A biomass boiler is anything which burns biomass (wood or other vegetable matter) to heat water for your home.

Biomass is a renewable resource and if properly sourced is considered carbon neutral. There are a number of boilers available and they can be installed in conjunction with other heating systems.

For domestic heating purposes the main biomass fuel is wood in the form of logs, pellets or wood chip.

Smaller biomass stoves can be used just for room heating, with a back boiler to heat the water, or to produce hot water and heating for the whole house.

Unlike most renewable energy technologies where there is an upfront investment, then the element that provides the power (ie wind or sun) is free, there is an ongoing fuel cost with biomass heating - but this is the ideal solution if you have access to your own supply.

Wood burning stoves are suitable for heating any room that has a chimney or a flue. They come in sorts of shapes and sizes, and can burn logs, or wood pellets. The wood pellet stoves tend to be cleaner and easier to maintain, producing much less ash. We stock a variety of models, from Charnwood, Villager, Woodwarm, Esse, Palazetti and Caminetti.

If you want to attach a back boiler, we will need to see whether additional changes to your plumbing are necessary, especially if you’ve got a combi boiler. Should changes be necessary, we can do this work with our in- house, dedicated installation engineers.

Biomass boilers tend to be larger than the gas or oil equivalent. They are generally more suitable for people not connected to mains gas who have  some space for storage. You will need about 6-7 cubic metres of space near where the boiler is sited to store the fuel (for an average size house). To do a detailed initial assessment of whether or not it's appropriate, you can download the Carbon Trust's publication Biomass heating: a practical guide for potential users.

You will need an area to store your fuel, that is under cover to keep the fuel dry - a barn or dedicated area of the plant room would be sufficient. You should also take into consideration how the wood supply will be delivered - is your designated storage area accessible via a lorry? Taking this into consideration early on will save a lot of headache later on!

The boiler will need a flue in which the vent material is designed for wood fuel (existing chimneys can be lined, but we will tell you if we need to do this during our visit). Stove Shop Renewables will ensure your installation will comply with all relevant building regulations. If you live in a listed building or a conservation area you will need to check with your local planning authority before fitting a new flue - we can assist you with this.

We offer a dedicated after care package in the event that yout installation needs servicing.

We can help you find a local supplier for your chosen fuel. Just ask!

Whilst wood is hardly a new innovation to use as a fuel for heating homes, the technology has improved perceptibly to make it more efficient. Open fires may be attractive, but they are not a good way to heat a room. Most of the heat goes up the chimney and, as the fire draws in oxygen to burn, it creates draughts in the room that can cancel out the benefit of the heat.

Burning at 70 per cent efficiency, modern wood-burning stoves are a huge improvement on the open fire for room heating. Many styles are available with a back boiler, to help heat domestic hot water and supply some radiators.

More efficient still are automatic pellet stoves which operate at 85 to 90 per cent efficiency. They spread the heat through convection, rather than traditional radiation, which means the room is heated more evenly and proficiently using a fan. They are clean and easy to use, with automatic ignition and a thermostatic control. They have an integrated hopper, which automatically tops up the fuel. They generally hold enough fuel for one to three days operation. The ash pan needs to be emptied about once a month. It is also possible to add a back boiler to these.

Biomass boilers can replace oil or gas boilers to heat hot water and radiators (or under floor heating). They burn logs, wood chips, wood pellets or other forms of biomass. The most advanced boilers are fully automatic. They control the amount of fuel and air supplied to the combustion chamber. As a result they are highly efficient and emissions are low.

They are fed with wood chips or pellets from a large hopper sited nearby. If you’ve got space, manufacturers recommend a hopper that’s big enough to hold a year’s supply of fuel. This minimises transport and delivery costs for fuel, as well as work for the owner. Maintenance is minimal – although you will need to clean it and remove the ash about once a month.

At the other end of the scale, log-fed boilers are more suitable for people with ready access to a supply of wood, and time to cut it to the right size. These will need more time spent on feeding them with fuel and cleaning out the ash.