Can you still get a Back Boiler for an open fire?

[Colin_Kee]

My parents live in a relativly old Bungalow which has a Boiler built into the open fire. When the fire is alight, it will also heat the water in the hot water tank which in turn can be used to heat other rooms in the house. Can you still get these boilers and if so does anyone know who might be able to Supply/Install them? Our house is under 10 years old and the Oil fired boiler is in a little extension of the Chimney breast so I can't see it being a massive job to tap into the pipework.

Many thanks.

Colin

[dan2002]

hi I got a open fire back boiler installed last year so you can still get them ,we got ours from aerocrete on shore road around the whitewell area around the £300 I think but try them anyway ,ours will also heat up to 7 rads as well

[makavelli]

Originally Posted by dan2002

hi I got a open fire back boiler installed last year so you can still get them ,we got ours from aerocrete on shore road around the whitewell area around the £300 I think but try them anyway ,ours will also heat up to 7 rads as well

Have been thinking about doing this as well, either back boiler or wood burning stove. Curious as to how much labour would cost though.

[woofwoofwoof]

I know I'm resurrecting an old thread but has anyone installed a back boiler recently? With the price of oil we were thinking of installing a back boiler off the fire in the living room - does it take up much space or does it fit into the side of the chimney breast - and if it does how do you get it serviced, do you have to leave a little door or something?

[BOBS]

Hope someone can help on this .... with the price of oil we have been wondering if this is feasible..... our house is up 11 years and I think they had stopped putting in back boilers because of the oil heating

[Colin_Kee]

I've been looking into this a bit more and from what I can gather, yes you can still get them (don't know where though over here in Norn Iron) but they are not very efficient less than 25% (apparently) so not very good if you are buying Coal or sticks!!
An alternative I've been looking at is to take out the fire grate, (And possibly do some modifications to the surround) and install a Stove type unit with integral water Boiler. They seem to be a lot more readily available and a lot more efficient. There can be some complications though as these systems are Vented and most modern oil & gas systems are pressurised I believe so they need some extra kit to make them compatible. Haven't got anything priced up just yet as still looking at my options.. with oil prices as they are and no sign of them lowering at the moment, I think it really is worth looking at all options...

[blondeonblonde]

we had a back boiler put in a couple of years ago
used a local plumber cost about £1000 altogether as had to put in new fireplace as cast iron one broke/ was too small maybe?
be prepared for lots of mess as chimney brace wall has to be replastered/ floorboards lifted upstairs etc
thought it was awful at the time but am glad we did it now as hardly ever use oil and we used to light the fire anyway

[gehngus]

Hi.
I have just taken an old back boiler out of our open fire so that i could replace the whole lot with a log burner.

This one is made from copper (or some copper alloy) and plumbs straight into a direct vented cylinder.

It is a very simple setup and was just tucked behind the fire at the height of the grate. the front was flush with the pot thing that all fireplaces seem to have (don't know the name, but i see them at the builders yards)

I think there was enough room for air flow under, but if there was it was always blocked with ash.

The boiler gave us far too much hot water just for baths etc so i had to decide weather to link in rads (which meant changing the boiler to a vented indirect cylinder system) or to do the wife's preferred upgrade and a major rebuild to get this wood burner in.

I was wondering what to do with it so it seems i have another bit to go on ebay . just a case of getting around to it.

[absoluteutopia]

Scrap value is skyhigh, get it to the scrapyard and sell it

[ballyblack]

I don't think the installing a back boiler is worth the hassle and expense. Its very inefficient and will take the radiant heat out of the open fire in the room. I disconnected mine.

[suki1964]

Originally Posted by ballyblack

I don't think the installing a back boiler is worth the hassle and expense. Its very inefficient and will take the radiant heat out of the open fire in the room. I disconnected mine.

And theres me that would give my right arm for a back boiler

[prosaver]

hello everyone
does anyone know how much a back boiler cost to put in as well as wood burner?

[doyouwantfrieswiththat]

If you can, get the gas in, they will take all they tanks away including one in loft.

[flipperNI]

Bassetts plumbing, heating and bathroom merchants should have them. Not sure about the price but my sister bought one in a local small DIY store last week cost around £220, not fitted. Paid £50 mates rates to get it fitted, as they took the old boiler and her fireplace out themselves.

[prosaver]

Originally Posted by flipperNI

Bassetts plumbing, heating and bathroom merchants should have them. Not sure about the price but my sister bought one in a local small DIY store last week cost around £220, not fitted. Paid £50 mates rates to get it fitted, as they took the old boiler and her fireplace out themselves.

that sounds good..but i need it connected to my old central heating system,

[flipperNI]

Originally Posted by prosaver

that sounds good..but i need it connected to my old central heating system,

Hers was connected to her heating system.

If i can remember right from when we done ours, its only two pipes to reconnect, if a boiler was in before, we disconnected ours when we got the oil in. With the price of oil being so high we decided to reconnect to the open fire. Not a big job. I dont remember how much it cost but i know it was not a lot.

Someone that knows more will be able to fill you in.

[highrisklowreturn]

Perhaps someone can advise me? I have oil CH but have a 6kw woodburner in now with option of a clip in boiler. I have 7 rads in house but would only use 2 at any one time. If I had the boiler installed would it be enough to heat those two rads and the water, as well as throw out heat into the room, without using a huge amount more fuel?