Domestic heating compliance: Solid fuel appliances

Domestic Heating Compliance Guide provides guidance on the means of complying with the requirements of Part L for conventional space heating systems and hot water systems in dwellings. It
includes four self-contained fuel-based sections, each of which addresses all the requirements applicable to primary and secondary space heating and hot water technologies (gas-fired, oil-fired, electric and solid-fuel systems), and five specialist technology-specific sections which provide further guidance on the minimum provisions for specialised space heating and hot water technologies (community heating; under-floor heating; heat pumps; solar water heating; and micro-CHP units).

In this exclusive extract, we look at the supplementary information on solid fuel appliances.

Minimum efficiencies

The minimum efficiencies for solid fuel appliances are published by the Heating Equipment Testing and Approval Scheme (HETAS) in the Official Guide to Approved Solid Fuel Products and Services and on the website www.HETAS.co.uk. Individual manufacturers' efficiency figures may be higher than those indicated and should be used where independently certified against the harmonised European Standards now in place.

Carbon emission factors

Solid fuels include wood in various forms, different types of coal, and manufactured solid fuels, and consequently there is a range of associated carbon dioxide (CO₂) emission factors. These factors are as important as appliance efficiency when selecting a boiler. The table below shows the CO₂ emission factors for generic types of solid fuel recognised in SAP.

CO₂ emission factors for generic types of solid fuel

Some appliances can only burn a single type of fuel while others may be able to burn a range of types. The "multi-fuel" category in the table allows for the latter group, basing its CO₂ emissions on a typical blend of fuels used in that case.

Smoke Control Areas

Within local authority smoke control areas only anthracite or other authorised smokeless fuels may be used, unless the property is fitted with an exempted appliance.

An exempted appliance is one that has been approved by parliamentary statutory instrument for installation in smoke control areas, and prospective purchasers should check that the appliance and intended fuel are permitted. A list of currently authorised fuels and exempted appliances is given on the website: www.uksmokecontrolareas.co.uk.

Outside a smoke control area, house coal or wood can be burnt on non-exempted appliances. Wood should always be seasoned to a moisture content not exceeding 20% to ensure maximum performance and limit the occurrence of condensation and deposits in the chimney system.

All solid fuel appliances require appropriate soot-fire resistant chimneys discharging at high level locations defined within Approved Document J (ADJ). Details of HETAS approved chimney products independently tested and approved to accepted standards can be found on the HETAS website. The natural ventilation rates of these chimneys may be less than the default values listed within SAP2005; the use of these more accurate values will also reduce SAP values. More details are available on the HETAS website.

Extract from Domestic Heating Compliance Guide 2nd edition (2008)

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Copyright RIBA Publishing December 2008.

Additional publications and services

Available to buy now from RIBA Bookshops:

Guide to Part L

Approved Document L1A: Conservation of Fuel and Power: New dwellings

Approved Document L1B: Conservation of Fuel and Power: Existing dwellings

NBS Domestic Specification

Also available:

NBS Building Regulations

 
Related NBS information:

Articles:

• Approved Document L: Conservation of fuel and power
• Energy-using Products Directive

Selected links:

• Energy efficiency
• Heating

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