Hot Water & Central Heating Blog » Oil boiler installations

Underfloor heating in barn, new external oil boiler, and hot water upgrade in Limpsfield

admin — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 15:30:35 +0000

Limpsfield is a village on the outskirts of Oxted, Surrey (UK).

View from the road

Our customer already has a ‘Hot Water & Central Heating’ installed oil fired cooker range (see our Heritage cooker page above), and was building an outside barn further down the garden.

The central heating boiler was an old oil fired unit, which was located in the hallway and could be heard throughout the property.

Our customer wanted a new boiler and also wished to convert the water system to a new unvented type.

Hot Water & Central Heating suggested that a Grant 3646 outdoor module was fitted, this is an outdoor boiler incorporating a weatherproof housing, designed to operate outside in all weathers.

Grant Vortex condensing high efficiency outdoor boiler module

This freed up the cupboard in the hall, previously home to an oil boiler and a small vented hot water cylinder on braces above. We removed these units and replaced them with a Range Tribune Slimline 210 litre unvented cylinder. This upgraded the hot and cold water to mains pressure at all outlets, and removed the need for a loft mounted storage tank.

Range Tribune unvented installation in cupboard

In common with all unvented systems (and other forms of direct fed hot and cold water systems, like combination boilers and heatstores) the performance is greatly improved with a good water flow rate. We ran a new 32mm water pipe to the road outside, for minimum hydraulic resistance. The local water supply company were engaged to provide a new larger connection to the mains.

New water connection being excavated by Sutton & East Surrey Water

The new oak barn was home to a sun room, together with a utility room and shower room. Hot Water & Central Heating installed underground pipe ducts to the main house to give hot and cold services, and also to feed the new underfloor heating.

New oak barn

Underfloor heating manifolds are quite large units, and it is prudent to site them where inspection and maintenance is easily carried out after the building works are complete. This ruled out fitting the manifold under the sink or behind washing machines. Instead, we installed a 7 zone L&K manifold in the ceiling void area above the utility room, hiding the pipework in a stud wall comprising part of the new shower enclosure.

Underfloor installation waiting for screed

The L&K system used nearly 500 metres of pipe, all laid on Building Regs compliant Quinn insulation board. The Underfloor Heating was laid in a day, and the concrete screeding completed the day after. The flooring will be finished in tiling once the screed has properly dried out.

Another view of the underfloor pipework

Heating manifold hidden in ceiling area

Screed laid, all pipework buried. This area will be tiled soon.

Separate zone controls were fitted for the underfloor area, which were linked by armoured cable buried in a duct to the existing house. Control of the separate heating zones is by Honeywell CM series programmable room thermostats.

Underfloor heating is an invisible but highly effective system*, and uses less energy to heat a space than conventional radiators. This is because the human body feels warm at lower air temperatures when using underfloor heating.

The new boiler works at around 92% efficiency, saving fuel but increasing comfort and reliability. In common with all our Grant boiler installations, our customer received a 3 year on site warranty on the boiler.

*The only type of underfloor heating to be avoided is the electric type, because electricity costs around 12p per Kwh, compared to around 4.5p for gas fired heating and 6p for oil fired (this was written in June 2009).

Don’t be fooled by sales literature claiming electric heating is 100% efficient and green, these are half truths. Electrical heating uses energy generated by (usually) coal or gas in the UK. From the power station to your house meter box, around 55% of the energy in the gas or coal burnt at the power station is lost in generating and transmission losses.

So before even fitting underfloor heating, electricity is only 45% efficient. And that generating efficiency partially accounts for the frightening price. So a sales person could say electric heating is 100% efficient, but it would be a half truth. If they said it was cheaper than gas or oil fired heating, it would be a lie. The only electric heating that is efficient in comparison is using a heat pump, but that is addressed elsewhere on this web site.

Outdoor oil module in Caterham

admin — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 16:35:20 +0000

Located down an unmade road, this charming property is off the beaten track as far as a mains gas supply.

Our customer

The old oil boiler at the rear of the kitchen had developed a catastrophic leak, so a new unit was urgently required.

We suggested locating the new boiler on the rear patio, thus freeing up valuable space in the kitchen.

A new Grant Vortex Eco outdoor oil boiler module was fitted. All the radiator system was dosed with anti freeze inhibitor and the outside pipework was insulated with external Armaflex.

Outside Grant oil boiler being installed by HWCH

Our special extended Grant 3 year parts and labour warranty was given to our customer, they were very happy with the job.

New Worcester Bosch oil combination boiler

admin — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 14:54:14 +0000

This customer had a very old Worcester combi in their petite kitchen, in a rural location near Merstham, Surrey.

The old boiler had been installed with the flue too close to a window, and in addition some leakage had resulted in damage to the floor.

The old boiler with the casing removed

We suggested relocating the new replacement outside, so more space could be liberated in the house. Also it meant that the boiler flue ‘plume’ would not be immediately under the kitchen view of the garden.

A new Worcester Bosch Greenstar oil combination boiler was fitted on a concrete plinth under an old carport, to the side of the building.

Our professional roofing contractor made the roof weathertight around the flue.

Finished article, (and Tim, our technical manager).

Our customers could now enjoy a larger kitchen, which is now being refitted, and a more efficient boiler.

As a Worcester accredited installer, our customer has a 5 year parts and labour warranty on the boiler.

New boiler being commissioned

Exterior boiler module and roof flue system

Flying Kidd boiler; Leatherhead, Surrey

admin — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 18:16:07 +0000

Our client, owner of a large private house near Leatherhead, had already used HWCH to replace a troublesome Keston LPG fired boiler in the swimming pool complex with a new Viessmann Vitodens 200 light commercial boiler.

The main property was oil fired and used an old Trianco kerosene boiler in the cellar. This unit was an 8yr old inefficient boiler and was oversized for the property, being rated at 120Kw.

We proposed replacing this with a Kidd Very High Efficiency Model 260; this has an output of around 260,000Btu (around 76Kw).

Old Trianco boiler (you can’t buy cheaper) being inspected by Mr A Kidd (of Archie Kidd (Thermal) Ltd)

The old boiler (together with two others that were presumably too heavy to remove last time) were removed using a truck chassis mounted crane.

Kidd Model 260 oil boiler is craned into the basement boiler room with care

The Kidd unit was lowered into the cellar. From the open well we then moved the Kidd unit using steel rollers, to the final position.

It was found that the old boiler flue had been inserted into selective portions of the chimney, with other portions unlined. The chimney had eight deviations making the liner replacement virtually impossible, so we arranged to remove brickwork down the flue length.

Some chimney lining work was required, necessitating scaffolding

A controls upgrade in the property using 3 zones of heating, each with new Honeywell CM907 programmable thermostats, allowed our customer to regulate energy usage according to the time of day, and the day of the week.

Honeywell CM907 programmable room thermostat

For instance, the upper floors would be heated to a lower temperature than the ground floor during the daytime.

This installation, completed 18 months ago, has been reported by our customer to be using approximately half the amount of oil previously required, whilst improving comfort levels.

Grant Vortex boiler, Two DualStream units and Hometronic

admin — Sun, 19 Oct 2008 17:07:24 +0000

Our client, a farm near Tadworth, Surrey, had an older boiler running two gravity hot water cylinders.

Our customer in Tadworth - not the dog!

The spacious house had a fully equipped annexe with its own hot water provision.

We specifified two DualStream accumulator fed systems, which would replace the old noisy shower pumps and provide a silent, fast flow fresh water service to all outlets.

In the main house we relocated the hot and cold water services into an attic room, to liberate more room downstairs for a bedroom enlargement.

DualStream No 1 in attic room

The other DualStream was sited in the annexe.

DualStream unvented No2 in annexe

The whole system was powered by a new Grant 36-46Kw Vortex condensing oil boiler (with a 3yr warranty) located in the garage.

Grant Vortex condensing oil boiler in the garage

We then converted every radiator to Hometronic using the HR80 valve;

Hometronic radiator valve - remote control your heating!

this, combined with the Hometronic Manager controller, gave our customer the ability to control the heating in the house in 16 completely addressable zones.

Dean commissioning the new Hometronic system

In addition, they can also control the hot water storage cylinders independently, all from the Hometronic Manager (see picture above).

Dean has given them ‘lifestyle buttons’ programmed to allow for guests, the entire heating map and hot water provision can be changed to accommodate any scenario with one simple button press.

Every room in the house is now thermostatically controlled, and the boiler only fires when necessary. You won’t read about this system under ‘energy saving’ in Good Housekeeping; we are years ahead of the game in energy conservation.

2006 HWCH installation upgraded to Hometronic

admin — Sun, 19 Oct 2008 16:20:57 +0000

Outwood, Surrey

Our customer, in Outwood, Surrey, owns a large house that has recently been comprehensively extended.

In 2006 HWCH fitted a DualStream accumulator boosted unvented hot and cold water system, to make all the baths and showers deliver a hotel-type performance. At the same time we fitted the latest Grant Vortex 46Kw oil fired condensing boiler plant in the cellar.

In 2008, following the building extension works, we were invited back to upgrade the installation with our Hometronic domestic heating controls. This innovative product allows our customer to divide his property into 16 separate zones of heating, each individually monitored and controlled by radio links.

The Hometronic controller was fitted in a utility room, out of the way.

Hometronic Controller Outwood 2008

From this unit the customer has full control of all 16 areas, plus hot water timings. As there are usually only three occupants to the house (which now includes a granny annexe), the heating levels can be phased during the day to follow the occupants, rather than heating the house in its’ entirety.

Radiators adapted to Hometronic - Rear Hallway

In fact, up to 1600 different temperature set points can be programmed in for a week. No customer has yet managed to schedule that many changes!

All radiators are adapted to take the Hometronic hardware, even the towel rails, which can now be scheduled to warm up in the summer! On their own! No pipework or flooring adaptations are usually needed.

A towel rail being adapted for Hometronic, warm towels in the summer!

At the same time we made a few alterations while the system was being converted. Here is a radiator being added to a previously unheated WC.

While we were there, we added a radiator in one of the WCs. Much more comfortable.

Finally, the system HWCH installed in the cellar back in 2006 was updated by our in house electrical specialist, and the system was filled with Fernox inhibitor and tested.

Dualstream OSO 500/300 litre and Grant Vortex condensing oil boiler

Our customer will now have warmer rooms when and where he wants them, whilst saving energy everywhere else in the property. We believe Hometronic is the future for heating larger houses….

Kidd Boiler in renovation of large house in Tandridge, Surrey

admin — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 08:20:15 +0000

The Kidd boiler was very popular in the early years (1982 onwards) with people in the music industry, many of whom were pioneers of environmental awareness. Abba, Peter Gabriel and the Alan Parsons Project are some notable customers of Kidd Boilers over the years.

Inside a Kidd Model 260 – stripped down, preparing for lifting

In a recently completed installation in Oxted, Surrey, we had to lower a Kidd Model 260 into an internal boiler room of a large private house.

There was no space for a conventional crane, and to install a lifting hoist would have required some quite complex scaffolding.

So we used a Genie tower lift, more often used in the rock and roll event lighting industry (where I used to work, many years ago), to lower the 350kg boiler into the cellar and lift the old boilersout. There were three old boilers in the cellar, two operational and one from a bygone era which was obviously to heavy to remove when it died.

Going down! the Kidd Boiler is winched into the cellar through a very tight opening (stairs removed)

The boiler flue will emit large quantities of plume and steam, being a high efficiency condensing boiler. A new Kidd alumimium flue liner was inserted into the boiler room chimney.

Going up -one of the old boilers being lifted out

This installation also involved HWCH in the removal and refurbishment of 26 cast iron radiators, which were shotblasted and reconfigured in new sizes by our contractor. Finished in a mixture of white and metallic bronze, they look truly stunning.

refurbished School radiator and custom coloured Hometronic valve

The house was completely replumbed in a mixture of steel barrel and copper tubing.

Interestingly, only one electrical pump is used for the whole installation. HWCH and Kidd Boilers believe that pumps waste heat and electrical energy, and many larger houses can have 4 or 5 pumps all working to raise the electricity bill and contribute heat losses.

The Kidd Boiler uses an internal Grundfos pump, inside all the boiler insulation. Any heat losses from the pump (both from electrical and latent heat) are thus recycled back into the boier jacket proper. As Mr Kidd says, it is foolish to waste heat. Mr Kidd always expects a Kidd Boiler room to be a cool one.

Finally, we fitted the Honeywell Hometronic building management system to the house, enabling 16 homeowner-configured heating zones to be controlled completely separately.

Each radiator was fitted with a Honeywell radio linked motorised valve (those fitted to the bronze radiators were specially colour matched), 42 in total.

School radiator fitted with Hometronic valve

Another example, this time with a bronze Hometronic valve (special order from Hot Water & Central Heating)

The house is also equipped with two DualStream accumulator pressurised hot/cold water systems. One covers the main house, the other, the guest bathrooms.

The Honeywell Hometronic energy management system is furnished with 10 configurable ‘Lifestyle’ buttons. When our customer has guests staying, they simply press the corresponding button and the heating adapts to encompass guest bedrooms, upper hallway temperatures rise, reception rooms are heating for longer periods, and the second DualStream hot water system is energised.

All clever stuff, but with an end game. With an older house, there is a limit to how much you can insulate against heat loss. Although we fitted one of the most efficient boilers available, further savings can be achieved by using your heat more productively, when and where it is needed. Hometronic takes it to the next level.

With oil pushing 60p a litre, you simply can’t afford to waste it.

Kidd VHE boiler in beautiful house near Outwood, Surrey

admin — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 07:50:34 +0000

Another Grade II listed job for HWCH; our client had an old Worcester Bosch oil boiler in an external cupboard. This had unfortunately been unreliable in recent years.

Our client wanted a reliable, energy efficient solution, with low emissions and a long service life. A Kidd Model 2 was specified, together with the Kidd seam welded aluminium flue, to pass up inside the existing chimney.

The house was covered in hand made clay tiles and we wanted to cause minimal disruption, so we used a truck mounted crane to access the chimney, remove the old liner and insert the Kidd welded flue.

The Kidd flue was sealed and rivetted at ground level and then inserted from above, insulation material was then poured into the voids of the chimney, and the top resealed.

Our specification involved taking this opportunity to separate the top/ground floor zone control to the heating, using the Honeywell CM907 programmable thermostats.