Hot Property!

From brilliant biomass boilers and wood-burning stoves to racy red radiators, you can transform your home and reduce energy bills while increasing your property’s green credentials. Rising fuel costs make wood-fuelled or biomass heating systems more attractive than ever and a new government subsidy scheme is encouraging homeowners to switch to this form of heating, so now’s the time to consider the options. 

What is biomass? These boilers burn logs, pellets or chips, connecting to a central heating or hot water system. “Pellets are the natural alternative to oil, so biomass boilers appeal most to people burning oil or LPG,” explains Elaine Ewer, owner of Elaine’s Stoves in Okehampton. “If upgrading your oil boiler is expensive, it makes more financial and ecological sense to invest in a biomass boiler.” 

The government’s Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) comes into play for domestic properties this spring, to encourage home-owners to increase heat generation from renewable energy sources. Elaine explains how the scheme works: “Property owners must fulfil certain criteria to receive a £2,000 one-off grant towards installation. This subsidy is paid back via payments at a flat rate of 12.2p per kWh for a biomass boiler over seven years.”  

Bella Given from Longlands Luxury Camping near Combe Martin plans to sign up to RHI. She has installed a stand-alone condensing pellet-burning biomass boiler: “It is brilliant – our farmhouse is always warm and thermostats monitor each room,” enthuses Bella. “On average we use 50kg of pellets a week and it’s easy and convenient, we just pour pellets of compressed wood into the boiler. Each 10kg bag costs us £2.50 so it’s about half the cost of oil.” Longlands’ three safari lodges are kitted out with wood-burning stoves in the living space and a water boiler in the shower room. “It’s such a simple system; it is basically a giant Kelly kettle that burns logs, so our glampers can enjoy a hot shower!” 

Tim Crook is Project Manager at RegenSW, working to help establish long-term renewable strategies across the sector. “Devon has taken a lead in using biomass as an energy source, claiming twice as many biomass projects as any other area in the South West. With 98% renewable heat coming from biomass, it’s the leading technology for those switching from fossil fuels such as oil and gas,” says Tim. 

Sam Ball, Director of West Country Stoves Ltd near Kingsbridge, is a big fan of pellet boilers as a source of green energy. “The nice thing is that they are mechanised and automated so you just fill up the hopper and job done,” says Sam, adding that the more expensive the pellet boiler you buy, the less you have to do. Basic Italian models start at £3,000 plus installation. “They really are quite technically sophisticated – when the ash builds up and they need cleaning, you receive a text message so you can operate it from your mobile phone! There’s a brilliant iPhone app for ETA boilers, which start from £10,000.”

For smaller properties, wood-burning stoves may be the ideal ‘space-heating’ solution, burning logs or pellets to heat one room, and there’s a huge diversity of styles on the market. “Traditionally, Devon is a real hotspot for wood-burning stove manufacturers, such as Arada in Axminster and Wood Warm in Cullompton, who make great, easy-to-use woodburning stoves with excellent secondary combustion,” explains Elaine. “Stoves are much more than just a black box these days and so energy efficient.”

Made from cast iron or steel, a wood-burning stove can transform your living space, whether it’s a solid traditional style for your country cottage, or a sleek contemporary design to suit an urban bolt-hole. Small stoves provide a compact corner solution, freestanding designs make a statement centrepiece, and ‘cassette’ stoves inset into the wall work well as a cosy feature. When choosing a stove, it is advisable to pick one with clean burn and clean glass features to maximise efficiency. 

Although wood-burning stoves are not covered by the RHI subsidy, they are cheaper at the outset, costing between £500 to £3,000, plus installation, explains Sam. “Often off-grid home-owners buy a wood-burning stove to heat the living room, while using the gas/oil boiler as back-up central heating.” He adds: “Modern stoves have better seals, glass windows in the doors and their more advanced design ensures that combustion air is channelled appropriately. Those with soapstone cladding, olivine or concrete blocks in the top retain heat for longer, so they work like a storage heater.”

However you choose to upgrade your heating system when the time comes, the right investment could result in benefits for your bank account and the environment.

To learn more about the RHI government subsidy and to apply, visit: www.gov.uk/renewable-heat-premium-payment-scheme

“For smaller properties, wood-burning stoves may be the ideal ‘space-heating’ solution... and there’s a huge diversity of styles on the market”