Boiler Stoves | What’s occurring?

As we begin to adopt cleaner wood burning practices in the UK boiler stoves will become more prevalent.

It is unlikely that we will come to rely on such units as a primary water heater. However, it makes sense to use them to top up your supply when you light your fire. 

Boiler stoves have come a long way in recent years. Offerings from the Likes of Spartherm are extremely popular across the rest of Europe.

However, as usual, us Brits are arguably a bit slow on the uptake.

Boiler stoves | How do they work?

A boiler stove is simply an appliance which uses heat from the fire to generate hot water.

This hot water, often inside a heat exchanger above the fire box, is then sent upwards into a tank or buffer vessel whilst being replaced with cold water.

The process, known as thermal cycling, has been around since the days of open fires with back boilers.

Such units are most effective when the water that has been heated can be stored elsewhere.

This water, when stored in a buffer or tank, can then be used for bathing, or recirculated around the rest of the house for heating.

Boiler stoves | What’s our view?

At Hot Box, we are from Yorkshire. Folk in this neck of the woods are notoriously frugal. As such, we quite like the idea of a boiler stove.

We are buying wood anyway and setting it on fire so we may as well get hot water along the way right?

Perhaps, however, it is important to consider the upfront costs.

Boiler stoves | Ow’ Much?

The stoves themselves tend to start at around £5K for a good un. However, you will need to carefully consider installation elements.

They will need to be installed in the same way as any other stove, flue, liner, twin wall chimney system based upon your property type. This in itself is one of the costs.

Further, you will need to plumb them in, have a cold water supply to the stove and a return of hot water to a buffer vessel or to your heating system.

In short, things start to get a little costly but the payback shouldn’t take too long.

On average, the installation of a boiler stove is around £12.5K, broken down as follows:

Stove £5000.00

• Installation, using a twin wall chimney system: £3500.00
• Plumbing element, flow return and buffer vessel: £3500.00
• Other incidental building work £500.00
• Total £12,500.00