Bio mass boiler for rental property

[icanshootwell]

On one of my rentals the 20 year old oil boiler is coming to the end of its life, my problem is what to replace it with.
1. replace like for like but will oil get to expensive or even fazed out.

2. air source, not sure about this in a barn conversion, is it air tight enough to be cost efficient. My sister has one in a new build and its expensive to run.

3. Bio mass boiler, 22kw would be big enough, but possibly wrong for tenants, most would not want the hassle of wood etc.

Any advise on this would be appreciated.

 

[Hampton]

Gone through the same predicament myself.
Heart says renewable, head says oil or even the fuel oil/electric combis.
Just can’t work out where the payback is otherwise

 

[farmerfred86]

On one of my rentals the 20 year old oil boiler is coming to the end of its life, my problem is what to replace it with.
1. replace like for like but will oil get to expensive or even fazed out.

2. air source, not sure about this in a barn conversion, is it air tight enough to be cost efficient. My sister has one in a new build and its expensive to run.

3. Bio mass boiler, 22kw would be big enough, but possibly wrong for tenants, most would not want the hassle of wood etc.

Any advise on this would be appreciated.

If you install Biomass in a rental you will eventually be fed up of the phone calls when there is an issue.

Air source is an excellent choice.

 

[farmerm]

I have been very happy with ours biomass but I couldn't even consider if for a rental unless it was 100% tenant proof which requires a significantly higher standard than something that is fool proof!! Ultimately we don't pay for the fuel but we are responsible for servicing and maintenance costs.. for us when we eventually change from oil it will most likely be driven by EPC requirements.

Again the running costs of air source would not be my primary concern... I would think air source will cost about 30% more to install than a straight replacement of boiler? though this may be offset by other costs.. consider when you might need to replace the oil tank and if modern rules means the replacement also need relocating, the rules have changed... that might make the cost of switch to air source less unappealing... When you say your boiler is coming to the end of life.. which bit of it? A couple of years ago we had an oil boiler that was being a real pain, we though we would have to replace the whole boiler but then, must to the disappointment of my engineer, I found I could source a brand new complete burner unit for a very small sum.. to all intensive purposes its a new boiler in the skin of an old boiler for not much more than a weeks rent, hoping for another 20 years but its already paid for itself...
.

 

[Steevo]

If you install Biomass in a rental you will eventually be fed up of the phone calls when there is an issue.

Air source is an excellent choice.

Are air source a better bet than ground source?

 

[icanshootwell]

Are air source a better bet than ground source?

My farmhouse is ground heat source, works well but fairly expensive to run, on the plus side the house is very warm 24/7, air would not be quite so efficient and a bit cheaper to install.

On rental there both expensive to install.

Just been reading up on electric combi boilers, they seem a lot better today, cheaper to run.

 

[farmerm]

If you can wait... I have just seen there looks to be a Clean Heat Grant due to come on stream in 2022 to replace RHI might be property owners will be able to access up to £4000 as an upfront grant to install a "green" heat source.... might be worth delaying any change if you can?

 

[Steevo]

If you can wait... I have just seen there looks to be a Clean Heat Grant due to come on stream in 2022 to replace RHI might be property owners will be able to access up to £4000 as an upfront grant to install a "green" heat source.... might be worth delaying any change if you can?

There’s talk of all rental property needing to be upgraded to EPC rating of C by 2025 too. That might trigger some funding too else a lot of places won’t be cost effective to upgrade.

 

[Doing it for the kids]

For rental you aren’t paying the bills I assume?

the EPC will pick up on fuel costs, you are in a tricky place, especially if they bring the requirements from E to C as being suggested.

i would do what you can To insulate then get an EPC energy assessor in to give you his view.

oil will be shunned in a few years!

 

[Doing it for the kids]

For rental you aren’t paying the bills I assume?

the EPC will pick up on fuel costs, you are in a tricky place, especially if they bring the requirements from E to C as being suggested.

i would do what you can To insulate then get an EPC energy assessor in to give you his view.

oil will be shunned in a few years!

 

[Hampton]

For rental you aren’t paying the bills I assume?

the EPC will pick up on fuel costs, you are in a tricky place, especially if they bring the requirements from E to C as being suggested.

i would do what you can To insulate then get an EPC energy assessor in to give you his view.

oil will be shunned in a few years!

From what I’ve been told, their will be exemptions to this. For example, if you can prove that you have spent a considerable amount on upgrading (this will show up on previous EPCs) then you will be eligible for a waiver from further upgrades.
Might be wrong but that’s what I have been told

 

[Steevo]

From what I’ve been told, their will be exemptions to this. For example, if you can prove that you have spent a considerable amount on upgrading (this will show up on previous EPCs) then you will be eligible for a waiver from further upgrades.
Might be wrong but that’s what I have been told

Good point.

I believe the cap is currently £3,500 inc VAT.

Domestic private rented property: minimum energy efficiency standard - landlord guidance

Guidance for landlords of domestic private rented property on how to comply with the 2018 ‘Minimum Level of Energy Efficiency’ standard (EPC band E).

www.gov.uk

There have been suggestions of increasing that to £10k or £15k.

 

[AJ123]

I’ve one let house, it’s a small mid terrace Victorian 2 bed , & I need to replace the oil tank, so thinking that’s £1500 towards an air source, the boiler is OK, but probably 12 years old, so should last a while, just feel spending any money on oil burning system is money I can’t spend on new systems. But not sure if the house is well enough insulated for it to work efficiently, the current CH system uses the old fashioned type Radiators. Will I need to upgrade more than just the boiler?
I understand how and why air source would work well in a new, well insulated house with under floor heating system etc. so am a bit worried it wouldn’t be great in a less than perfect building such as mine.

EPC currently D, limited scope for any further easy install of extra insulation etc.

 

[Andy26]

I’ve one let house, it’s a small mid terrace Victorian 2 bed , & I need to replace the oil tank, so thinking that’s £1500 towards an air source, the boiler is OK, but probably 12 years old, so should last a while, just feel spending any money on oil burning system is money I can’t spend on new systems. But not sure if the house is well enough insulated for it to work efficiently, the current CH system uses the old fashioned type Radiators. Will I need to upgrade more than just the boiler?
I understand how and why air source would work well in a new, well insulated house with under floor heating system etc. so am a bit worried it wouldn’t be great in a less than perfect building such as mine.

EPC currently D, limited scope for any further easy install of extra insulation etc.

For Air source or Ground source you will need larger radiators than for oil or gas due to the lower flow temperatures. So an old system is likely to need new raidators as well.

I live next to a care home that is in an old Palladian style stone mansion, several years ago they replaced the oil boiler with a ground source heat pump, they say its been brilliant, they do get a lot of RHI payments so that may cloud their judgement! It must be among the worst insulated, cold, huge windows, lots of draughts, massive rooms and yet they are happy.

The maintenance guy they have said I should buy a GSHP of ebay for circa £1-2k and he reckons for a few days labour he can have it working in my house, no FIT that way but he reckons £5k cheaper. I've a fairly recent Oil Combi so am holding fire at present.

 

[Andy26]

On one of my rentals the 20 year old oil boiler is coming to the end of its life, my problem is what to replace it with.
1. replace like for like but will oil get to expensive or even fazed out.

2. air source, not sure about this in a barn conversion, is it air tight enough to be cost efficient. My sister has one in a new build and its expensive to run.

3. Bio mass boiler, 22kw would be big enough, but possibly wrong for tenants, most would not want the hassle of wood etc.

Any advise on this would be appreciated.

I would go Oil, at present its quite competitive price wise vs. Gas.

Its likely Bio Oil will replace it int years to come. In Twenty years time it may be rare to use Oil for heating but I don't see it disappearing any time soon. Its easy to maintain and pretty reliable.

 

[Hampton]

I’ve one let house, it’s a small mid terrace Victorian 2 bed , & I need to replace the oil tank, so thinking that’s £1500 towards an air source, the boiler is OK, but probably 12 years old, so should last a while, just feel spending any money on oil burning system is money I can’t spend on new systems. But not sure if the house is well enough insulated for it to work efficiently, the current CH system uses the old fashioned type Radiators. Will I need to upgrade more than just the boiler?
I understand how and why air source would work well in a new, well insulated house with under floor heating system etc. so am a bit worried it wouldn’t be great in a less than perfect building such as mine.

EPC currently D, limited scope for any further easy install of extra insulation etc.

If it’s a D then chances are it already has cavity wall insulation.
if major Reno then floors aren’t a massive job on a small house. Kango breaker from screw fix, rubble out, polythene, bit of sand, celotex, then concrete on top. You could even put underfloor in at same time. Obviously this is majorly disruptive and not for everyone, but it’s not a difficult job and doesn’t even take long.

 

[Hampton]

I’ve one let house, it’s a small mid terrace Victorian 2 bed , & I need to replace the oil tank, so thinking that’s £1500 towards an air source, the boiler is OK, but probably 12 years old, so should last a while, just feel spending any money on oil burning system is money I can’t spend on new systems. But not sure if the house is well enough insulated for it to work efficiently, the current CH system uses the old fashioned type Radiators. Will I need to upgrade more than just the boiler?
I understand how and why air source would work well in a new, well insulated house with under floor heating system etc. so am a bit worried it wouldn’t be great in a less than perfect building such as mine.

EPC currently D, limited scope for any further easy install of extra insulation etc.

I would just buy a tank, and carry on. Can’t see he govt pushing for anything above D for a while, but it depends on rent value I suppose.
If it’s currently peppercorn, I would look to improve and go for bigger rent. But that’s just me.

 

[Lincsman]

There’s talk of all rental property needing to be upgraded to EPC rating of C by 2025 too. That might trigger some funding too else a lot of places won’t be cost effective to upgrade.

I have epc's of C with 10 year old gas boilers in them.

OP
Go for gas if possible, if not Oil, a straight replacement wont cost that much.

Kero will be around for a while until there are battery Jumbo jets.

 

[AJ123]

I have epc's of C with 10 year old gas boilers in them.

OP
Go for gas if possible, if not Oil, a straight replacement wont cost that much.

Kero will be around for a while until there are battery Jumbo jets.

I’d go gas if I could, no mains where I am unfortunately and no room for a bulk tank unfortunately

 

[Lincsman]

I’d go gas if I could, no mains where I am unfortunately and no room for a bulk tank unfortunately

You can bury gas tanks though?