Biomass boiler questions

[shendy]

My parants are looking at having some kind of biomass boiler put in. Is there a boiler that could burn wood chip and logs? Also could they keep there gas heating as a back up and to use for hot water in the summer? If so Who would they contact.

[nick channer]

have a look at central boilers... wood only though... ours has just arrived ready for installation.. and you leave excisting boiler in place... if temp drops it takes the heat fom the gas or oil..

Edited April 8, 2012 by nick channer
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[Stereo]

Or Eco Angus. One of the fellas from there has posted here before.

[shendy]

Thanks. Ive really not a clue about them. Will pass on the info. Nick how much wood do you thing it would get through a day??

[nick channer]

my mate who sells them has 2 installed.. the one at his house he fills once a day and puts 6-10 logs cut to 90cm and around 4-6 inch diameter... he reckons 5 ton hardwood a month.. he has a big draughty old farm house...

[rovers90]

he reckons 5 ton hardwood a month.. he has a big draughty old farm house...

 

Is that right Nick? Would oil or gas not be cheaper as the cost price of 5 ton of hardwood delivered has to be at least £250 before you even begin to split it to correct size?

[Marko]

Getting the volumes of wood needed is the best place to start.... not just for the specification of the boiler, but more importantly to understand the scale of storage for ready to use and/or seasoning wood, delivery access, effort required etc. Once fully understood it can make filling the oil tank seem like not such a bad option.

 

It might be better to go for a burn anything "Farm 2000" set up rather than a super efficient gassification boiler especially if he really does need 5 tons a month to go through it.

 

All the issues above are highlighted in a good case study on Sustainable heating using wood fuel at Coed Cae B&B, North Wales and a decent list of wood boiler manufacturers can be found on Wood gasifying boilers, Wood fired boilers, Log Boilers, Wood Pellet Boilers and Biomass Boilers: UK Stockists and Installers

[nick channer]

he reckons 5 ton hardwood a month.. he has a big draughty old farm house...

 

Is that right Nick? Would oil or gas not be cheaper as the cost price of 5 ton of hardwood delivered has to be at least £250 before you even begin to split it to correct size?

 

he used to have half his house closed off and only the heating on when nessesary.. now the whole house is heated and heating on all the time without worrying about how much oil its using and even with the cost of paying someone to split it its half what his oil bill was from october to april..... but like he said the last few weeks he's only been filling it once every 3 or 4 days .. and he also gets 7-10p from government for every kw he burns which pays for wood and more on top...

he has another boiler running at full capacity 24hrs day 6 days a week and that burns 2.5 tons week..

the art of these boilers is to source the cheapest wood possible... i've sold him 5 artic loads poplar which delivered in would cost him £25 a ton... i took some in at xmas which he split straight away and is now burning...

i have 3 artic loads cedar larch conifer that was given to me to move and thats what we'l be using in our boiler..

[shendy]

5 ton of wood a month would be a hell of alot cheaper than want the parants are paying for gas at the moment.

If there is such a boiler than would burn anything it would be good, i can get an endless suply of arb waste wood chips.

[nick channer]

5 ton of wood a month would be a hell of alot cheaper than want the parants are paying for gas at the moment.

If there is such a boiler than would burn anything it would be good, i can get an endless suply of arb waste wood chips.

 

arb waste as in soft wood etc is ideal as its generally cut to liftable sizes that can be thrown straight in the boiler..

if you have an office or better still can run a pipe to a neighbour and heat there house you will qualify for the incentive the gov are offerin.. prob around 5 grand a year in payments.. so more wood you use more money you earn.. if you are only heatin one property you wont qualify..

what you have to remember is you are signing up for a 20yr contract at set income per kw used which goes up down with inflation... you can bet your life price heatin oil or gas is only gonna go up so in 5 or 10 yrs it might be double what it is now..

its a no brainer far as i can see...