Key Post: Central Heating

Re: >>Central Heating

Thanks Heinbloed, that is invaluable information. I believe the engineer genuinely suggested the wood pellet system from an "environmentally friendly" point of view but I wouldn't say he has much expertise in the area. He certainly didn't point out about the conditions for storing the pellets - which seems like a pretty crucial piece of information! but I am still at the research stage of this, I understand insulation is very important and will try to do my best there. I will also keep the radiant surface point in mind - makes sense. Thanks again.

Re: >>Central Heating

with regards to the Gas condensing combi boiler.. has anyone actual experience of it and the costs...? Building timber frame at the moment and am installing duel fuel heating system...Stove with back boiler and oil or gas boiler....just cant decide on which , even after reading all the posts here. I notice from heatmerchants that the gas type is roughly twice the priceof the oil type and just wondereing if worth the extra..??

Re: >>Central Heating

I need to get a new gas boiler and am considering getting a condensing gas boiler (not a combi boilet).

I need an 80,000 BTU (23.5kW) boiler. The prices I have found on the web are fairly high and the plumbing suppliers generally indicate that they are expensive - though I have seen them at decent prices in UK web sites I can't get one delivered here.

I have a mate in a plumbing suppliers who gives me good prices but he is on holidays and I need it asap so the lads in the shop won't be giving me as good a price as he would.

They laughed at the idea of a condensing boiler, saying they were double the price and only gave me a quote for a normal gas system boiler.

I need a 80,000 BTU boiler but they only have 70,000 (€750 inc VAT) or 100,000 BTU (€910 inc VAT). Plumber says to go with the 100,000 BTU to be sure but I have read they are less efficient. Anyone got any ideas on what I should go for, are these good prices, and what to pay for a 25kW condensing gas boiler?

Thanks

Re: >>Central Heating

To Npgallag :
When going for combustion to create heating energy at home the condensing boiler is the most economical method . Technical details speak for it : since there is no need for a chimney (and no cleaning of it) you safe thousands of building costs . Putting holes into your roof for several chimneys don't add to the value of your home- it decreases the ( market ) value of it with the introduction of the energy pass. More holes = more leaks , more energy loss.
Stoves rob you of energy when not in use , the permanent draft caused by the chimneys " steal " energy. Stoves are no boilers , central heating is the modern way of life . So when thinking about a home for the elderly - you will get old as well - a stove is a bad buy . Think about shoveling coal and chopping timber when bound to a wheelchair.
When buing trash boilers you pay what you get . Check the www.sedbuk.com page to see what energy rating the recommended boilers have . Are they rubbish that can't be sold somewhere else and therefore end up in the Irish market ?
Energy savings must be included in the calculations of heatmerchants . Otherwise they don't know what they are talking about .Or they are looking for a prey.

Re: >>Central Heating

To OhPinchy :
You need a modulating combi condensing boiler. No matter if it costs a thousand extra. Amortisation will be short with todays fuel prices.
Since these guys at heatmerchants as you have described them haven't got a clue about bussiness ( they can't sell, they can't calculate ) you should look out for an other dealer as well.
And get a propper heat demand calculation for the premises to be heated. On what is this number ( 23.5 kW ) based ?
Check http://www.sedbuk.com to see if they tried to sell you an obsolete banger .

Hi, has anyone looked at this



I am considering getting this installed for existing gas fire central heating system for the house.
Only need to add controller, interface unit and TRVs - lots of TRVs.
Looks like an excellent idea.

Just curious whether anyone has tried this already?

Hi.
I've just viewed a property where the only source of heat in the house is a gas fire place in the kitchen. Does this mean there's also a gas boiler in the house, don't remember seeing one? Any ideas how much it would cost to update the heating system and install radiators in five rooms? The real estate agent was pretty clueless, but i'd imagine that if there's already a gas main-line going into the house that it wouldn't be too much of a job to install radiators and whatever else is needed for a comprehensive heating system. Any pertinent questions I should ask the Real estate agent if I consider buying this property?
Thanks in advance for any help.

I have decided to get the gas (Ferroli - 12 litres per minute) combi-modulating boiler.

Should I opt for 2 power showers or should I keep one electric shower? The plumber has suggested that I keep one electric shower.

I have 2 electric showers at the moment. I would prefer 2 power showers. In the main, there is only demand for one shower each morning.

Marion

If it's a combi boiler you'll need no power showers, just a hot and cold water connection and a mixing shower tap.Lidl has them now and then for around €20 each. I recommend adjustable shower heads, the ones that have a massage jet. With the better ones (again Lidl for €8 each, but also Argos for around €10) you'll have a water saving feature, that means you could-when using both showers simultanously- switch to the saving modus if the water would be on the short supply. That saves on energy as well. I use one of them myself, the pressure/jet on the saving modus is so strong that it would hurt in the eye. Exellent to clean the shower cabin, like a power washer. If one doesn't hold the handle it would "fly" away.

you'll have a water saving feature, that means you could-when using both showers simultanously- switch to the saving modus if the water would be on the short supply

Click to expand...

That's good news. Thanks again Heinbloed.

Marion

Hi I've just bought a cottage style house with an attic conversion,
I've decided to convert from oil to gas and am interested in the combi boiler...

At present a water tank is in one of the upstairs bedrooms and the overflow pipe is directed into the room, if i install combi boiler can i get rid of the water tank?, A builder and plumber have both suggested to move the tank outside onto an adjoining flatroof extension, which means building an insulated hut and plumbing pipes down through the roof. I would wish to avoid having to do this if at all possible.

I can see how the combi makes the hotpress obsolete, but am a little less clear on how it would make the water tank obsolete, perhaps someone could shed some light on this,

thanks

Hi Mike,

Welcome to AAM.

Sorry I can't answer the main part of your question but hope that others here can do so.

This previous AAM thread on combi boilers and lack of water tank might help.

Some other previous threads here on combi boilers.

Marion
To follow on from Heinbold's post If your incoming pressure is not high enough you will need to boost the water pressure with a booster pump. You would put this at the inlet to the Ferolli boiler The cold tee's off to the cold water tap at the showers. Don't waste time with power showers

Check the water pressure at the main water pipe coming to your home. Any combi boiler connected to a tap needs a certain pressure, usualy more then 1.2 bar. So if you want to connect a tap at the attic in a two storey house then the resistance to the height of the tap has to be considered. Or more easy explained: Pressure at the mains on the road is 2 bar, planned out let (tap) at attic (let's say at 7 meters height) minus 0.7 bar. That gives us 2 bar minus 0.7 bar = 1.3 bar. You're within the range of a standard combi boiler.
If your next tap to the boiler is below the boiler position (in your case the attic) then this position is to be included in the calculation. Let's say your boiler is in the attic but your nearest tap/valve is in the shower at the first floor 5 meters above the mains then the calculation looks like this: pressure at the mains 2 bar minus 0.5 bar = 1.5 bar. You're within the range again.
Check the min. pressure for each combi boiler (data sheet), they can differ from manufacturer to manufacturer, from model to model. Extreme long pipes will also cause friction of the flow which must be subtracted,so connect a pipe/garden hose provisional from the mains to the attic and meassure the pressure there.
Choose a pipe diameter as wide as possible going from the mains to the boiler, but not wider then the main's diameter.
If your plumber doesn't want to do that - sack him, he/she's incompetent.Talk to the boiler manufacturer to get a real plumber from your area to do the job.
Data for different types of boilers and their efficiency can be got from the Sedbuk page.

1.2 bar is a bit low for me..2 bar much nicer for peeling of the mud after a good game of footie..

thanks for pointing me in the right direction sueellen, these threads have been a great help...

websites like this are such an invaluable resource to the uninitiated... long may they last

Hi Badabing

The local Co Co measured the pressure again today (last time I checked was months ago) and it read 2.5 bar or 37 psi. This was taken from my outside tap which is the mains tap at the kitchen sink wall. So I presume this would have given the same reading if it had been taken at the actual kitchen tap?

Marion

I'm answering that for Badabing: Yes, with some very little subtraction.
The longer the pipe is and the more bends/joints there are the smaller the reading will get. But in the standard Irish home it will hardly be meassureable between the outside tap and the kitchen tap unless using sophisticated, fine tuned meassuring equipment.

Hi, does anyone have a recent price for installing gas central heating into a 3 bed house in dublin, including any bord gais costs to actully bring the gas into the house - their website states €220 which seems extremely cheap. Thinking of making an offer on a property but there are only 3 storage heaters in it at the moment - all downstairs, and storage heating is not for me. We want to take all 'must do' costs into account before we make an offer.

im installing a wood/coal stove as the only heating supply. will it work the same way as a back boiler, with pipe stat and pump?
any information would be much appreciated?