[benkt]

My wife and I have been having some heated discussions (groan) about where to put the wood burner in our new place. We've basically got two large rooms downstairs, a kitchen and a sitting room and want to put in a wood burner with back boiler to run our hot water/heating. The big question is which room to put it in? I can see pros and cons for each but does anyone who's actually using a wood burner for water/heating have any advice to help us decide?

[doganjo]

I'm about to put one in my lounge, but as back up for my gas CH system in case of power failure or extreme weather like last year.  I had one in the house I built before and it wasn't linked to heating either.  Boiler's still need electricity to make them start so i figured I'd be better leaving the stove standalone.  It was a big beast with a flat top so I could cook on it too.  We were prone to power cuts up there - and extreme weather so it was well used.  I had plenty of free fuel having woodland available.  Just waiting for my chappie to giev me a rough idea of costs and off we go.  Could you maybe have a compromise - wood burner in kitchen, open fire in Lounge?

[HappyHippy]

In a two story house it's possible to run a gravity fed central heating system, if you're in an area prone to power cuts. It's not as efficent as pumped systems but does away with the worry of having to keep it low or run off hot water when the power goes off. You'll need to find an older plumber who's got experience fitting them as most plumbers have never encountered them  You've got to put the header tank in the loft and use wider diameter pipes than normal.
I've always had small wood burners and plumped to have them in the living room, this way you get to enjoy curling up and watching the flames - but it's really down to personal choice. They are still a bit dusty and messy, though not as bad as an open fire.
HTH
Karen

[tazbabe]

we have an open fire in the living room with gravity fed (but also pump assisted) heating. and thats it! and we struggled to find a plumber that understood the system when we had problems with it, sorted it ourselves however, thankfully!

we have frequent power cuts too, but can keep the fire on, it never produces enough to cause a problem, we need the immerser on as well to produce water hot enough to wash up for instance.


i would agree with the woodburning/multifuel cooker/water/heating/ stove in the kitchen, plus an open fire or smalle enclosed fire in the living room, keeps you options more flexible. plus, if its a big kitchen you will likey spend more time in there?

[Frieslandfilly]

My husband is an 'older' plumber that understands gravity fed systems if anyone near us ever needs to know

[bamford6]

we had same problem we put the back boiler in the kitchin and a bullet stove in the louge .we only have it lit Christmas and when its a cold spell iff it takes yeres to get its not a problem is there a back doore from the kitchin that we help kids coming in and out .it will make it hot when you cook we light late afternoon no problem

[bazzais]

Have two - one operating the heating in the kitchen and another little woodburner in the sitting room

Baz

[Greenerlife]

We put a wood burner in downstairs in our lounge which heats our hot water as a winter option to the solar power in the summer.  Be warned that a back boiler takes a LOT of heat off the output in the room.  We bought a large burner for our very little house, and I reckon half of the heat goes to the water heater.  We were initially "advised" not to have such a high output heater for the small space, but really glad we went for a bigger output,  We also found out that are very few engineers who have the necessary ability to install solar and water heating back boilers!  unless you spend all of your time in the kitchen, the Lounge has to be the best place doesn't it?  Lovely to watch anyway.

[bazzais]

Watching and looking after a good fire is much better than TV!!

Baz

[sheardale]

We have our stove in the kitchenette.  It gives out a great heat and I burn most things in it.  It can be very stoorie (dusty) what with bringing  in coal, logs etc  indoors then when taking the ashes out.  I wouldnt want one in my lounge but love it in the kitchen.
Cheers Helen

[gavo]

Ah you shuold live in Ireland back boilers and such like are the norm here barely a house without one .Almost all plumbers know how to do them here.

[Fergie]

We have several woodburners.

In the kitchen is a Bosky 30 central heating boiler, which burns logs and has (not surprisingly) an output of 30KW (about 95,000 BTUs/hr).  It has a hotplate on top so is really only suitable for a kitchen.

In the living room is a Villager wood burning room heater (no back boiler) and my office has an old Norwegian Jotul box stove.  The workshop outside also has a cheap box stove from Machine Mart.

We do have an oil boiler in series with the Bosky, but it's scarcely used & we haven't actually bought any heating oil for about two years.  It's very inefficient since it has to heat the Bosky first before any heat gets to any radiators.  However, it's useful as a backup.

Woodburning central heating is very efficient, and cheap to run although labour intensive.  Have a look at http://www.accidentalsmallholder.net/forum/index.php/topic,8880.0.html and you'll see how I split logs.

John

[sheardale]

My granny in Ireland had a big range in the living room /kitchen.   She burned all sorts including peat.  In fact the range is still there, but poor granny is long gone.
Helen