not true.
Tubes are much less sensitive to direction of the roof due to curvature.
Flat panels will work fine, you just increase the area (and therefore the grant eligibility;) ). E.g. 6 sq m SE or SW will match 4 sq m due south.

Mellor

Gurgle wrote:

Not true.
Tubes are much less sensitive to direction of the roof due to curvature.
Flat panels will work fine, you just increase the area (and therefore the grant eligibility;) ). E.g. 6 sq m SE or SW will match 4 sq m due south.

I think his point was that on the south they work the best, not that they only work on the south.

Viking House

Hi Paddy

We just finished an extension in Sandyford 2 months ago, the size of the house has doubled but it already looks like the heating bill will be about 30% of what it was before.
We fitted a Condensing Combi boiler with zoned heating.
We cocooned the living area.
We insulated between floors.
We wrapped the old and new building with external granitewool insulation which cuts out all the cold bridging in the walls and dramatically reduces the cold bridge where the wall meets the floor.
We fitted new high performance DG Argon filled timber windows to the complete house.
250mm of attic insulation was installed.

So instead of spending a lot of money on different heating systems you chould first try to reduce the need for heat by super insulating.