Hello everyone,
A friend has inherited a semi-detached house from the 1950s. The energy consumption per square meter is about 280 kWh (I assume this is actual consumption and not demand – depending on previous usage patterns, it might even be a bit higher). She is now considering which heating technology to use going forward. Currently, there is a 30-year-old gas heating system installed. A builder has recommended a wood stove with a water jacket. At first, I was skeptical, but I have to admit I don’t exactly understand how it works. What heats the water jacket? Is it connected to the existing heating system and feeds into the heating buffer tank, or is it a separate system?
There is wood available (inherited along with the house), but I’m not sure about the time or willingness to keep loading wood regularly. I’m also concerned that, due to the poor building envelope, the water jacket would have to be quite large to effectively support heating overnight, for example.
My gut feeling is that she should simply install a new gas condensing boiler.
Thanks for your opinions.
A friend has inherited a semi-detached house from the 1950s. The energy consumption per square meter is about 280 kWh (I assume this is actual consumption and not demand – depending on previous usage patterns, it might even be a bit higher). She is now considering which heating technology to use going forward. Currently, there is a 30-year-old gas heating system installed. A builder has recommended a wood stove with a water jacket. At first, I was skeptical, but I have to admit I don’t exactly understand how it works. What heats the water jacket? Is it connected to the existing heating system and feeds into the heating buffer tank, or is it a separate system?
There is wood available (inherited along with the house), but I’m not sure about the time or willingness to keep loading wood regularly. I’m also concerned that, due to the poor building envelope, the water jacket would have to be quite large to effectively support heating overnight, for example.
My gut feeling is that she should simply install a new gas condensing boiler.
Thanks for your opinions.
Feueronkel9 May 2016 18:51BeHaElJa schrieb:
... Rumor has it that it costs 2500 € ...I assume that 2500 € refers to a water-heated fireplace insert, which fits the price better, probably plus all the other costs.
Connection
(on the water side, pipes, storage tank, etc. = heating engineer)
& Installation
(flue gas system, assembly, masonry, plastering, etc. = fireplace fitter)
If you have plenty of firewood, it’s definitely worth considering!
PS: Fireplace inserts transfer about two-thirds of their heat to the water and one-third as radiant/convection heat directly to the room...
There is a 2,000 euro grant from BAFA for the water-heating pellet stove! Pellets can also be bought in bags, which involves no more effort than using firewood, actually less (no chopping, sawing, or storage required). I would prefer a pellet stove over a log wood stove.
The question is, is it all worthwhile for a completely uninsulated house? Possibly, better results can be achieved with insulation, for which there are also affordable subsidies available from the KfW. We once received a renovation loan with 0.75% interest, but I think the rate is now around 0.25%. The BAFA grant for the stove is an additional bonus on top of that.
Energy won’t get any cheaper, and with the current insulation condition, a few low-cost measures can definitely achieve something worthwhile.
The question is, is it all worthwhile for a completely uninsulated house? Possibly, better results can be achieved with insulation, for which there are also affordable subsidies available from the KfW. We once received a renovation loan with 0.75% interest, but I think the rate is now around 0.25%. The BAFA grant for the stove is an additional bonus on top of that.
Energy won’t get any cheaper, and with the current insulation condition, a few low-cost measures can definitely achieve something worthwhile.
If you want to use split firewood, you can also consider a firewood boiler or a wood gasifier. There are grants available for these as well (I believe they are even around 3000 euros), and firewood boilers like the Atmos model can already cost about 2500 euros. So, including installation, you might be able to manage with an additional expense of roughly 1000 euros.
Feueronkel10 May 2016 15:01Elina schrieb:
Pellets can also be purchased in bags, which involves no more work than using wood, actually less (no chopping, sawing, or storing required). I would recommend a pellet stove rather than a log wood stove.If you have a lot of free wood available, why would you need a pellet appliance? Everything else is mostly a matter of personal preference, like whether you want a cozy fireplace in the living area or a basement unit where appearance doesn’t matter.Feueronkel10 May 2016 15:05PS: It should actually be more "neutral," considering my profession... but personally, I find pellet systems TERRIBLE! I wouldn’t have one in my living room; the flame looks about as "elegant" as an oil burner’s. But as with everything, that’s purely a matter of personal taste... and regarding "maintenance": pellet units need to be serviced and cleaned more often than people realize! Weekly, monthly, and annual maintenance tasks include removing and vacuuming the smoke pipe and stubs, brushing out the burn pot, cleaning the heat exchanger, and so on and so forth.
