What are my Central heating options?

[penfold]

Just moved into a new house and experiencing a few problems with the heating ...so, need to pick peeps brains!

The central heating was run by an ancient 1958 rayburn which we have been assured is working, although the engineer says it is a mare to upkeep :( We have not been able to try it though as there is no oil in the tank and when we tried to get some delivered they company refused when they saw the tank as it was so decrepit (sp) that it was a pollution hazard :(

So...pondering the options.

The only form of heating at the moment is an open fire which also heats the water. There are also solar panels however we know nothing about these, no instructions were left (this was a power of attorney sale so we can't even ask the previous owners)....and anyway, the trees in the back garden are so big at the moment that no sun even hits the panels:rolleyes:

No mains gas so would have to use LPG. Have heard a few people with concerns over the safety.

Was considering a Multi fuel stove with a back boiler to heat the water. However, will be going back to work for 3 full days a week and not sure how it would work during the day when we are not there and how practical it would be.

Or we could get a new oil tank and either see if the rayburn works or get a whole new modern system fitted/

At the moment we are using the open fire supplemented by oil filled radiators in the rooms...can only imagine the costs in electrity though! No choice though, no double glazing in the house and it was minus 7 here the other night :star-smiley: :eek:

Just really can't decide what to do for the best. :behindsofa:

[Gizmos]

sorry hun can't help but here is a hug to warm you up :hug:

[Maverick]

I would deffo replace the oil tank and get radiators fitted that dont rely on the old rayburn, or get a new oil fired aga/rayburn with radiators running off that if you want.

[mum1964]

Try the energy saving trust for some more ideas, they may also have some info about solar panels, there are not many companies making and fitting domestic ones.
www.energysavingtrust.org.uk
or if you are in scotland it is
www.energysavingtrustscotland.org.uk
I spoke to them once and they were very helpful.
The electricity saftey council may have some thoughts about solar panels as well.
www.esc.org.uk

[penfold]

I would deffo replace the oil tank and get radiators fitted that dont rely on the old rayburn, or get a new oil fired aga/rayburn with radiators running off that if you want.


tbh, don't really fancy an aga/rayburn, all looks a bit scary! Popped into the aga shop in town the other week...well, you could have picked me off the floor when I realised the prices of those things!!!! There was also a lovely aga fridge freezer....a snip at, wait for it,......£8k! For a fridge freezer :eek:

At the moment the new oil fired system is what I am tending towards. Just have got so used to the convenience of setting the thermostat and that being it. I like the idea of the multi fuel stove but think the novelty may wear off. However, wood is freely available around here which is obviously a big plus point.

[MrsSavvy]

We spent a lot of money putting in central heating a few years ago and have never been happy with it. I wish we had looked into under floor heating as more of an option now as we were replacing all the flooring anyway and downstairs floors are concrete.

[pookienoodle]

why not get a specialist company to come and look your system over and let you know what your best options are.
http://www.oil-boiler-servicing.co.uk/index.html
Also get someone in to look at the solar panels though you may find these are a white elephant(unscrupulous contractors selling worthless systems )
Is it a large property?
will you be double glazing?
also check out warm front to see if you qualify for a grant.
http://www.warmfront.co.uk/

[indy]

i would choose the oil option over lpg its been cosistantly cheaper and its easy enough to get the best oil prices now by using boilerjuce.com
i would probably get a new tank and try the rayburn for now just to see how you go with it
as far as new systems go unless you rally love the look / lifstyle of the rayburn aga i wouldnt bother you will save alot of outlay just buying a normal boiler and seperate cooker (personally i would love one myself if i won the lottery i would have an alpha (its bigger than an aga) but i just couldnt justify it )
re the solar panels i would assume they are just for heating the water maybe a good plumber / heating engineer could come and check them out for you

[Grace & Favour]

Hi Penfold . .

You certainly find that the Solar panels are a complete waste of time unless you can get Govt funding to install them. - at the mo, the cost of purchase and installation is extremely high vis-a-vis the likely savings - - particularly at your latitude.

A number rof peeps are perfectly happy with LPG - and, assuming it's been safely installed - - I would not think there are any safety issues whatsoever.

Were I in your position I would definitely go for wood burning stove(s) and a back boiler / / / Not only can the newer design of wood burners be highly controllable - the heat they give off is delightful - -

Add to that the fact that oil is going to escalate in price again - whereas the best thing OH could put on his Christmas list is a petrol-driven chainsaw.

[holliemon]

Check your local authority as a friend of mine in neighbouring town have had solar panels put in at very little cost to them.

We have them in this house but we did not install them. The previous owners put them in around 17 years before we bought it and as he lived there a long time he made his money on them.

They aren't working at the mo I think we need a new pump it is something we should look into

[DaisyChain]

Err, big bed and lots of early nights ;)

Good luck hun, no advice - we have a modern box with flick of a switch ch

[pookienoodle]

Did I misread the first post or has Penfold already got solar panels installed?

[obscure]

Did I misread the first post or has Penfold already got solar panels installed?


Exactly! So anything they do contribute is free and clear of any outlay.

[pookienoodle]

Exactly! So anything they do contribute is free and clear of any outlay.

yes thats why I think its worth her getting someone in to see how they work,if they have been installed properly and if its worth cutting the trees.

[Grace & Favour]

Did I misread the first post or has Penfold already got solar panels installed?

I read it that she already has a couple - - but they are such poor performers (and at best have only a 20 year life), that their contribution to power in winter will be nothing short of pitiful

[pookienoodle]

I read it that she already has a couple - - but they are such poor performers (and at best have only a 20 year life), that their contribution to power in winter will be nothing short of pitiful

not always the case,
A workmate of mine lives in a council owned maisonette that was refurbished a few years ago to include solar panels.
on a sunny day it provides all the hot water needed,on cloudier/winter days it raises the water temp before it goes into the condending boiler...thus using less energy to get to the required temp.
The council won a bunch of awards because these installations are working so well.
I agree it is probably a waste of space but its worth checking out just in case it is worth taking into consideration when replacing the boiler.

[tiger]

We have an open fire and get free wood to burn but there is a lot of work involved in cutting and storing the logs and carrying them in. That's not a problem just for secondary heating like ours is but we get through two or three bags a night. Even allowing for the fact that a wood burning stove would be more efficient than an open fireplace, I imagine that you would need several bags a day to heat a complete house. You therefore need a large dry storage area to have enough wood stored for use during severe cold spells.

[BritBrat]

How about an oiled fired ballanced flue combi?

I would keep the old range and do it up for cooking and keeping warm in winter, use electric cooker in summer.

Or solid fuel gravity boiler.

[moonmim]

Not much help with keeping you warm now, but from April 2010, anyone with a "feed in" tariff with their supplier will be paid 36.5p per kW produced by solar panels, if they use the energy themselves, or 41.5p per kW if they export it (i.e. surplus energy that they don't use themselves) I found out about this at work the other day,but have asked for further details, as this is something I'm interested in myself.

Moonmim

[penfold]

Yes, already have 4 solar panels in place. Hard to say how much hot water they are producing as we are running the open fire/back boiler at the same time. Can't imagine it being too much until this weekend as we have now got most of the trees cut down which were blocking the light. (and also got LOTS of wood now :p)

My main worry about the wood burner is how practical it will be on the . days when I will be at work all day....i.e will it still be burning when I get in at 5pm after leaving at 7am?

It is an old farm cottage, built around 1900 and converted from 2 to 1 around 1975. (from when most of the decoration dates :behindsofa:) Big thick walls. We have got the loft insulation up to 300mm and double glazing is due to be fitted on 3rd dec.....thankfully as the draughts which come in the windows is unbelievable :eek:

Think I have decided to hold fire at the moment until the windows are in. It is only really the hall and our bedroom which are really cold....but there are 4 windows in the hall and a HUGE bay window in our room (and 3 external walls). Hoping that we may be able to limp through this winter with what we have got and then make a decision in the spring.......yep, it may well take me that long to decide :p The open fire is a pain the proverbial in the morning when it is cold and I have to get it cleaned but, sitting here in front of a roaring fire in the cold dark evening....it is bliss :love:

[tiger]

I love our open fire. When we come down in the morning the fireplace is still warm so it's still heating the room after the fire has died down.

[Mamzie]

I would adore a multi fuel central heating system... Hate the fact we've only got gas heating via radiators here...

I would really say insulate, insulate, insulate.. Then get a multi fuel system installed that could run the heating. When its a closed stove, you can leave them just as embers, while at work, and chances are they may last until you are home. Best thing is, if you could get your solar panels working, they may do your water through summer, while your wood burner would supply loads during winter.

[tiger]

You can get self feeding multi fuel boilers.

[pookienoodle]

Yes, already have 4 solar panels in place. Hard to say how much hot water they are producing as we are running the open fire/back boiler at the same time. Can't imagine it being too much until this weekend as we have now got most of the trees cut down which were blocking the light. (and also got LOTS of wood now :p)

My main worry about the wood burner is how practical it will be on the . days when I will be at work all day....i.e will it still be burning when I get in at 5pm after leaving at 7am?

It is an old farm cottage, built around 1900 and converted from 2 to 1 around 1975. (from when most of the decoration dates :behindsofa:) Big thick walls. We have got the loft insulation up to 300mm and double glazing is due to be fitted on 3rd dec.....thankfully as the draughts which come in the windows is unbelievable :eek:

Think I have decided to hold fire at the moment until the windows are in. It is only really the hall and our bedroom which are really cold....but there are 4 windows in the hall and a HUGE bay window in our room (and 3 external walls). Hoping that we may be able to limp through this winter with what we have got and then make a decision in the spring.......yep, it may well take me that long to decide :p The open fire is a pain the proverbial in the morning when it is cold and I have to get it cleaned but, sitting here in front of a roaring fire in the cold dark evening....it is bliss :love:

have you seen thermilate paint additive? we used it in our last house and it made a noticable difference on our outside walls.
you just add it to the paint.
you can probably get it cheaper than this but its the first linky I could find.
http://www.enviro-materials.co.uk/products.asp?c=277

[navara]

A heat pump (http://www.iceenergy.co.uk/) is what you need if you don't have mains gas

[BritBrat]

I love our open fire. When we come down in the morning the fireplace is still warm so it's still heating the room after the fire has died down.


You do know how to keep them in for weeks so you do not have to light the open fire every day?

Last thing at night, well a hour or so before take the ash pan out to cool. (I have been known to get old ash from outside and use that)

Then just before you go to bed throw some new coal onto the fire followed by the old ash in the pan to cover it all.

Then in the morning or even the afternoon rake it over and it will fire up again, clean ash from bottom and add fresh coal.

[carebabe]

if you decide on oil based heating system you could get a replacement oil tank now and link up to use the rayburn over the winter with a view to getting a new boiler in later on. there is nothing to beat the comfort and warmth of an aga/rayburn for winter imo.

[BritBrat]

I have been meaning to try this:


Copied this from an old book 'enquire within', I've left out the bit about servants,. masters etc.

This WORKS!!!

Before lighting the fire in the morning, thoroughly clean out the grate; lay a piece of cardboard, cut to the form and size of the grate, at the bottom; pile up fresh coal, nearly as high as the level of the top bar; the pieces should be about the size of small potatoes or walnuts, but this is not absolutely necessary; the larger lumps should be laid in front, the smaller ones behind; then put a liberal supply of paper, or shavings, and sticks on the top, and cover the whole with yesterdays cinders, adding a very little coal.

Thus, it will be seen, the fire is to be lighted at the top. The results will be not only satisfactory, but astonishing.

The fire lights up at once, without further trouble the centre of the
fuel soon catches, and the interior strata of coal ignite. The fire spreads downwards, and the smoke is forced to pass through the upper layers of burning coal; the consequence is, there is perfect combustion, the great volume of gas and smoke usually sent off from fires, and which consists of the most combustible part of coal, being thoroughly consumed, and yielding heat.

A fire so made will go on burning for six, eight or even ten hours, without poking, without adding fresh coal, or any attention whatever. There is little or no smoke, and the fire gives out a pleasant and uniform glow. One fair trail of this system will satisfy everybody. It will sometimes be necessary to loosen, or stir lightly the upper part of the fire, if it begins to cake; but the lower part must not be touched, otherwise it will burn away too soon.

Try it if you got an open fire, or roomheater.

[Scrungee]

You do know how to keep them in for weeks so you do not have to light the open fire every day?

Last thing at night, well a hour or so before take the ash pan out to cool. (I have been known to get old ash from outside and use that)

Then just before you go to bed throw some new coal onto the fire followed by the old ash in the pan to cover it all.

Then in the morning or even the afternoon rake it over and it will fire up again, clean ash from bottom and add fresh coal.

That's what we do with the open fire in our dining room, but with mostly wood + some coal and it keeps going either all night or all day and no worries about stray sparks.

But our sweep told us that doing that was probably why our cast iron grate (only a cheap Wilkos one) burnt out every year, but still much cheaper than continually feeding it with fuel, especially when windy when it would otherwise roar away all day/night.

[Grace & Favour]

You do know how to keep them in for weeks so you do not have to light the open fire every day?

Last thing at night, well a hour or so before take the ash pan out to cool. (I have been known to get old ash from outside and use that)

Then just before you go to bed throw some new coal onto the fire followed by the old ash in the pan to cover it all.

Then in the morning or even the afternoon rake it over and it will fire up again, clean ash from bottom and add fresh coal.


We always did this too (and used to riddle the ashes (when cold) onto the compost - and all the clinker would then go back onto the fire the following evening . .

We would go for weeks without letting our fire go out - just slowly ticking away - keeping the house snuggly

[pookienoodle]

this website has details of grants available for the installation of renewable energies.
http://www.lowcarbonbuildings.org.uk/home/