Church heating systems
FishWithABicycle
Shipmate Posts: 1
in Heaven
Our church heating system has been condemned as irreparable and needs complete replacement. As members of the PCC we are having great difficulty identifying the best way to replace it. Main issues being that there are an awful lot of high-pressure sales people trying to flog their particular heating solution that isn't particularly suitable for a church, but the sales people have a shakey grasp of the physics and are far too focused on earning their commission rather than finding the right solution; and secondly that most modern heating systems are focused on keeping a building at a comfortable temperature all week long, whereas we only need the building to be at a comfortable temperature for 10 hours a week. Also there is no chance of adding any insulation to the thick stone walls.
There's so many different techniques and technologies to choose from all of which have salespeople insisting theirs is the best, but who to believe? If your church has had to install new heating in the last 5 years (tales of an 80 year old system that is still going strong are sadly irrelevant) then it would be good to know what your church chose and how well it has worked for you.
There's so many different techniques and technologies to choose from all of which have salespeople insisting theirs is the best, but who to believe? If your church has had to install new heating in the last 5 years (tales of an 80 year old system that is still going strong are sadly irrelevant) then it would be good to know what your church chose and how well it has worked for you.
Comments
There’s some useful stuff here
If your church is only open for services for a few hours per week, might it be possible to hold some, at least, in a more easily-heated space, such as the vestry? We could do that, if the will to do something a bit different were present.
As @BroJames says, best get in touch asap with your DAC. You are wise to be wary of false prophets, who really only want fat profits...
The first thing, which you have probably already done, is to write a statement of requirement, laying out what parts of the building need to be heated and when. Heating companies don't always seem to understand that running a system at full power for a few hours and then leaving it cold for most of a week puts a lot of thermal stress on the equipment, shortening its life.
Do you currently have hot water radiators, or ducted hot air? If you can go to hot air you will be able to heat the building quickly and have the possibility of integrating a dehumidifier, usually helpful in an old stone building (within limits - old wood doesn't need to be too dry). High efficiency systems have obvious advantages, but the additional capital cost may be greater than the running cost over its life. If ducted hot air is an option, repairs are usually limited to the heat source and controls. Do you have ceiling fans in the sanctuary? This is a relatively low cost way to improve efficiency by circulating the air in both winter and summer and is often suitable for older buildings.
Welcome to your first post, FWAB! Have you considered using the church for more hours per week? A day nursery, play groups, drop-in centre for senior citizens? Of course, those would throw up their own problems of a kitchen and toilets and disabled access. But the income from extra activities and probable grants would defray the cost of a new heating system. Plus be missional in their own right.
The installer we went with (AFS electrical in Glasgow) are reasonably knowledgeable about churches, and were willing to travel out to us in the Hebrides for the install.
Happy to answers any questions if I can.
Ditto - they are very uncomfortable if you are sat underneath!
The church had a low roof, though, so they warmed up the interior fairly well. It's a long time ago now (the building was demolished in 2004). I remember them being installed, but I can't recall what sort of system they replaced...
Mr Google turned up this article and this guidance which seems to behave some authority looks handy.
From a practical perspective if there is anyway to offset heating costs by increasing use of the building I would go for it but that is me who does not believe church building are there to be closed.