ᐅ Heating with ice, ice-based heating systems for single-family homes, user experiences
Created on: 28 Aug 2013 20:09
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stefanh
Hello everyone,
I am interested in using ice heating as a source for my heat exchanger in a planned single-family house with approximately 200 m² (2,150 sq ft) of living space. Although I have found many videos and articles explaining the principle, there are hardly any real experience reports.
I am unsure whether the investment costs, installation costs (excavation work, delivery, crane, etc.), and maintenance costs make the ice storage source worthwhile compared to geothermal energy (deep drilling).
As a layperson, I see the following advantages compared to geothermal use with deep drilling:
But also disadvantages:
Has anyone built with this heating system and can share their experiences?
And more generally – what do you think of this heating system?
Thank you and best regards,
Stefan
I am interested in using ice heating as a source for my heat exchanger in a planned single-family house with approximately 200 m² (2,150 sq ft) of living space. Although I have found many videos and articles explaining the principle, there are hardly any real experience reports.
I am unsure whether the investment costs, installation costs (excavation work, delivery, crane, etc.), and maintenance costs make the ice storage source worthwhile compared to geothermal energy (deep drilling).
As a layperson, I see the following advantages compared to geothermal use with deep drilling:
- No permit required for geothermal use (building permit / planning permission)
- No soil survey necessary
- No expensive deep drilling needed
But also disadvantages:
- Additional costs for a solar system on the roof to “charge” the ice storage
- Required space on the building plot – possibly limiting the buildable area
Has anyone built with this heating system and can share their experiences?
And more generally – what do you think of this heating system?
Thank you and best regards,
Stefan
Lake as ice storage – I would have just taken a part of the pool 😎, maybe a perpetual motion machine would have been created..;)
No, seriously, that is clearly a different case. You also need space for the tank (concrete cistern) on the property, even if it’s not very large.
No, seriously, that is clearly a different case. You also need space for the tank (concrete cistern) on the property, even if it’s not very large.
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Hausmaus8326 Jul 2025 21:54chris18 schrieb:
I don't find it significantly more expensive, except when compared to a gas heating system. The 30,000 euros included the ice storage, heat pump, installation, the corresponding collectors on the roof, as well as the piping, at least that was the case for me back then.30,000 for the complete installed system? That is very affordable. Which manufacturer did you use? Who installed it? Do you have any further experience?Hausmaus83 schrieb:
30,000 for the entire system installed? That’s very inexpensive. Which manufacturer did you use? Who installed it? Do you have any other experience? It wasn’t that cheap after all. Those prices were from 2012/2013.
At that time, an air-source heat pump installed completely cost between 15,000 and 18,000 euros, and a pellet system was between 20,000 and 25,000 euros, so that included more than just the heating unit itself.
Compared to the pellet system, it was about 10,000 euros more expensive, but the advantages outweighed that.
For example, no storage space was necessary. If you factor in construction costs for the storage area, it might even have been cheaper.
It was a Viessmann ice storage system.
Additional costs included underfloor heating and other sanitary installations as well as building services technology such as ventilation.
We also looked at deep geothermal drilling, but that was already over 30,000 euros just for the drilling plus the rest.
I can give you the contact details if you want. But it will certainly be much more expensive today.