fire back boiler

Hi all. how you doing.? ,,happy Easter,,

Can you please advise , help me.

I'm thinking of putting in a heating system into the house (bungalow / 1 story).

we have an open fire place with a back boiler. this unit only heats the copper cylinder, used for only sink & basin tap .

so.. i was thinking of 2 ways.. (1way = short term system for quick-ness & for to keep cost down for now.. 1way = long term proper way, but more costly to complete.)

1 way short term.. with my open fire & back boiler (heating the copper tank only)... can i connect a pump & 6 - 7 singlerad's..?

will this be good.? safe.? --think the fire place is 14" or a 16" fire grate. not sure what the copper tank size is in LTs. this cost =only pump & rad's + pipe's.

1 way long term.. is I'm thinking of getting a fire stove insert, that goes into the fire place its self & re-moving the old back boiler. & running the same amount of rad's with the same amount as piping as above method.
this cost is a lot more in 1 go = fire insert & pump & rad's + piping.

on the same topic, say i put my pipes along the wall on top of the skirting board.(coming & going from rad).
can i come up the wall in the corner of the room & along the ceiling (in this room) & down the opposite corner & along the bottom (on top of the skirting board again, to the next rad). would the pump be able to to this.? how many times would i be able to go up & down the wall.?
or can i go up the corner of the room & into the loft, run across the ceiling in the loft & back down the opposite corner (as above method).

I'm just asking so when i go to a plumber that does the work, i can tell him how i want the job & not him telling me & charging me more, the look of the job is a concern but the job as to have cost & work & mess concern as-well.

also, thinking again in long term.. if say in 10yrs or so we decide to go oil or gas.. can i connect the oil or gas burner to the heating system, so on the same line will be all the rad's .. copper tank (for hot water) .. insert stove with back boiler .. oil or gas burner . will this work.? (wont put fire & oil on at same time tho..).

thanks all.

 

hi peter. thanks for reply.

i have n't really done any home work yet on which insert to go with, i do know a guy that can plumb these units, he said good few months ago 'only get a small 1 that will heat the amount of rads you have, instead of getting a big unit that will heat more than you have, otherwise it will use more fuel than's needed.'

thanks for the info mate.

 

hi mate,
sorry to sound like i know nothing, but i dont know what DHW or GCH means or stands for, i tried to look on the net for pictures but no joy.

a good few folk have said to me that the fire insert with back boiler to heat 7 rads & water for taps only, in our size place we'l cook..but when i read your reply i understand what you mean about controllability .. say ..if go on holiday the house be cold, take a while to re-warm. house is only warm when fire down.

id love a fire insert with b/b, putting in the rad's & piping ..i dont mind, not most dearest.. but the ripping down of the stone fireplace & that work, 55% no thanks.. the cost of the unit, 49% no thanks, i know they are costly to buy 1000euro max..for me, il bite my tongue & say ok. (if you get what im saying..)

who did you fitting for you.? (if you dont mind me asking)

thanks mate.

 

hi yorkyguy.

sounds dirty job /dusty what you did. i got a stone fire place what we built when i got the place (its not huge or anything.), it already had a back boiler so half way there.

so i was just thinking of putting in the rad's & pipe work, then plumbing it into the open fire.

i was talking to a guy that is a friend of a friend thats a plumber & he said he'l pop down & we'l plan the pipe work out & he give me a list of parts what il need & il can carry on my self with the pipes / rads'.
then to give him a call & he'l pop back in check it & connect me to the water feeds +.

then its a question of lighting a open fire.

yes, i dont mind yorkyguy, if you have pic & want to show off your work.