Frequently Asked Questions
About Treco Products
Q. Please could you send me a quote?
A. In order for us to give you a more accurate quotation and find the best option for you, we will need to know the following;
- How many buildings you have
- How many rooms
- Sizes of rooms
- How many radiators
- How many bathrooms
- The level of insulation
- What type of temperature you are trying to achieve
- What fuel you are looking to burn
We do not necessarily need to do a site visit as we can often work out what you would need if you send us in drawings or pictures of the space in which you would like us to fit the boiler. We can also provide you with a heat loss calculation sheet which you can fill out and send back to us.
Burning Products:
Q. Which boilers will burn Miscanthus?
A. 2200, 2300, 2400 and 2500
Q. Do you know of a supplier of a bio fuel boiler i.e. One that will burn refined vegetable oil?
A. We can fit a system on the back of your boiler that will allow you to burn refined vegetable oil.
Q. Can you burn olive stones and almond husks?
A. YES
Q. Can you burn dust from a straw mill or grain cleaning plant, perhaps in pellet form?
A. YES, with the 2300
Q. Can you burn shavings used for horse bedding?
A. YES, with the 2300
Q. Can you burn straw?
A You can burn straw pellets, we are still doing research into using them.
Q. Can you burn Plastic?
A. Yes you can, but you will NOT be allowed due to Environmental Agency policies.
You will need to check with them and us first to know what you are allowed to burn.
Q. Can you burn Conkers?
A. As long as they are dry enough. Yes you can.
Q. What percentage does the moisture have to be in order for it to burn?
A. Wood pellets need to be 10-12% and cereals need to be 14-16%.
Q. Can you burn logs?
A. Unfortunately we do not supply log boilers, a lot of people get attracted to the fact that they have wood readily available and think that it will be easy, but the process to get the wood good enough to be able to burn involves a lot of time and effort, we also feel that they are not automatic enough as you will have to refill them twice a day, this means that the commitment to your boiler will be very high. We would suggest one of our multi-fuel boilers which will burn wood pellets, cereals and miscanthus. Our boilers are electronically controlled so after our technicians install your boiler we will set the control panel to allow the boiler to be automatically controlled by a timer in your home.
Q. Can you burn ordinary wood?
A. No, it has to be wood pellets as the boilers burn to a very high efficiency, the fuel has to be the right size and moisture level.
Q. Can you burn sawdust?
A. Yes, our 2300 range can burn sawdust.
Combining Different systems:
Q. I have an existing gravity fed coal furnace with thermostat fan for temp control, and variable plate to alter the size of fuel which falls through. Have you any knowledge of such a device being converted for use with wood pellets?
A. Unfortunately we haven’t heard of anyone trying that, the description of your boiler is very similar to how a pellet boiler works as long as your fan speed and your rate of fuel can be adjusted, then it could work, but we are not really experts on coal boilers.
Q. Please tell me what an integrated heating system is?
A. This is where you are combining various different heat sources e.g. Solar and Biomass.
Q. We are looking for a wood pellet boiler as well as solar panels. Should we have a vented or un- vented hot water tank?
A. An un-vented would be the best option.
Q. Can the boilers be combined with oil usage?
A. Yes, they can be combined with Oil, gas or LPG but will not be eligible for grants.
Q. Can you combine central heating with a room heater?
A. Yes you can combine the two.
Q. Can you combine boilers with under floor heating systems?
A. Yes you are able to combine the two.
Q. Can the boilers be used in conjunction with heat pumps/solar panels?
A. Our biomass boiler will work well with solar panels & heat pumps.
Boiler questions:
Q. What is the percentage of heat produced by each function? I.e. if it’s 14.5 Kw how is the heat split between the room heater and the central heating?
A. As a standard split you have 10 KW going to the central heating and 4.5 KW going to the hot water, but we can set up 92% to go to the central heating.
Q. What is included? I.e. Pumps/controls etc?
A. Boiler and the boiler controls.
Q. What is the price of the Idro?
A. £3490
Q. What is the annual maintenance cost of the boilers?
A. This ranges from £69.00 - £110.00
Q. Our boiler choice is limited by space, which boiler would you suggest?
A. We would suggest a Mini K25 as it will fit in a small space.
Q. Do you supply stoves to fit into a fireplace?
A. We will be having these in summer 2007
Q. What type of flue is required for the boilers?
A. A Twin wall stainless steel flue up to EN1856.
Q. What is the auto feed options for the boiler?
A. The TRECO Pod has a large hopper which you only have to fill every 6-8 weeks.
Q. Is the TRECO Pod easy to re-fill?
A. Yes, when the fuel has been delivered it can be dropped straight from the lorry into the hopper.
Q. What is so unique about these boilers apart from the environmental benefits and being more efficient?
A. The costs, as you are using cheap fuel.
Q. Would any of your boilers be suitable for offices?
A. Yes, our 2200 range would be perfect for office use. We heat our own office with one.
Q. Do you do any cooker/heating boilers (Similar to an AGA)?
A. Unfortunately, we do not currently supply cooker/heating boilers. We are currently looking into it and should be supplying them by next year.
Q. How controllable are the boilers? Are they still efficient when ticking over?
A. Very controllable to 1°,
Q. Are the boilers fully automatically controlled?
A. Yes, they use a control system which allows you to regulate the temperature, fuel and automatic running of the boiler.
Q. How far from the house can the boiler be? And what will the heat loss be?
A. The boiler can be fitted up to 100mtrs from the property, and it will loose up to 5 watts per linear metre.
Q. How much heat does it loose from the boiler door (Inspection Hatch?)
A. The boiler is 86% efficient, so it is a very low heat loss.
Q. Can storage units for the boiler go underground?
A. Yes they can.
Q. Can we install abroad?
A. No, sorry we only install anywhere in the UK, but we could supply to you and then help with any technical information that your local installer would need to fit your boiler.
Q. Does the room heater require a Flue?
A. Yes, it requires a small 80mm internal flue.
Q. Can you fit boilers with properties that have a thatched roof?
A. Yes, we can fit the boiler to suit any house.
Q. How often do the boilers need filling?
A. This would depend on how often the boiler is used and the heat demand. The hopper could need filling anywhere between every couple of days if the demand is high to once a week if it is just ticking over.
The average 3-4 bedroom house uses approx 10 Kg per day.
Pellet Questions:
Q. What is the calorific value of wood pellets?
A. 4.8Kw hours per Kilogram.
Q. If oil costs 40p per litre, how would costs compare to burning pellets or cereals?
A. Burning cereals would give you a 40% saving. Burning pellets would give you a 30% saving.
Q. What is the economic comparison between these boilers and an oil fired boiler?
A. 1 Litre of oil = 2 Kg of wood pellets.
Q. Do you know of any small pellets that can run off a tractor?
A. No, Unfortunately we do not know of any suitable pellets.
Q What is the cost of wood pellets?
A. £2 - £3 per 15 kilo bag. The cost per Tonne is between £140 - £190.
Q. What storage facilities are needed for the fuel?
A. The wood pellets come in 15 – 25 Kg plastic bags so can be stored easily.
We offer a wide range of storage from 1 Tonne to 10 Tonne feed hoppers.
Q. Where is the nearest supplier of wood pellets?
A. There is a nationwide network of suppliers that is growing monthly but we will guarantee a supply to our customer’s, please look at our fuel page on our website.
Q. What is the efficiency of wood pellets?
A. This depends on the machine that you are burning the fuel in, but do remember that the fuel is carbon neutral.
Q. Can Biomass be burnt in a smoke controlled area?
A. Biomass can be burnt in a smokeless zone, but it would need to be approved by the DTI and the environmental agency.
Installation Questions
Q. What is the lead time between placing the order to installation?
A. Usually 2-4 Weeks
Q. Could it be fitted by our own plumber?
A. Yes, but we would need to commission it if you were looking to claim a low carbon building grant.
Q. I have a gas boiler at the moment. Will it run on the existing electrical equipment?
A. Yes, most controlled systems have the same as our machines, they only need a 5 amp supply.
Q. Have you installed any boilers in Ireland yet?
A. Unfortunately we have not yet appointed anyone yet.
Q. Is installing the boiler the same as installing a wood burning stove?
A. Yes, this is a good example as the challenges are very similar, the main being finding a root for the flue and the optoman position for the boiler.
Q. Can you Supply/Install/Service a boiler Scotland?
A. Yes we can Supply/Install/Service our boilers anywhere in the UK and Ireland
Solar Questions
Q. Are flat plate solar panels the way to go?
A. Flat panels are the most reliable solar panels.
Other Questions
Q. What warranty do you offer?
A. We offer 2 years on site warranty
Q. Can you use, or adapt a wood burner to pellet?
A. NO.
Grants
Q. Please could you send information on the grants that are available?
A. Please look at the grants page on our website www.treco.co.uk/grants
Q. We are going to fit the boiler ourselves. Would the grant still apply?
A. You are only eligible for a grant if your pellet stove is installed by a registered installer.
