A biomass boiler burns logs, pellets, or wood chips and is connected up to a central heating and hot water system, which allows the biomass to heat radiators throughout the whole house.

Most biomass boilers are electrically controlled. Wood pellets, wood chips and other biomass fuels are automatically fed into the fire box by an auger (giant corkscrew) which is ignited by an electronic probe. The temperature of the combustion is monitored by thermostats that automatically adjust the speed at which the fuel is fed into the fire box depending on the purpose of the heating. The heat from the fuel burning heats up the water situated in the boiler, which is then circulated around the central heating system maintaining the desired temperature.