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Feeding Pellets
Are you prepared to feed the pellets yourself or would you rather be fully automated? Do you have space for a large fuel store?
Automatic feeding from an external hopper is not available for fireplace models. They have integral hoppers and usually give around 30 - 40 hours of operating autonomy so only need filling once or twice a week manually.
Fully Automated Systems
An 'agricultural' style of boiler in a utility setting can be used to run the whole house for heating and water and would generally cost around £5,000 depending on the type of boiler and size of fuel store. You could build a bespoke fuel bunker to give you automatic feeding for up to a year but there is obviously a further cost involved here; between £2,000 to £3,000 - complete with auger feeding mechanism.
utility models - fully automated systems
How Much Fuel Will I Need
The average insulated 3 bed home would expect to use 3 to 4 tonnes of fuel per year to run hot water and radiators; for a property of 5 or more beds but with only two occupants you would use around 5 to 7 tonnes of pellets.
How Much Will It Cost
Pellet fuel costs around £130 - £150 per tonne loose and £270 per tonne bagged; not only is it carbon neutral but it is 25 - 30% cheaper than other domestic fuels.
Average Cost of Appliances and Installation
Average appliance costs are £4,000 to £5,000 with installation costs around £500 provided the pipework for central heating and hot water is available at the point of installation; extra plumbing work may need to be arranged.
The Ökofen fully automatic feeding system costs from around £5,500 just for the boiler, in the region of £8,000 to £9,000 to include flexitank storage and fuel feeding mechanism and installation.
Chimney / Flue Requirements
HETAS regulations require all pellet or log burning appliances to have a chimney or flue. Existing chimneys can often be re-lined to make them safe to use or new stainless steel flues may need to be fitted. The cost of chimney works from our qualified engineers ranges from £500 - £1500.
Ash Removal & Maintenance
The ash residue with pellet heating is a fine dust potash and can be used as fertilizer in the garden or compost heap however it is a minimal amount as you would only empty the Ökofen boiler once every 6 months! Your appliance will need regular servicing just like any other and maintenance contracts are available.
Other Considerations
Will the new pellet boiler integrate with my existing heating system? Usually the answer is yes, however there may be a requirement for a new hot water cylinder for example if you have been used to combi-boiler. Also a pellet heating system requires some life style changes because although it can be fully automated there will always be a requirement for personal intervention.
How Do We Proceed
We will be happy to conduct a feasibility survey at a cost of £150 which is refundable against the cost of the installation. Furthermore we will also refund the survey fee if your property is not suitable for an installation or if our final quote is more than 10% higher than the estimate we give you provided we received accurate information on which to base our figures.
If you feel that the ball park figures given above are within your budget and you wish to go ahead then please give us a call. We may wish to obtain more information from you before we arrange a survey to suit your convenience.
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