1. What area am I heating?
2. How do I calculate what size stove or boiler I need?
3. What is my insulation like?
4. What other sources of heat will I have?
5. Where will I locate my stove or boiler?
6. What about the location of the flue/chimney?
7. What about the plumbing?
8. What else will I need?
9. Where will I store my fuel?
1. What area am I heating?
This is important as it is needed to determine what output you will require for the stove or boiler. Ideally, it's important to know the area of the room or house in square feet or metres. In addition, an approximate idea of the ceiling height would also be helpful. Factors such as very high ceilings or large open plan rooms do affect the calculation of the area you are intending to heat. Back
2. How do I calculate what size stove or boiler I need?
STOVE:
This is a very simple calculation you can do, to work out the size of stove you need for the area you wish to heat.
An example of this calculation appears on our appliances page, as well as an example of how to do a calculation using measurements of your room in feet.
(An old rule of thumb if you are looking for a stove is
- Multiply the length by the breadth by the height of the room (in feet), and
- multiply this number by 6 ( which is the factor for standard insulation).
- This will give you the total BTU's for the room. Divide this by 3411.8 to get the kilowatts. For example:
16ft x 17 ft x 8 ft x 6 = 13,056 btu ÷ 3411.8 = 3.8 kW)
BOILER:
If you are looking for a boiler, then this is a much more complicated calculation.
In order to calculate the correct size of the boiler for your home, you must take account of several factors, including:
- each rooms dimensions (LxBxH)
- pitch of the room
- materials used in the house, such as whether it's timber-frame or brick built, floor and roof type, the windows whether they are pvc/wood or metal, the type of insulation used.
- area of windows
All of these combined help to calculate the heat loss of the dwelling, which gives you the kilowatts of the boiler. Numerous heat loss calculators exist on the internet including a UK based one which can be found at here.
However, a simple rule of thumb may help to give an idea. It takes 50 watts to heat every square metre of a domestic building, and add 3 kilowatts for domestic water. (This is based on the assumption of good insulation). For example:
200 sqm x 50 = 10,000 watts (divide this by 1000 to get kilowatts) = 10 kW and add 3 kW for water will give an approximate boiler size of 13kW. Back
3. What is my insulation like?
It cannot be stressed enough the importance of insulation. An investment in the insulation of your house is an investment in the environmental and economical efficiency of your home in the future. In short, spending extra money to insulate your home, will save you money on fuel bills in the long term. At a minimum insulation should be at current building regulation standards. Also remember that the SEAI is providing a grant towards the cost of insulating existing homes. Back
4. What other sources of heat will I have?
The more heat sources you have, the lower the output you will require from your pellet boiler. For example if you are considering installing solar panels in combination with your pellet boiler, then ask your solar panel supplier for the minimum and maximum output that the panels will provide during both the summer and winter. This will help you size correctly the boiler output to suit your needs. Remember you can use your pellet boiler in conjunction with an existing system of oil, so that either system can act as a 'back-up' to the other. Back
5. Where will I locate my stove or boiler?
- Building regulations apply to how a stove/boiler is located on a hearth. The following illustration details the clearances allowed around the appliance, which are 150mm each side and above, and 300mm to the front.
- A constructional hearth should be provided of solid, non-combustible material at least 125 mm thick (which may include the thickness of any solid,non-combustible floor).
- For a stove you can locate it in any room in the house. However, you have to allow for the space it will occupy, the space the hearth will occupy, and critically where the flue will go (ideally a chimney or balanced flue through an external wall). Remember that it will typically have a glass front, so usually it's located in a living room or kitchen.
- For the in-house boiler, these also have a glass front, giving heat to the room that they're located in, so again keep this in mind. While you may have sought to locate it in say a utility room, you will have heat coming from the boiler into that room, which would effectively be wasted.
- For the external boiler, then this would be located in a garage or boiler house. Remember that it's size will typically be larger than an oil boiler. Also you will have to take into account room for cleaning out the boiler. Dimensions for the minimum boiler house recommended for a boiler will be on the brochure. Self designed storage and feed systems, where required can be incorporated into our range of boilers to suit local conditions or requirements.Back
6. What about the location of the flue/chimney?
According to current building regulations, a flue outlet must be located a minimum of 1.6 meters from a door or window.
- For a stove you have the option of either going up an existing chimney with flexible flue liner, or making a hole in the wall and erecting a 'low-level outlet' flue here. It's important to keep in mind the proximity to a window or door of the top of this outlet, because of the current building regulations. It may be necessary as a result to take this erected flue up past the eave of the house.
- For a boiler located in a boiler house or garage, then typically you would erect a minimum 2 metre flue, going out through a hole in the wall at the rear of the boiler. Again building regulations apply, and so you may require a longer length. Back
7. What about the plumbing?
If you are installing a boiler in your house, then you will plumb the house as normal, but bring the in and out pipes for the water to the intended location of the boiler. If you are installing a boiler externally, then you will plumb your house as normal, and bring the intake and out pipe to the location of the boiler house. Remember that the maximum recommended distance from the house to the boiler is 15 metres. Back
8. What else will I need?
- If you are looking at buying a wood burning stove then all you will need is to know is where you will locate the stove, and where is the chimney for this. Essentially a wood burning stove requires a 6" pipe which goes up directly from the top of the stove. This can go up through a chimney.
- If you are looking at buying a wood burning boiler then as well as the above, you will need to have plumbed to the location of the boiler. If you are looking at buying a pellet stove, then you will need to consider the location of the stove, have a power point nearby, and also consider which option is suitable for you for the flue.
- If you are looking to buy a pellet boiler stove, located in your house, then you will need to consider the location of the stove, have plumbed to this location, have a power point nearby, and have considered which option is suitable for you for the flue.
- If you are looking at buying a pellet boiler to be housed in your garage, or shed, then you will have to ensure that this is suitable to house a boiler, plumb to this location, have a power point near by, and consider which flue is suitable for it. Remember, the maximum distance for the boiler from the house is 15 metres. Back
9. Where will I store my fuel?
In short, in a dry enclosed area. This applies to all fuels.
- If you are going to be running a stove or small output boiler, then your garage or outside shed will be sufficient. We supply bagged wood pellets in single pallet lots. The dimensions of the pallet are 3.5ft by 3.5ft by 6.5ft. If the entrance to your shed can accommodate this then, the pallet can be stored here. If left on the pallet then the bags of pellets will be off the ground.
- Similarly for logs and wood briquettes they are also delivered on a pallet.
- If you are going to be running a large output boiler, then you may wish to take bulk deliveries of wood pellets. You would need to have a system whereby the pellets would be blown in (similar to how grain is delivered). Here you may have two options.
- Firstly, if you have a large room at the rear of the boiler which is enclosed, then you could adapt this to act as a feeder/storage area for the boiler. If you can imagine a room, where you could put two large pieces of plywood (as a sort of false floor) at an angle of either 45 degrees or 60 degrees. At the join on the floor, there would be an auger running along the floor, which would feed the pellets into the boiler.
- Secondly, you could purchase a steel silo to store the pellets, and would be attached to the boiler by an auger. Back [Top of page]
SOLAR WATER HEATING - Kingspan Thermomax:
1. Does Solar only work when the sun is shining?
2. Where are the panels fitted?
3. What are the savings?
4. Do I need planning permission?
5. We have a large building - is there a suitable system to use solar thermal in a commercial setting?
6. What maintenance is required?
7. What does installation involve?
8. Is it possible to retain heat gained?
9. Do I need to take any precautions when going on holiday or leaving the system unattended for long periods?
1. Does Solar only work when the sun is shining?
Solar works all year round - and even in Winter it will help to give you hot water, because vacuum tubes absorb energy efficiently in all different weathers conditions and all year round. Back
2. Where are the panels fitted?
Ideally to a south facing roof or slight deviations of about 15 - 30 degrees from that. The inclination / pitch of the collector is equal to the geographical latitude. So if you live at 45 degrees latitude north the ideal pitch is about 45degrees. Once again slight deviations are not a problem and will only slightly effect the solar yield. Back
3. What are the savings?
Savings of up to 50 - 70% annually on the heating cost for your hot water and/or heating. Once you have the panel installed that amount of energy is free for you. The main percentage of your water heating cost is done away through the use of the solar panel. Over time, your savings will increase as the price of oil / gas / electricity and other fossil fuels will increase in the future. Solar also reduces the carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions helping to protect the environment from being polluted. CO2 is one of the largest single contributors towards global warming. Back
4. Do I need planning permission? Normally only if the building is in a conservation area / listed building or under construction - but you should check with your local planning office. Our panels are environmentally friendly and aesthetically pleasing. Back
5. We have a large building - is there a suitable system to use solar thermal in a commercial setting?
The collectors can be integrated with your existing system to provide hot water throughout the building for toilets / showers / canteens etc in fact anywhere large quantities of free hot water can be used i.e. Hospitals / Leisure Centres and all other commercial applications. Back
6. What maintenance is required?
No collector maintenance is required. The glass tubes are round and perfectly smooth; any dirt or dust is carried away by the wind and/or rain. There are no moving parts to wear out. All components are made from high-grade stainless steel, aluminium, copper or non-corrosive materials. Back
7. What does installation involve? Thermomax collectors are light and modular and can usually be installed by a qualified professional in 1-2 days. They are supplied with an aluminium frame and, being lightweight, they will attach easily to your existing structure. The solar tubes allow air to circulate around them and will not trap moisture or debris. Back
8. Is it possible to retain heat gained? The heat can be stored in different ways - normally it is stored in a twin coil solar cylinder for domestic hot water. It can also be used for solar space heating or to heat a swimming pool. It also possible to combine the different applications. Back
9. Do I need to take any precautions when going on holiday or leaving the system unattended for long periods? A well-designed and sized solar system should provide you with the right amount of hot water. Even when going on a holiday the system will still work and feed the energy into the cylinder. There the losses will at some stage level out with the energy provided. This will just lead to a slightly higher cylinder temperature. Back [Top of page]
SOLID FUELS
1. How to light a fire?
2. Where can I buy my fuel?
1. How to light a fire?
Firstly, be sure that the grate has been cleaned out from the previous fire. Place a small amount of fuel on the grate. Put some paper or kindling upon this. Place a firelighter (or two) on these and light them. When the fire begins to take hold of the paper/kindling, the place more fuel on top. Be careful not to smother the flame. Place a fireguard in front of the fire. To ensure a lengthy fire, add more fuel to it as it continues to burn.
NB. Grates last longer when ash is removed daily, as the unrestricted flow of air keeps the grate cool and prevents overheating of the bars. Back
2. Where can I buy my fuel?
All solid fuels can be purchased from each of our depots, or your local coal merchant.
For bagged wood pellets, wood briquettes and kiln-dried logs, we can deliver pallet lots to you.
We supply bagged wood pellets in single pallet lots. The dimensions of the pallet are 3.5ft by 3.5ft by 6.5ft. If the entrance to your shed can accommodate this then, the pallet can be stored here. If left on the pallet then the bags of pellets will be off the ground.
Similarly for logs and wood briquettes they are also delivered on a pallet.
Please contact us to arrange a delivery. Back [Top of page]
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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:
The following are a list of frequently asked questions for each section that we work in. Please bear in mind that this is not an exhaustive list, but just to help you. Please click on one of the items below to take you to a specific section. Please click on a question to take you to the answer. If you still have a question, feel free to contact us.
WOOD PELLET STOVES AND BOILERS
1. What area am I heating?
2. How do I calculate what size stove or boiler I need?
3. What is my insulation like?
4. What other sources of heat will I have?
5. Where will I locate my stove or boiler?
6. What about the location of the flue/chimney?
7. What about the plumbing?
8. What else will I need?
9. Where will I store my fuel?
SOLAR WATER HEATING - Kingspan Thermomax:
1. Does Solar only work when the sun is shining?
2. Where are the panels fitted?
3. What are the savings?
4. Do I need planning permission?
5. We have a large building - is there a suitable system to use solar thermal in a commercial setting?
6. What maintenance is required?
7. What does installation involve?
8. Is it possible to retain heat gained?
9. Do I need to take any precautions when going on holiday or leaving the system unattended for long periods?
SOLID FUELS
1. How to light a fire?
2. Where can I buy my fuel? |
