ᐅ Who should you entrust with the room-by-room heating load calculation?
Created on: 2 Feb 2020 12:23
A
annab377
Hello everyone,
Do heating system installers know that underfloor heating is best sized and planned using a room-by-room heat load calculation?
Is the room-by-room heat load calculation also important for selecting the heat pump (in our case either water-to-water or ground-to-water), or is the "overall heat load calculation" of the entire building according to DIN 12831 sufficient?
If my architect does not offer this, who should I turn to? What should I look for in the phone directory / on the Internet to find a professional who can assist me with this?
From what I have read here in the past months, a room-by-room heat load calculation is very important. A precise calculation can save money because the heat pump selected accordingly will operate more efficiently, allowing the house to be heated more effectively.
Thank you for your answers,
Greetings from BaWü
Ann.
PS: Am I mistaken, or can the overall heat load calculation according to DIN 12831 really be verified or recalculated by oneself (assuming you have all the U-values of the building envelope, of course)? Are there already ready-made templates available on the Internet for this? Maybe also for the room-by-room heat load calculation, or is that usually too complex for the homeowner?
Do heating system installers know that underfloor heating is best sized and planned using a room-by-room heat load calculation?
Is the room-by-room heat load calculation also important for selecting the heat pump (in our case either water-to-water or ground-to-water), or is the "overall heat load calculation" of the entire building according to DIN 12831 sufficient?
If my architect does not offer this, who should I turn to? What should I look for in the phone directory / on the Internet to find a professional who can assist me with this?
From what I have read here in the past months, a room-by-room heat load calculation is very important. A precise calculation can save money because the heat pump selected accordingly will operate more efficiently, allowing the house to be heated more effectively.
Thank you for your answers,
Greetings from BaWü
Ann.
PS: Am I mistaken, or can the overall heat load calculation according to DIN 12831 really be verified or recalculated by oneself (assuming you have all the U-values of the building envelope, of course)? Are there already ready-made templates available on the Internet for this? Maybe also for the room-by-room heat load calculation, or is that usually too complex for the homeowner?
The problem is that most heating installers design systems based on DIN 12831, which results in oversizing. This means the heat pump does not necessarily operate within its optimal efficiency range.
However, with larger heat pumps, installers can obviously charge more.
More affordable designs can also be found on platforms like eBay Classifieds.
I think no one here will want to pay over 1000 euros for a design from an MEP (mechanical, electrical, plumbing) engineering firm.
Currently, installers do not size systems room by room. Why would they? Since this is not required by energy regulations (ERR), they can save themselves the effort.
However, with larger heat pumps, installers can obviously charge more.
More affordable designs can also be found on platforms like eBay Classifieds.
I think no one here will want to pay over 1000 euros for a design from an MEP (mechanical, electrical, plumbing) engineering firm.
Currently, installers do not size systems room by room. Why would they? Since this is not required by energy regulations (ERR), they can save themselves the effort.
hegi___ schrieb:
Currently, installers do not perform room-by-room calculations. Why would they? Since the ERR is mandatory, they can save themselves the effort.Then we are back to the questions I asked in the second post.
Where can I find installers who actually do what makes sense and are capable of more than just fulfilling the minimum legal requirements?
That probably won't be easy.
However, the three major German forums focused on homebuilding mostly recommend this approach. The problem is, nowhere does it say where to find someone who can actually do it as recommended. There are experts who can handle this themselves, but those are very few. Especially through the forums, more and more people are becoming aware of this and want to implement it properly. Now the only question is who can actually carry this out for you.
That’s how I feel now. After reading so much about the topic, I really want the system to be done properly. Everywhere it says that a heat pump is not as straightforward as a gas boiler. So I would like to award the contract to someone who really understands what they are doing and has references specifically related to heat pumps with room-specific heating load calculations and low flow temperatures.
Best regards
Specki
Then your only option is to pick up the phone and call every company with “heating” in their name to ask? Alternatively, you can have the system designed online and present it to the heating contractor for implementation. This might not be met with enthusiasm, but it increases the chances of ending up with a coherent overall concept.
Sure, I’ll ask all the local people here. At least those who seem helpful to me.
But from everything you read in the forums, it’s almost like winning the lottery if any of them actually know how to do it and follow through properly.
I still have time. For now, I’ll just keep my eyes and ears open.
But from everything you read in the forums, it’s almost like winning the lottery if any of them actually know how to do it and follow through properly.
I still have time. For now, I’ll just keep my eyes and ears open.
I honestly think it’s a bit overdramatic. Just specify a maximum installation spacing of 10cm (4 inches) everywhere, 5cm (2 inches) in the bathroom, and lay out as much as possible. If you want 24 degrees Celsius (75°F) in the bathroom, install an additional wall circuit or an electric radiator.
Before finding a plumber who is willing to "cooperate," it’s better to design the system generously to cover what’s needed.
However, I don’t find this approach very elegant, as it will likely lead to significant overlap in some rooms and require heavy throttling.
I understand the concerns, as I have had similar experiences. The options are limited due to the current job market. If you start with expectations that are inconvenient for the plumber, you might only receive defensive or reluctant offers.
Finding one who is flexible is definitely valuable.
Calculate the room-specific heating load yourself using Excel and data from the energy saving regulations, and design the underfloor heating system on your own. It takes some time, but you don’t need to be an engineer to accomplish this.
However, I don’t find this approach very elegant, as it will likely lead to significant overlap in some rooms and require heavy throttling.
I understand the concerns, as I have had similar experiences. The options are limited due to the current job market. If you start with expectations that are inconvenient for the plumber, you might only receive defensive or reluctant offers.
Finding one who is flexible is definitely valuable.
Calculate the room-specific heating load yourself using Excel and data from the energy saving regulations, and design the underfloor heating system on your own. It takes some time, but you don’t need to be an engineer to accomplish this.
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