Hello,
we are planning to replace our oil heating system with a heat pump as soon as possible (with subsidies), and I would appreciate your help in understanding what the current costs might be and what would be considered overpriced. We do not have a quote yet but are in contact with a reputable company that also includes an energy consultant for the subsidies.
Our house has a living area of 130 square meters (1400 square feet) spread over 3 floors, plus a basement that is at street level on the downhill side due to the slope. The house was built in 1930 but underwent extensive renovation in 2008, including insulation of the facade and roof, new windows, replacement of water pipes and electrical wiring, and installation of solar panels for hot water. We have also installed a small balcony solar system. Due to large dormers, there is limited roof space suitable for photovoltaic panels.
Unfortunately, there is no underfloor heating, but radiators, some of which are quite old and probably should be replaced. There are a total of 12 radiators.
Our current annual oil consumption is about 1500-1600 liters (400-420 gallons).
I’m not sure what other information is needed to get a rough idea, so I’ll leave it at that and wait for any questions.
I hope you can give me a rough estimate so I can better evaluate offers.
Thanks in advance!
we are planning to replace our oil heating system with a heat pump as soon as possible (with subsidies), and I would appreciate your help in understanding what the current costs might be and what would be considered overpriced. We do not have a quote yet but are in contact with a reputable company that also includes an energy consultant for the subsidies.
Our house has a living area of 130 square meters (1400 square feet) spread over 3 floors, plus a basement that is at street level on the downhill side due to the slope. The house was built in 1930 but underwent extensive renovation in 2008, including insulation of the facade and roof, new windows, replacement of water pipes and electrical wiring, and installation of solar panels for hot water. We have also installed a small balcony solar system. Due to large dormers, there is limited roof space suitable for photovoltaic panels.
Unfortunately, there is no underfloor heating, but radiators, some of which are quite old and probably should be replaced. There are a total of 12 radiators.
Our current annual oil consumption is about 1500-1600 liters (400-420 gallons).
I’m not sure what other information is needed to get a rough idea, so I’ll leave it at that and wait for any questions.
I hope you can give me a rough estimate so I can better evaluate offers.
Thanks in advance!
M
MachsSelbst26 Aug 2024 08:41If all you have is a hammer, every problem looks like a nail. Certainly, electrical energy is the most refined form since everything can be generated from it... but any expert will tell you that it also has to remain economically sensible, because resources and money don’t grow on trees. Some people were told in a short seminar called “Thermodynamics for Housewives” that electricity is the solution to everything, and now they believe it. But most of the time, it’s better to use the form of energy that doesn’t need to be converted multiple times... if I need heat, then heat is the first choice, not electricity.
In this sense, I would definitely keep the solar panels. Your roof already offers little space for a lot of photovoltaic (PV) modules, especially not facing south.
So why discard what you have and invest a relatively large amount of money to install 2 or 3 kWp on your roof? By the time you really need the heat pump, your PV system will hardly produce any energy.
Typical values for a 1 kWp system:
January about 20 kWh, July about 140 kWh.
Solar thermal systems use sunlight much more efficiently. And you can store hot water quite easily, whereas with photovoltaics you would also need an expensive battery...
While some here keep pounding a Spax screw with a hammer... be smart, use the tool that fits the situation, and pick up a screwdriver...
In this sense, I would definitely keep the solar panels. Your roof already offers little space for a lot of photovoltaic (PV) modules, especially not facing south.
So why discard what you have and invest a relatively large amount of money to install 2 or 3 kWp on your roof? By the time you really need the heat pump, your PV system will hardly produce any energy.
Typical values for a 1 kWp system:
January about 20 kWh, July about 140 kWh.
Solar thermal systems use sunlight much more efficiently. And you can store hot water quite easily, whereas with photovoltaics you would also need an expensive battery...
While some here keep pounding a Spax screw with a hammer... be smart, use the tool that fits the situation, and pick up a screwdriver...
J
Jesse Custer26 Aug 2024 09:55"Thermodynamics for Housewives"
But back to the topic: I admit that with an old oil heating system consuming this much, I would not have considered a heat pump – I would have just bought a new oil boiler.
But back to the topic: I admit that with an old oil heating system consuming this much, I would not have considered a heat pump – I would have just bought a new oil boiler.
N
nordanney26 Aug 2024 10:15Jesse Custer schrieb:
But back to the topic: I admit that with an old oil heating system and this level of consumption, I wouldn’t have considered a heat pump – I would have just bought a new oil boiler. Yosan schrieb:
However, it was extensively renovated in 2008 with insulation added to the facade and roof, as well as new windows, Yosan schrieb:
Unfortunately, there is no underfloor heating, only radiators, some of which are quite old and will probably need to be replaced. In total, there are 12 radiators. Our current annual oil consumption is about 1500-1600 liters (400-420 gallons). Then new radiators will be installed and the electricity consumption is roughly estimated to be around 2,500 (up to a maximum of 3,000) kWh. Currently, heating costs amount to only around 650€ with a heat pump, and in the end, it will be a home that meets modern standards without fossil fuels. That’s a reduction of heating costs by “only” 700-900€, so it won’t pay for itself that quickly, but at least you are free from oil.
For this house, I would have immediately considered a heat pump. Definitely no more oil.
M
MachsSelbst26 Aug 2024 11:45Why? A heat pump can make sense, as long as you don’t deceive yourself into thinking it will eventually pay off compared to fossil fuels and save you a significant amount of money. It basically breaks even after 15 or 20 years, and then you already need a new one. This basically applies to photovoltaic systems as well. But if you already have solar thermal panels on your roof, it absolutely does not make sense to remove them and replace them with photovoltaic panels.
N
nordanney26 Aug 2024 11:54MachsSelbst schrieb:
Why? A heat pump can make sense, as long as you don’t fool yourself into thinking that it will eventually pay off compared to fossil fuels and save you a lot of money. After 15 or 20 years, it basically breaks even, and then you need a new one. This also generally applies to photovoltaics. But if you already have solar thermal on the roof, it absolutely doesn’t make sense to remove it and replace it with photovoltaics. Why? To move away from oil. You can keep the solar thermal system. There is already a system with a buffer tank, isn’t there (@TE: that’s correct, right?). It is quite easy to integrate a heat pump there. Sure, it might "cost" an additional controller.
Considering the expected lifespan of the heat pump (without fuel price increases due to CO2 taxes), you can save around €15,000 (about $16,500). This definitely covers the cost of installing a monoblock heat pump.
So why stick with oil? Especially if you personally want to move away from oil? There really aren’t any strong reasons to keep using oil – although I wouldn’t replace a 5-year-old oil heating system, even looking at it from a "green" perspective.
Hello and sorry for the late reply,
I’ve been busy with our daughter starting school. It’s very interesting to see the different perspectives here.
Basically, I’m quite convinced by heat pumps, also in combination with radiators, as long as the house is at least somewhat suitable. My parents have been heating their prefabricated house from 1990 with an air-to-water heat pump for almost 20 years now. So I grew up with both oil heating and heat pumps.
I’m increasingly uneasy about global and political developments regarding oil and worry that it might become financially unsustainable at some point.
I’m expecting a call next week to arrange an on-site appointment with the energy consultant. Let’s see how he assesses the situation. As a precaution, I’ll bring my father (who was a technician at the local energy supplier until his recent retirement) to the appointment, so he can understand everything and ask the right questions if I can’t immediately follow all the details.
We have a buffer tank for the solar system.
I’ve been busy with our daughter starting school. It’s very interesting to see the different perspectives here.
Basically, I’m quite convinced by heat pumps, also in combination with radiators, as long as the house is at least somewhat suitable. My parents have been heating their prefabricated house from 1990 with an air-to-water heat pump for almost 20 years now. So I grew up with both oil heating and heat pumps.
I’m increasingly uneasy about global and political developments regarding oil and worry that it might become financially unsustainable at some point.
I’m expecting a call next week to arrange an on-site appointment with the energy consultant. Let’s see how he assesses the situation. As a precaution, I’ll bring my father (who was a technician at the local energy supplier until his recent retirement) to the appointment, so he can understand everything and ask the right questions if I can’t immediately follow all the details.
We have a buffer tank for the solar system.
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