ᐅ Replacing the Heating System in an Older Home: Which Option Is Best?
Created on: 4 May 2020 14:51
T
tiborb
Hello everyone,
I need your advice on choosing the heating system for the planned replacement of our heating installation.
Facts:
- Semi-detached house with two separate living units, built in 1972, purchased by us in 2014
- Approx. 220 sqm (2370 sq ft) of heated space, 186 sqm (2002 sq ft) of living area, 95 sqm (1023 sq ft) on the ground floor, 91 sqm (979 sq ft) on the upper floor
- Building envelope insulated with 10 cm (4 inches)
- New triple-glazed windows, conservatories with full glazing on both ground and upper floors
- Roof not insulated
- Heating distribution: (We are currently planning to replace the old tube radiators with low-temperature radiators)
- Replacement of old oil heating from 1989 (low temperature), oil tank with 6000 liters (1585 gallons) steel tank, current consumption about 2500 liters (660 gallons) per year
- No gas connection available
- Additional planned project: photovoltaic system with about 8 – 9.9 kWp on the south side of the roof with a 10 kWh battery storage
- Ideally BAFA subsidy of 40% – 45% per system utilized
There have been many considerations regarding the options for the new heating system:
Option 1: Gas hybrid with solar thermal system of 8.5 sqm (91 sq ft) and 600-liter (160-gallon) water buffer tank
(Offers from Buderus or BOSCH systems)
Option 2: Gas hybrid with 400-liter (105-gallon) water tank and small supplementary air-water heat pump (possibly combined with the rooftop photovoltaic system)
(Offers from WOLF systems)
Option 3: Air-water heat pump with integrated domestic hot water preparation in the indoor unit and outdoor unit (possibly combined with the rooftop photovoltaic system)
(Offers from Vaillant systems)
Each option has its pros and cons, but I am also interested in your opinions and experiences. In particular, I am uncertain about the noise level of the outdoor units of the heat pumps. How loud are they really?
Or maybe some of you are currently planning a replacement with a similar setup. I would be glad to hear your experiences with these systems and which you would recommend for my situation.
Thank you very much for your help!!!
Best regards,
Chippy
I need your advice on choosing the heating system for the planned replacement of our heating installation.
Facts:
- Semi-detached house with two separate living units, built in 1972, purchased by us in 2014
- Approx. 220 sqm (2370 sq ft) of heated space, 186 sqm (2002 sq ft) of living area, 95 sqm (1023 sq ft) on the ground floor, 91 sqm (979 sq ft) on the upper floor
- Building envelope insulated with 10 cm (4 inches)
- New triple-glazed windows, conservatories with full glazing on both ground and upper floors
- Roof not insulated
- Heating distribution: (We are currently planning to replace the old tube radiators with low-temperature radiators)
- Basement: One old tube radiator and about 40 sqm (430 sq ft) of underfloor heating (old system – probably pipes will be reused)
- Ground floor: Underfloor heating with 9 loops, installed in 2014, conservatory still with old underfloor heating system like in the basement
- Upper floor: Six old tube radiators
- Replacement of old oil heating from 1989 (low temperature), oil tank with 6000 liters (1585 gallons) steel tank, current consumption about 2500 liters (660 gallons) per year
- No gas connection available
- Additional planned project: photovoltaic system with about 8 – 9.9 kWp on the south side of the roof with a 10 kWh battery storage
- Ideally BAFA subsidy of 40% – 45% per system utilized
There have been many considerations regarding the options for the new heating system:
Option 1: Gas hybrid with solar thermal system of 8.5 sqm (91 sq ft) and 600-liter (160-gallon) water buffer tank
(Offers from Buderus or BOSCH systems)
Option 2: Gas hybrid with 400-liter (105-gallon) water tank and small supplementary air-water heat pump (possibly combined with the rooftop photovoltaic system)
(Offers from WOLF systems)
Option 3: Air-water heat pump with integrated domestic hot water preparation in the indoor unit and outdoor unit (possibly combined with the rooftop photovoltaic system)
(Offers from Vaillant systems)
Each option has its pros and cons, but I am also interested in your opinions and experiences. In particular, I am uncertain about the noise level of the outdoor units of the heat pumps. How loud are they really?
Or maybe some of you are currently planning a replacement with a similar setup. I would be glad to hear your experiences with these systems and which you would recommend for my situation.
Thank you very much for your help!!!
Best regards,
Chippy
YES; I understand that heat pumps and other systems are eligible for subsidies, but I am looking for advice, tips, or experience regarding which heating system actually makes sense in my specific context. Just because heat pumps are heavily subsidized, politically promoted, and currently installed in new buildings with underfloor heating everywhere, it does not mean this solution is suitable for my old building (existing property). The efforts required to upgrade my old building to KFW55 standard are either technically no longer feasible or economically unjustifiable.
I am seeking advice from people who are in a similar situation (see facts above).
Best regards
I am seeking advice from people who are in a similar situation (see facts above).
Best regards
N
nordanney6 May 2020 16:59tiborb schrieb:
I am looking for advice from people who are in the same situation as me (see facts above). What does the expert, the energy consultant, say? They know the property and the conditions much better than we do here.
T
T_im_Norden6 May 2020 18:30If 45% of the costs for ventilation with heat recovery, heating, and renovation work were subsidized, I would consider a heat pump as the top option.
T
T_im_Norden6 May 2020 18:50Quick estimate: 2,500 liters correspond to approximately 27,000 kWh.
A heat pump with a COP of 4 produces between 7,000 and 8,000 kWh of electricity per year, which is around 2,500 euros annually.
If that is within your budget, I would invest the savings in better insulation.
A heat pump with a COP of 4 produces between 7,000 and 8,000 kWh of electricity per year, which is around 2,500 euros annually.
If that is within your budget, I would invest the savings in better insulation.
T_im_Norden schrieb:
If 45% of the costs for floor heating, heating system, and renovation work were subsidized, I would put heat pumps at the top. With a gas hybrid system including solar thermal and at least 25% heating support, it's 40%. So, the difference is not that significant.
T_im_Norden schrieb:
Rough estimate: 2500 liters equal about 27,000 kWh.
A heat pump with a COP of 4 results in roughly 7000 to 8000 kWh of electricity per year, which is about 2500 USD per year.
If that amount is reasonable for you, I would invest the savings into better insulation. Uh, what savings? With 2500 USD in electricity costs, I would be paying more than with oil currently. There it’s about 1700 USD annually.
I think with the gas price, you might even be better off, around 1400 USD per year.
Or am I misunderstanding something in the calculation?
Best regards
T
T_im_Norden6 May 2020 22:00No, you are right, I had forgotten that there is also funding available for gas hybrids in existing buildings.
Therefore, I would tend to go with gas here as well.
The savings referred to the 45% or 40% subsidy, meaning I would invest the money from the funding into insulation and possibly a new underfloor heating system.
However, I would have the calculations checked to see how effective that would be.
Therefore, I would tend to go with gas here as well.
The savings referred to the 45% or 40% subsidy, meaning I would invest the money from the funding into insulation and possibly a new underfloor heating system.
However, I would have the calculations checked to see how effective that would be.
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