Log Burners and Heat Transfer Systems

A question about : Log Burners and Heat Transfer Systems

Hi,

About 2 years ago, I installed a log burner in my house as my gas bill was getting ridiculous. I have a 5 KW unit and it heats the downstairs of the house well, if you leave the doors open. My question is, can anyone remember Dick Smallbridge and his barn of a house in Cornwall? He installed a heat trasfer system that pulled air from the warm rooms and pumped it into colder ones upstairs. I have been thinking of installing a system like this to heat the whole house, but can't find anyone in the UK that installs, or gives advice on installation. I am hoping someone her will have some names or advice please.

Best answers:

• My understanding is that these are quite difficult to get working well. The trouble is (IANAP - I Am Not A Physicist) air does not hold much energy, so transferring heat in air is difficult. This is why forced air heating systems generally quite poorly performing.
  Depends on the room layout but have you looked into the fans powered by the heat of the stove?
  As ever, depends on the circumstances.
• You may be better off installing a log burner with a back boiler to feed into your wet heating system.
  The wall therm boiler is my favourite as it using gasification and super efficient, and it is also going through the motions with mcs atm so may also qualify for the rhi if it goes through ok.
  Worth a look, the link is below
  Www.walltherm.ca
• Captain, can you keep me posted on how you get on with it pls? Always keen on getting RHI payments...
• Do you really save money with your log burner? I can't buy logs cheap enough. At best I reckon I break even and that's buying about 75% unseasoned and getting the rest free from various places.
• Break even to what?
• I remember Dick couldn't get his working very well. IIRC he made his himself, yo0u can probably find it on youtube.
  Plus it was ugly and took up loads of space.
  A backboiler does seem a good idea, plus I'd agree with the cost of the logs, unless you have your own supply.
  I presume you are off grid?
• You could certainly try a fan, but the economic effectiveness of wood burners is dependent on so many variables. I collected and started to process wood the winter before I bought and started using mine. This year I'm on course for an annual gas bill of