No major building projects this summer, but our newly installed RIKA pellet burner (model Pico – 6kW)  finally works well after the installation of a draught moderator. Due to the 8m of chimney flu the draught was too strong which made the burner rather noisy. However, it’s meant to be one of the more silent ones on the market, heating mostly by radiation not by convection or hot air blown into the room. It now comfortably heats a whole new section of the house, including a living room and two offices.

Advice for people who would like to buy an Austrian pellet burner made by RIKA : do not buy the Pico model, as it is not completely airtight and therefore not as silent as it should be ! The other models are though. And ask your dealer/installer how to regulate the draught. Too much draught affects the combustion and reduces the efficiency. A draught moderator works well but reduces the overall system efficiency as it draws in warm air from the room.