Wood Burning Boiler Stoves

A multi-fuel stove can burn wood as well as solid fuels such as coal, however you cannot burn coal on a dedicated wood burning stove. Wood burns best on a bed of ash and burns from the top downwards, because of this, dedicated wood burning stoves do not require (although some have) a grate or firebars which allow for air to reach the fuel from the underside. Instead, woodburning stoves generally tend to have a vermiculite or ceramic base on the base of the firebox, on which to build up a bed of ash to help combustion. Due to more metal parts and more moving parts, generally multifuel stoves cost between 5-15% more than there wood burning equivalents (where a manufacturer offers both options for a model of stove) but the extra cost is usually worth it as it gives the owner the flexibility of choice of different fuels and the practicality of an ashpan for easy cleaning. If you live in a smoke control area choosing a multifuel stove (that can burn approved smokeless fuels) as opposed to a DEFRA approved wood burner means that the range of stoves that you can look at is not reduced.

A boiler stove is very similar in appearance to a multifuel or wood stove but the difference is they are connected to a boiler, either at the rear of the stove or located in another room and are used to heat the room in which the stove is situated and also to heat hot water for radiators and/or water supply for the whole or part of the house. Usually, located at the back of the burning chamber will be a heat exchanger connected to the boiler. As hot air passes through, it heats up water and carries it to the hot water cylinder where it is distributed throughout the house. Boiler stoves are becoming increasingly popular, due to rising fuel prices and especially in areas where gas and/or oil supply is not available. Some boiler stoves even have the function of an in-built oven or hot shelf, allowing you to cook and heat your house without being connected to the main energy supply. Perfect if you wish to partake in some off grid living!

Absolutely, but it is vital to get the right size stove and with the correct output for your home. It will also depend on how many radiators are going to be connected and how the water is going to be used- for radiators only or for hot water too? Another consideration is how many people are going to be using the hot water daily as this will affect the boiler size and frequency of lighting. As a very rough guide, the output to water is about 50% of the total heat output of the stove, when the stove is running at the maximum nominal output. So, a 12kW boiler stove could heat up to 6 standard size radiators and will give approximately 6kW of dry heat (heat into the room). This will vary depending on the manufacturer and design of the stove, so it is always best to consult with a plumber and Hetas registered installer before making a final decision. Similarly, it’s very unlikely that a boiler stove will be run at the maximum nominal output for long periods of time, as this would cause the room where the stove is situated to become too hot, which may result in damage to the appliance and the flue system. Running a boiler stove at the minimum output will cause more energy to be used heating the passing cold water, resulting in a significant reduction in heat output to the room. So, with boiler stoves, it is important to over calculate the kW output required to achieve the optimal balance of dry to wet heat, but only in relation to how much heat you actually need from the appliance.