Biomass boilers

[Eaglebird]

Hi.
Does anyone have a biomass boiler? In particular, a wood-pellet boiler?
If so, please come and tell me all about it.
We've had an offer accepted on a house with no central heating, so are considerng installing a wood-pellet boiler.
(The house is not on mains gas, so a typical gas combi is not an option.)

I don't have one but did research it for my house - I decided against it for a few reasons.... you need somewhere guarenteed to be dry to store the bulk load of pellets when it is delivered, you need to check the moisture content, you can only burn pellets, a lorry needs to access your property, you need a non-habitable room for the boiler i.e. shed/garage, the boiler is quite large, ideally you need a local supplier for the pellets. None of these reasons in itself is a big deal but all together we felt it wasn't a suitable option for us.

For what it's worth we have decided to install a multifuel burner with a back boiler in our main living room which will run the domestic hot water and heating in the winter and solar water panels for the hot water in summer. We will have an electric back up just in case we need it.

Hope this helps

Yes, we have one which we installed for our tenants and we are in the process of putting one in for ourselves. They are expensive, initially but they are brilliant and hassle free.
The tenant's one heats 8 radiators and provides all day hot water. We super insulated the house as well so it is lovely and warm plus they can set the timer so the fire comes on and the house is warm in the morning or when they come in from work.

Pellets have gone up in price to £200 per ton here but it only cost £160 for fuel last year.

fruitloafrocks - which multifuel burner do you have with a back boiler? We are just in the process of either putting in a wood pellet stove or multifuel burner with boiler. Just been to a stove shop and they've advised us to have a multifuel burner with oil central heating! We are not going down that route.

Sugarlake - Can I ask roughly how much you paid to install the biomass boiler? We've just got a quote for £19000! Our house is only a 3 bed cottage.

We've got a wood burning one. It's brilliant! No need for heating at all last winter with a newborn and we have a draughty old house. We do have access to free timber (just have to chop it!) so that does make a difference.

Sugarlake & Cleanairplease, can I ask what type of boiler (manufacturer / model) you have please?

We have decided to go for a wood-burning boiler, but are undecided whether to go for a log-gasification type, or a pellet boiler or a woodchip boiler.
We will probably go for a pellet boiler since you can automatic-feed models, plus pellets don't take up as much storage room as woodchip. Before making our final decision we'd like some honest views from boiler users.
Thanks.

My brother got pellet burner installed 3 years ago but was unable to obtain reliable supplies of pellets so it was removed after a year and put up for sale and a multi-fuel stove was installed in its place. He only burns waste wood which costs nothing at all other than collection and cutting. The pellet burner ended up as scrap metal because no one wanted it regardless of price so make sure the pellets are in good supply in your area before buying.