Biomass boiler - how difficult is it to lift the pellet bags?

[LtGreggs]

We're considering replacing our lpg boiler with biomass (boiler is 25+ yrs old, at the end of its life, only realistic alternative would be a new lpg boiler).

We would have to use bagged pellets, as no place (or funds!) for a silo store.

Has anyone got experience of working with bagged pellets? They come in 10kg bags. I'm fit, but am 48 yrs old and 5'2" and female. Am I going to be OK doing this? DH and teen sons are also in the mix, but I'd also need to be able to do it myself - don't want no heating if they are all away! We'd have to refill a couple of times a week in winter (it's a 80kg feed I think)

Why change? Pellets are proper greenwash, and produce much more pollution than LPG. If there's no good reason to shift, I wouldn't. Particularly as these sorts of tasks always end up being WAY more onerous than you imagine they will be...

10kg bags should be a walk in the park. I use 15-18kg bags of pellets for horse bedding (they are the same product basically but at 20% VAT. Late 50's not super fit like a gym bunny would be and I manage just fine. Will be good for your muscles!

A wheelbarrow might well be useful if you buy by the pallet load and need to stack and store them a fair way from the delivery point. I can get 60-70kg worth in my barrow without the tyre going flat.

I think a 10kg bag is manageable for most people. If you have a barrow you can load it up one bag at a time when shifting deliveries.

20kg is awkward even if you are fit, if you need to lift and angle it to tip it in.

But I have known people who with age or weakness have been unable to cope with iron casserole pans, so you only need a sprained wrist or something to lose ability.

Thanks all, good to hear the experiences and I've realised there are options of both 10kg and 15kg bags that I can see. Putting a barrow ramp up to the utility room door was already on my list!

Yes the onerous-ness of the task is a consideration. We have been doing our research on wood pellets and don't think they are complete greenwash - albeit they are not a perfect non carbon solution.

On greenwash, well, it's hotly debated!
Not a bad summary here: www.whqr.org/local/2021-10-26/green-energy-or-greenwashing-the-wood-pellet-industry-is-the-target-of-fierce-debate
Friends who have a biomass boiler find it more and more of an effort. Is there no chance of solar plus heat pump?

The embedded (oil) carbon in pellets is substantial (production plus transport), even leaving aside the dubious claims about carbon neutrality

@dogschewbones - we're in a Victorian stone-built property in a forest in Scotland. Neither solar nor heat pump a viable prospect. We do have (lots of!) local wood available if we went for logs or woodchip. We can source pellets within Scotland. It's not easy being green...!

We move bagged anthracite which are 25kg a bag without too much effort. Once it's all in the coal shed then it's brought back to the house in two scuttles which are fine to carry as they're rigid with handles. We buy it by the tonne so it's a lot of work at once and then slightly less work going forward...

We get 15kg bags and I manage to lift them OK. It's a total faff having to fill the boiler frequently as is not being able to leave the heating ticking over if we are away in winter.

Lastly, if you do buy one, make sure the spares are available in the UK. We have to source parts from Eastern Europe for the brand we have.