Property Type and Location
3-bedroom stone farmhouse with a cavity wall extension and double glazing, near Salem in Carmarthenshire.
The house and hot water was heated using a multi-fuel room heater with a back boiler, linked to radiators and a domestic hot water tank, with an additional electric immersion heater. The system was inefficient and labour intensive, resulting in a very cold house. The owners had to manually light the fire with matches and ensure that the log supply was constantly topped up for regular re-fuelling. They were disappointed that they had to put so much effort into operating their log burner and yet still had a cold house.
Birds’ Hill Solution
The owners considered a variety of options for upgrading their heating system, including switching to an oil or LPG system but recognised the financial advantages of the Renewable Heat Incentive. They considered which types of biomass boilers would be suitable for a house with an existing wet radiator system and had to choose between a utility biomass boiler (wood logs or wood pellet) located in an outhouse or an upgraded version of their existing system.
Having discussed the range of options with Birds’ Hill Biomass Director, Nick Cater, they decided on the Klover FP 22 inset wood pellet biomass boiler and room heater. The big advantage of this sleek and stylish boiler was that it could be engineered into the existing fireplace and work with the existing systems. Not only was this elegant model more efficient and much easier to run, its ability to link into the existing pipework meant that installation works and costs would be kept to a minimum.
New Renewable Heating System Benefits
New Renewable Heating System Benefits
An elegant, efficient and easy to run system
Installation costs kept to a minimum as system could be linked into the existing pipework
System paid for* by the Domestic RHI (Renewable Heat Incentive)
Index linked income circa £1,000 per annum
A toasty warm home fuelled by clean green (low emission) wood pellet
A sleek and stylish boiler as part of their home
Installation
The Birds’ Hill team took care of the entire installation process, from the preparatory building works, to commissioning the new system and talking their clients through the Renewable Heat Incentive application process.
Firstly, the existing boiler was removed and the fireplace was opened up and the chimney lined before the boiler was delivered into the lounge. Once in position it was connected to the existing wet system (radiator pipework and domestic hot water tank), the new flue and the electrical system. The wood pellet boiler was commissioned and the entire system was tested before a new fireproof surround was built to integrate the boiler into the existing chimney breast. Firepower Heating (the UK Klover distributor of Biomass boilers) supplied a structural fireboard for this work.
Finally, Nick completed the Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS) paperwork, essential for the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) application that was duly completed on-line and in time.
Running the System
The couple’s new automated and efficient wood pellet boiler provides all the heat and hot water they need, is much easier and cleaner to use and is already providing a fantastic return on investment.
Customer comment
“Sincere thanks. You’ve certainly delivered what you promised and generally looked after us and been generous with your time. We are pleased with the boiler and although we are still looking forward to summer we know when winter comes we are going to be snug and warm. Good luck to you both and we’ll keep in contact”
Funding
Installation costs was kept to a minimum as system could be linked into the existing pipework
System is paid for* by the Domestic RHI (Renewable Heat Incentive)
Index linked income circa £1,000 per annum
Their beautiful new Klover FP wood pellet boiler and all the associated installation works will be fully paid for by the RHI over seven years, in quarterly instalments; a fantastic return on investment.
