Mum's new place - what do you think....?

[dhaslam]

I wouldn't rely on a heat recovery system to move heat about unless there is a small heating element in the  unit.    Air only carries  a tiny amount of heat and the heat recovery system  wouldn't have enough  temperature differential  to make a difference.   Also bathrooms should have electric underfloor heating, a few hundred watts is plenty.  Perhaps also low wattage towel rails and  a few small thermostatically controlled electric heaters for cold dull winter weather.   Electric heating top up  for the immersion is fine but the  cylinder needs to be big enough to  use off peak electricity only.    This assumes that winter time PV  will be used for other purposes.

I would agree  with using a non boiler stove.   The savings on fuel, to say nothing of  the work saving and storage space saving,  would easily  pay for  the extra electricity  for hot water in winter.    A boiler stove is going to use  something like four tonnes of wood each year while the  efficient non boiler stoves would  survive on one or two tonnes.  A saving of £300  would but 3000 off peak units even at 10p.          

[billi]

I like wood chip - as its a one off expense, then cheap fuel

Guy i would like to see more wood chip burners/boilers for single houses available , but is there a such "small automated solution " ? , would be great

Billi