ᐅ Replacing an Old Heating System with a Heat Pump or Gas Boiler Combined with a Domestic Hot Water Heat Pump

GePrest schrieb:

The temperature should be significantly lower there, right?

I still suspect that no proper calculations have been done. You can’t buy a heat pump or the correct radiators before that. So have the calculations done first; everything else is just an estimate. A plumbing company usually can’t do this.

Regarding the high price: yes, it’s probably overpriced. But you’re not in a hurry since your heating system is still working, right? So get more quotes and, if necessary, wait.

Deliverer schrieb:

What kind of facts are you looking for? Climate change? Paris Agreement? Federal Constitutional Court ruling? "Having to replace" is not mandatory. It’s a choice. Either for the children, for the wallet, or simply because you want to heat your home.
Subsidies are only paid as long as necessary because the economic viability of a decision is uncertain. If the gas price stays that high, there won’t be any more debates about the cost-effectiveness of heat pumps. Then subsidies won’t be needed anymore. But sure—people can also gamble. ;-)

Okay, so there are no real facts to support your claims. But then please avoid statements like "You will have to do it in 10 years."
Yes, climate change exists, of course, but hardly anyone will take out a loan hoping that the investment will pay off in the foreseeable future. The amounts involved are simply too high. Only those with sufficient financial means can afford this, which unfortunately does not apply to the majority of the population.

Now I had to quickly check what statements I actually made. But I didn’t make them after all. Phew. 🙂

I also think you don’t quite see the rest correctly: A house costs money. It is a luxury. People say about 1.5€/sqm (per square meter) per month in savings is necessary from the moment you move in. If you do that and maintain your house every few years, you have a low heating demand and can install a heat pump for around €10,000 (about $11,000) if the heating system breaks down.

If someone lives in their house for 40 years without saving for external insulation, new windows, roof, or heating system, then they will either have to take out the loan you mentioned (regardless of any political or social pressures) OR, (and yes, this may sound harsh) they simply cannot afford the house. But that has been true for many decades and no one can be blamed for it.

So if today someone decides they DO NOT want to install a heat pump and also does nothing to reduce a high heating demand, then please don’t complain in 10 years about heating costs of €5,000 (about $5,500) per year and that the house is no longer affordable to keep. Yes, it would have been the task of our politicians 10 years ago to ban gas, oil, and wood heating to protect people from the current situation. Denmark managed to do that. Others are following. But we want “freedom” and few rules at any cost. That then comes at the expense of those who make the wrong choices. How well that works out can be seen in the USA.

So: Everyone can do what they want. I only advise, to the best of my knowledge and conscience, to use as much common sense and foresight as possible. Because I care about intact families, happy people, and a stable society.

Well, sorry. Had to get that off my chest.

Deliverer schrieb:

I still suspect that no proper calculations have been made. Before that, you can't buy a heat pump or the right radiators. So let the calculations be done first; everything before that is just an estimate. A plumbing company usually cannot do this.

Regarding the high price: yes, it’s probably overpriced. But you’re not in a rush, since your heating system is still working, right? So get more quotes and possibly wait.

Hello, I forgot one point. There is an air conditioning system installed in the open-plan living and dining area (1 year old). Does that argue against a heat pump? At least in terms of the ground floor, that would mean double systems. One builder mentioned a quote for a Viessmann Vitodens 300 plus 200-liter (55-gallon) storage tank plus a domestic hot water heat pump Vitocal 262-A for an external tank, around €16,000 (including a crane for transport over the roof and removal of the old solar thermal system). Using photovoltaics would also be an option.

GePrest schrieb:

... does that additionally argue against a heat pump?

I don’t understand. Why would using a heat pump for spot cooling be opposed to having a central heating system? I would say they actually complement each other well. This way, you can maintain an efficient 20°C (68°F) throughout the entire house, and if you want a few extra degrees in the evening for coziness, you can quickly raise the temperature with the air conditioning. I find that quite efficient, and the systems work very well together. It might even allow you to choose a smaller heating system overall.

Deliverer schrieb:

I don’t understand. Why would a heat pump used for spot cooling argue against a central heating system? I would say they work well together. You can maintain an efficient 20°C (68°F) throughout the house, and if you want it a bit warmer for cozy evenings, you just quickly raise the temperature with the air conditioning. I find that quite efficient, and they complement each other nicely. In fact, this could even allow you to choose a smaller heating system overall.

Sorry, I wasn’t clear earlier. The builder meant that the air conditioning could heat the entire ground floor at least during the transitional seasons (supported by photovoltaic), so having a heat pump as an additional heating option would mean double technology. That’s why he recommends the offer with the hot water heat pump. According to the builder, the gas heating would then only run in winter. That’s why I asked. It also makes sense since both the air conditioning and the hot water heat pump would run on photovoltaic electricity. By central heating, do you mean the new heat pump as the main heating system?