Solid Fuel Central Heating

Link Up your Boiler Stove to your Central Heating.

Many homes today, have a boiler in the kitchen supplying hot water and radiators to provide Central Heating. The concept of Link-Up allows customers to use the heat from a solid fuel fire fitted with a boiler to supply hot water and/or radiators in conjunction with an alternative heating appliance to give maximum flexibility.

Link Up Solid fuel information booklet from S.F.A

The information in this booklet applies to linking solid fuel (mineral fuel or wood) to either gas, oil or another solid fuel appliance with an open vented Central Heating System. These methods do not apply to com bi or condensing boilers which operate with pressurised systems.

How Link-Up works

• An open fire, room heater or stove fitted with a back-boiler can be linked to an existing or new Central Heating system.

• The existing Central Heating boiler continues to service the system as and when required.

• The hot water and radiators can be supplied by either or both appliances depending on the heat input needed.

• Link Up can be installed to link either the hot water only or the hot water and radiators.

• Can be integrated with Solar Panels to maximise efficiency by providing ‘free’ hot

water from the power of the sun.

Link Up

Technical Details

Link Up can be achieved in a number of different ways and the method chosen will depend on your existing system, if there is one, and the output of the appliances being linked.

Whichever method of Link Up is chosen, it is very important to ensure the solid fuel appliance has an unrestricted open vent and separate cold feed. To further increase safety, and reduce the possibility of boiling in the event of a power or pump failure, any motorised valves fitted to the solid fuel circuit should be of the powered closed type.

It is possible to design a custom Link Up to suit almost any combination of boilers which

operate with open vented systems but will require a full understanding of the appliances,

the hydronics of the system and all the electrical controls being employed. To make

matters easier, a number of companies have produced products which enable Link Up to

be installed by following the diagrams and instructions provided by them. In addition,

it is recommended you employ a qualified installer who is a member of one of the

recognised Competent Persons Schemes, such as HETAS Ltd.

Simple Link Up

Link Up can be very simple and inexpensive if only a limited additional benefit is required. In many cases a simple Link Up is most cost effective with an existing system to which you wish to add an open fire. By using a boiler flue-set with domestic hot water back-boiler

it is possible to improve the efficiency of the fire and generate free hot water!