P
pjd
Guest
Hello,
I have spent a few hours reading many interesting and relevant posts but now I find I am totally bamboozled, and entirely unsure as to what I need to do.
I am renovating a single storey cottage and building a two storey extension. In plan, the cottage runs north south with hipped roof at south. The extension adjoins the cottage at this end and runs towards the east. So L-shaped.
The architect has put solar tubes on the south facing hip of the cottage roof with the tank upstairs in the extension next to the main bathroom. Summer hot water sorted. We want to run a wood burning stove in the cottage (we have access to wood) with a boiler for heating and water in the winter. So far not so challenging.
We want to cook with gas. Its a strong personal preference. So the architect suggests that a gas boiler for days when you don't want to light a stove or for a quick boost in the morning, or for when you are away etc. would be a useful addition.
The thing is, fossil fuel prices are only going one way so I don't want to be totally reliant on them. But the advantages of having gas or oil as a back up for space and water heating are significant. And as we want gas for cooking anyway.........When I look at it seems that I want to have my cake and eat it but I'd rather work this out now than have to revisit it when the job is done.
Is this overly complex? Maybe there is a better way? I have experience of dual systems not working well or efficiently becasue they have not been installed correctly.
Any observations would be welcome.
I have spent a few hours reading many interesting and relevant posts but now I find I am totally bamboozled, and entirely unsure as to what I need to do.
I am renovating a single storey cottage and building a two storey extension. In plan, the cottage runs north south with hipped roof at south. The extension adjoins the cottage at this end and runs towards the east. So L-shaped.
The architect has put solar tubes on the south facing hip of the cottage roof with the tank upstairs in the extension next to the main bathroom. Summer hot water sorted. We want to run a wood burning stove in the cottage (we have access to wood) with a boiler for heating and water in the winter. So far not so challenging.
We want to cook with gas. Its a strong personal preference. So the architect suggests that a gas boiler for days when you don't want to light a stove or for a quick boost in the morning, or for when you are away etc. would be a useful addition.
The thing is, fossil fuel prices are only going one way so I don't want to be totally reliant on them. But the advantages of having gas or oil as a back up for space and water heating are significant. And as we want gas for cooking anyway.........When I look at it seems that I want to have my cake and eat it but I'd rather work this out now than have to revisit it when the job is done.
Is this overly complex? Maybe there is a better way? I have experience of dual systems not working well or efficiently becasue they have not been installed correctly.
Any observations would be welcome.