Frequently Asked Questions

How do I know how many kilowatts I will need to heat my home properly?
As a general guide calculate the area of floor in the heated zones then allow 100 watts per square metre for a modern house or in older homes with poorer insulation and high ceilings 150-200 watts per square metre. We at McKenzie Heating are happy to undertake accurate assessment if you wish to take the "guess work" out.
 

How much does it cost to run?
It depends on how much you are paying for your pellets or coal and how much heat you put in to your house. The cost can also vary depending on the grade and the quantity of coal purchased, please refer to our Heating Cost Calculator for a better idea of relative costs.
 

How efficient is hydronic heating?
The McKenzie boiler is very efficient at converting fuel to useable hot water and hydronic systems are extremely "effective" at delivering this energy to warm you and the room.
 

What about all the work with the fuel?
You have the option of hopper sizes, as large as 3 tonnes or down to the 100kg standard on the pellet boiler. You may fill these yourself or get the merchant to fill the hopper so you do not have any handling.
McKenzie Boilers have a large, 15 litre, ash pan that only requires emptying periodically. The frequency of empting depends on the ash content of the fuel and the quantity burnt, usually 3-7 days for coal and several weeks for pellet boilers.
 

What about all the smoke you get from Coal fires?
Smoke is unburnt fuel. The McKenzie Boiler burns at a very high combustion temperature and very high efficiency, plus is set to have the correct fuel to air ratio. This gives complete combustion with smokeless operation.
 

Won't I have to keep lighting the Boiler?
Pellet boilers have automatic ignition.

With Coal, once you have ignited the Boiler at the start of the season, the Boiler will run without the need to re-light. The Boiler will shut off when there is enough heat in the house, and the embers will stay dormant for up to 36 hours, and when you require more heat, the Boiler will reignite again.
 

I want to turn the electricity off to the hot water cylinder and use the Boiler to heat my hot water all year round. Can I do this?
Yes you can, a heat exchanger in or beside the cylinder keeps the water from the Boiler separate from the tap water. The Boiler will run for a short period each day in the summer to heat your hot water without the need to relight.
 

My house does not have radiators. How do I go about getting Central Heating?
If you are building a new house, then you have the option of using either radiators, or under-floor heating, using water pipes in the concrete slab foundation. You can get a quote for this, off your house plans from either Heating Installers; Plumbers or In Floor Heating Specialists. If you have an existing house, radiators can be sized each individual room. It will then be necessary for a competent trades person to install the pipes and Boiler. McKenzie Heating can advise on installers for different areas.
 

Can I run different types of coal?
The Auto Stoker is supplied with a standard electrical control, which is used to adjust the speed of coal consumption, so that you can run low grade or high-grade coal.
 

What is the life expectancy of the Boiler?
McKenzie Design Boilers have been in service for over 25 years. The present model is designed to last at least 30 years. Central Heating Systems with radiators are still running 50 years after they were installed.


What distance away from the house can I have the Boiler?
As long as the flow and return pipe are insulated properly to minimize heat loss, you can locate the Boiler up to 20 metres from your house.