Hi Guys,
I've been reading the forum for a while as I'm about to begin renovating a house and would like to install WBS and Solar to move away from Gas as much as I can.
Its a smallish south facing 3 bed semi with 4 full size rads and 3 1/2 size ones.
My main priority is Hot Water (i'm happy to keep the gas boiler for CH as I hope to insulate well and not need it too often!)
There is an existing back boiler on the gas fire .. I was planning to open the fireplace, take out the back boiler and install a boiler stove. I would then link that directly to a thermal store along with some solar tubes and connect the old gas boiler as a backup.
But..im in a smoke control area.
I've been looking and the Dunsley "Yorkshire"
http://www.dunsleyheat.co.uk/yorkshirestoveCH.htm is the only Defra approved stove with a built in back boiler. This is a 12kw beast and i'm worried this will be far too big for my house and I'll struggle to feed it enough wood.
I did call Dunsley and they assured me the stove would work fine if I ran it at 1/2 capacity but I don't see how it can as the water tank is so huge.. surely if you halve the output you need a smaller tank or you'll never get the water in the pipes heated and moving up to the thermal store.
The other Defra approved option I've seen is the the Charnwood flue boiler
http://www.charnwood.com/charnwood-flue-boiler.asp which gives 3kw output (enough for HW). Has anyone ever used one of these things ?
Any real life experience or advice would great - I've called a few installers but they all have their own favorite methods and dont seem keen on Solar at all and I've not been able to find a stove shop which carries the Dunsley Yorkshire in stock (bad sign..)
thanks
Chris