Hello everyone
We are currently taking the next steps toward building our own home. We have looked at several prefabricated houses and spoken with sales consultants from various providers. Based on this, we have created a top 5 list. Now I want to contact these 5 companies with our floor plan and the standards we want. This way, I hope the list will be reduced by 2-3 providers after receiving the first offers.
In my inquiry, I want to roughly outline what we have in mind. KFW55, KFW40, or KFW40+ is not yet very important—it will be one of these standards. Our floor plan does not differ much from the standard layouts offered by prefab house suppliers. Something like a simple 8x10 meter (26x33 feet) rectangular shape... To be able to compare the 5 offers reasonably, I want them all to be as similar as possible. Therefore, I would like to specify the heating system.
Now the question is, what is the right choice… I assume this is partly a matter of philosophy? The options are an air-to-water heat pump, an air-to-air heat pump, or a ground-source (geothermal) heat pump. I assume most have one of these three systems combined with solar panels on the roof.
My first thought was this: an air-to-air heat pump, since we would also have an automatic ventilation system in the house, making manual airing less or unnecessary. However, I have learned that all KFW-certified houses are so well insulated that they almost always have automatic ventilation. So this argument is no longer valid. Nevertheless, I still find the air-to-air heat pump interesting. We also want to install a wood stove in the living room. With an air-to-air heat pump, the indoor air is circulated throughout the house, so I could benefit from the wood stove’s heat everywhere, right? Perhaps even with heat recovery, which is usually included.
Another advantage of the air-to-air heat pump would be that if it ever gets too warm, we could install a fixed air conditioning unit somewhere in the house, and the whole house would benefit. The built-in cooling systems in these heat pumps usually aren’t as effective as promised.
Is it true that an air-to-air heat pump cannot provide domestic hot water? Then a second system would be needed just for hot water, which means more costs, two systems to maintain, and more space taken up. In the forum, I mostly see air-to-water heat pumps mentioned, probably combined with underfloor heating. That seems to be the most popular system. Is there a particular reason for this?
Geothermal heating combined with a heat pump seems to be the most efficient. But then I would also have underfloor heating, right? We actually didn’t want underfloor heating, but as I’m writing this, I’m starting to convince myself toward geothermal or air-to-water heat pumps…
How did you make your decision and why? Somehow, I don’t fully trust the salespeople, since they want to sell what makes more money, right? And since I’m not very technical in this area, I’m hoping to benefit from your experience.
Best regards Andreas_79
We are currently taking the next steps toward building our own home. We have looked at several prefabricated houses and spoken with sales consultants from various providers. Based on this, we have created a top 5 list. Now I want to contact these 5 companies with our floor plan and the standards we want. This way, I hope the list will be reduced by 2-3 providers after receiving the first offers.
In my inquiry, I want to roughly outline what we have in mind. KFW55, KFW40, or KFW40+ is not yet very important—it will be one of these standards. Our floor plan does not differ much from the standard layouts offered by prefab house suppliers. Something like a simple 8x10 meter (26x33 feet) rectangular shape... To be able to compare the 5 offers reasonably, I want them all to be as similar as possible. Therefore, I would like to specify the heating system.
Now the question is, what is the right choice… I assume this is partly a matter of philosophy? The options are an air-to-water heat pump, an air-to-air heat pump, or a ground-source (geothermal) heat pump. I assume most have one of these three systems combined with solar panels on the roof.
My first thought was this: an air-to-air heat pump, since we would also have an automatic ventilation system in the house, making manual airing less or unnecessary. However, I have learned that all KFW-certified houses are so well insulated that they almost always have automatic ventilation. So this argument is no longer valid. Nevertheless, I still find the air-to-air heat pump interesting. We also want to install a wood stove in the living room. With an air-to-air heat pump, the indoor air is circulated throughout the house, so I could benefit from the wood stove’s heat everywhere, right? Perhaps even with heat recovery, which is usually included.
Another advantage of the air-to-air heat pump would be that if it ever gets too warm, we could install a fixed air conditioning unit somewhere in the house, and the whole house would benefit. The built-in cooling systems in these heat pumps usually aren’t as effective as promised.
Is it true that an air-to-air heat pump cannot provide domestic hot water? Then a second system would be needed just for hot water, which means more costs, two systems to maintain, and more space taken up. In the forum, I mostly see air-to-water heat pumps mentioned, probably combined with underfloor heating. That seems to be the most popular system. Is there a particular reason for this?
Geothermal heating combined with a heat pump seems to be the most efficient. But then I would also have underfloor heating, right? We actually didn’t want underfloor heating, but as I’m writing this, I’m starting to convince myself toward geothermal or air-to-water heat pumps…
How did you make your decision and why? Somehow, I don’t fully trust the salespeople, since they want to sell what makes more money, right? And since I’m not very technical in this area, I’m hoping to benefit from your experience.
Best regards Andreas_79
H
hampshire28 Jul 2021 08:59Andreas_79 schrieb:
We also want to install a wood stove in the living room. With an air-to-air heat pump, the room air is circulated throughout the whole house, so I could benefit from the wood stove’s heat everywhere, right? Make sure to include the wood stove in the system design regarding sizing and heating curve. It can potentially interfere more than it helps in regulated systems. However, it is feasible and creates a great living atmosphere.
Sahitaz schrieb:
I can only share limited personal experience.
Radiant heat is the most comfortable type of heat, the sun provides us with radiant heat. In principle, underfloor heating also works on this principle of radiant heat;
additionally, the floor is heated and releases some convection heat. This makes underfloor heating quite comfortable. Many find underfloor heating very pleasant and comfortable. However, it has little to do with radiant heat in the proper sense, as there is no significant infrared component, which is what creates that comfortable sensation on the skin. Radiant heat only comes from hot heat sources. This does not make underfloor heating any less good.
If you don’t want underfloor heating, there is also the alternative of integrating heating into the walls. Some people also have experience with that.
hampshire schrieb:
Make sure to consider the wood stove in the system’s sizing and heating curve. It can potentially cause more issues than benefits in regulated systems, but it is doable and provides a great living atmosphere.
Many people find underfloor heating very comfortable and pleasant. However, it doesn’t really provide radiant heat, as there is no significant infrared component, which is what creates that pleasant sensation on the skin. Radiant heat only comes from hot heat sources. This does not make underfloor heating a bad option.
If you don’t want underfloor heating, there is also the alternative of integrating it into the walls. Some people have experience with this as well. We are also installing a wood-burning fireplace. A few weeks ago, we visited the stove builder, an older gentleman with over 30 years of professional experience. You could really tell. We decided to duct the heat from the fireplace away. Fireplaces are difficult to control, and in a 30m² (320 sq ft) living room, the room overheats very quickly. It should also be noted that a LAS chimney is being installed.
I don’t quite understand why there is so much criticism about the thread starter wanting to contact different providers. Or is the issue that deciding on the heating system is just one somewhat arbitrary point among many?
I mean, setting a rough framework with the most important aspects and then making inquiries doesn’t seem unreasonable at first, does it? Of course, how much useful insight you gain from it remains to be seen.
I mean, setting a rough framework with the most important aspects and then making inquiries doesn’t seem unreasonable at first, does it? Of course, how much useful insight you gain from it remains to be seen.
A
Andreas_7930 Jul 2021 09:09@mayglow, thank you for your words.
I haven’t been here long and I read more than I write.
I’m grateful for the help from many and that people take the effort to assist without payment. Especially when you’re not familiar with the subject, this is really great for someone like me.
Unfortunately, I also have to say that the tone is often quite harsh, which I notice frequently in other threads. There are always people who seem to look down on others.
A bit more kindness in real life and online would make many things easier. I don’t want to start a fundamental discussion here, it is what it is.
Thanks to everyone for the help. We will now probably go for an air-to-water heat pump, maybe combined with geothermal energy, but I still need detailed cost information.
Next week, hopefully, we will contact the suppliers and see what comes out of it. Most likely, I will upload our floor plan in the appropriate forum here today or tomorrow and see what feedback I get. :-)
Best regards,
Andreas
I haven’t been here long and I read more than I write.
I’m grateful for the help from many and that people take the effort to assist without payment. Especially when you’re not familiar with the subject, this is really great for someone like me.
Unfortunately, I also have to say that the tone is often quite harsh, which I notice frequently in other threads. There are always people who seem to look down on others.
A bit more kindness in real life and online would make many things easier. I don’t want to start a fundamental discussion here, it is what it is.
Thanks to everyone for the help. We will now probably go for an air-to-water heat pump, maybe combined with geothermal energy, but I still need detailed cost information.
Next week, hopefully, we will contact the suppliers and see what comes out of it. Most likely, I will upload our floor plan in the appropriate forum here today or tomorrow and see what feedback I get. :-)
Best regards,
Andreas
M
Myrna_Loy30 Jul 2021 09:26Acof1978 schrieb:
We are also installing a wood-burning fireplace. A few weeks ago, we visited the fireplace installer—an older man with well over 30 years of experience. You could really tell. We decided to channel the fireplace's heat outside. Fireplace heat is difficult to control, and in a 30 m² (320 ft²) living room, the room overheats very quickly. It must be taken into account that a LAS chimney liner is installed. OK, this really gives me a splitting headache—renewable resources are burned just to watch a nice flicker, and then the heat is vented outside because the living room could get too warm... Late Roman decadence seems to be the right term here.
Myrna_Loy schrieb:
OK, this really gives me split ends – renewable resources are wasted just to see a nice flicker, and the heat is blown outside because the living room might get too warm… Late Roman decadence is probably the right term here. And this in a house building forum. I can only smile. Building a house in general is hardly an act of environmental protection.
My teacher always said: Think first, then rethink your thought, and only then share it with others :-)
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