# Using both solid fuel and oil for heating



## tinysandra (9 Jan 2011)

My heating is a oil fed combi boiler what I was think of doing was leaving my 5 rads upstairs and hot water on the combi and having my 8 rads downstairs on a solid fuel stove with back boiler. I already have a stove in my lounge but no back boiler so would have to change this as anybody else done this and would it be a big job I have no tanks in my house. any info would be helpful.
many thanks


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## esox (9 Jan 2011)

cant be done, you will need a hot water storage cylinder which the solid fuel stove can be connected to. 

would be a good investment though, to have your system changed from combi oil to high efficiency oil fired boiler, new dual coil cylinder and then install your multi-fuel boiler stove, you also should be able to avail of the seai grant scheme to help lighten the cash flow. [broken link removed]


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## villa 1 (10 Jan 2011)

It can be done but it is a very complicated installation ( hot water cylinder, split secondary hot water circuit, gravity primary heating circuit etc) and a plumber would run a mile from it unless you are willing to throw away a lot of money on the installation.
As essox says install a new high efficiency oil fired boiler and link this to a solid fuel stove. Be sure to get a time served plumbing contractor who has experince in dual heating systems as there are many cowboys out there.


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## fmmc (14 Jan 2011)

hi tinysandra,

I have dual heating installed and additionally am running UFH.  No issues thusfar thankfully.  My plumber used a "system zone" solution for combining feeds from both solid fuel and orthodox heating and its successful so far.  Very glad of same during the recent severe cold spell when UFH was struggling during -15 deg temps.  Was great to have stove to pump out immediate heat to room and still have byproduct of it contributing to domestic hot water.  It can be done but as villa suggests, ensure your plumber has done it successfully previously.  A mate of mine did to be fair have much trouble with his own installation (combined oil and solid fuel) but he didn't have the system zone of system link product.  Good luck.  From a punter happy he chose both.


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## esox (14 Jan 2011)

villa 1 said:


> It can be done but it is a very complicated installation ( hot water cylinder, split secondary hot water circuit, gravity primary heating circuit etc) and a plumber would run a mile from it unless you are willing to throw away a lot of money on the installation.
> As essox says install a new high efficiency oil fired boiler and link this to a solid fuel stove. Be sure to get a time served plumbing contractor who has experince in dual heating systems as there are many cowboys out there.


 

how can it be done it was said the system is running a combi boiler thus no hot water storage cylinder, a safely installed solid fuel system.


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## esox (14 Jan 2011)

villa Also what is a 'split' secondary hot water circuit


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## villa 1 (17 Jan 2011)

The combi can look after sink/showers and the boiler/cylinder can look after all other hot water use, baths, basins etc


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## esox (22 Jan 2011)

oh, sounds like double trouble


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