ᐅ Specified supply temperature of the underfloor heating system not maintained

Hello,

we have purchased a newly built terraced house, and part of the purchase agreement included a contract with a local heat supplier. The technical connection conditions attached to the contract specify that the supply temperature for the underfloor heating should be 35°C (95°F). We have now been informed that the builder was unable to meet these parameters, and the supply temperature for the underfloor heating is actually 42°C (108°F).

My question to you is: Can I hold them accountable for this?

Best regards, mman

Where did you get this information from?
Do you have any details about the hydraulics, such as distances and so on?

mman182 schrieb:

Hello,

we have purchased a newly built townhouse, and part of the purchase agreement included a contract with a local district heating provider. The contract specifies in the attached technical connection conditions that the supply temperature for the underfloor heating should be 35°C (95°F). We were now told that the construction company was unable to meet these parameters and that the supply temperature of the underfloor heating is currently at 42°C (108°F).

My question to you is: Can I hold them accountable for this?

Regards, mman

Who is responsible for not meeting the supply temperature? Is it technically impossible to mix down to a maximum of 35 degrees, or was the underfloor heating installed so insufficiently that it will not be warm enough in winter at a maximum of 35°C (95°F)?
@RotorMotor has just replied as well.

P.S. 35°C (95°F) in a new building is actually already quite high. With proper planning, a maximum of 30°C (86°F) is usually sufficient—42°C (108°F) is far from current best practice. It leads to higher heating costs and increased wear on the heat pump. This is clearly a defect—only the question remains who caused it.

nordanney schrieb:

Leads to increased heating costs and wear on the heat pump. It is clearly a defect—only the question remains who is responsible.

Which heat pump are we talking about? District heating suppliers are basically like centralized heating. You don't have your own heat source.

And of course, you should be able to reduce the flow temperature at the transfer station. I don’t see any issues with that. If there is a heat meter, it should ensure accurate billing.

If my flow temperature is 60°C (140°F) and I turn down my thermostat to setting 2, the radiator won’t be receiving the full 60°C (140°F).

On the other hand, the advantage is that the higher the flow temperature, the more you can raise the temperature if needed.

Maybe the construction company realized that a flow temperature of 35°C (95°F) is too low and the houses feel cold. Heat losses between the transfer station and the houses might be too high. The first house might get 42°C (108°F), the last only 32°C (90°F). Who knows.

I would never agree to a district heating contract.

We were offered a new heat supply contract with a higher specified flow temperature. We will not be signing it, so I was wondering what we can do with this information. I will probably find out the details about the reasons tomorrow.

The issue for me is that my expected heating demand will be higher because of this. At least, that’s what I assume as a layperson.

@Buchsbaum066 I feel the same way; unfortunately, the only alternative was not to own property. We live in an area where you don’t have many choices unless you are a multimillionaire. Of course, we are trying to get out of the contract as soon as possible. Thankfully, the law limits the maximum contract duration to 10 years.

The supplied supply temperature via district heating has nothing to do with the required lead time set by NAT to achieve warmth.