ᐅ Detached house heated with solar energy, supplemented by gas or heat pump
Created on: 20 Mar 2012 12:14
L
loko.ramirezL
loko.ramirez20 Mar 2012 12:14Hello,
my wife and I are planning to buy a house with 150 m² (1,615 sq ft) of living space in beautiful Upper Bavaria, near Traunstein. It is a detached, octagonal building. Currently, there is a large gas boiler in the basement, probably from the 1980s. I have never really dealt with energy-related issues before, so I have little knowledge in this area. However, I have the feeling that the heating system is not optimal; the previous owners were a bit short on details when it comes to this topic, and there is no energy performance certificate. I have been considering installing solar thermal collectors on the entire roof. Would that be enough for heating? Or would I still need gas? Or would it be better to go straight for a heat pump?
Regards,
loko
my wife and I are planning to buy a house with 150 m² (1,615 sq ft) of living space in beautiful Upper Bavaria, near Traunstein. It is a detached, octagonal building. Currently, there is a large gas boiler in the basement, probably from the 1980s. I have never really dealt with energy-related issues before, so I have little knowledge in this area. However, I have the feeling that the heating system is not optimal; the previous owners were a bit short on details when it comes to this topic, and there is no energy performance certificate. I have been considering installing solar thermal collectors on the entire roof. Would that be enough for heating? Or would I still need gas? Or would it be better to go straight for a heat pump?
Regards,
loko
I have never really dealt with energy issues before and therefore have little knowledge about them. But I have the feeling that the heating system is not optimal; the previous owners were a bit tight-lipped about this topic, and there is no energy performance certificate.As far as I know, an energy performance certificate is now mandatory if you want to rent out or sell the house.
I wouldn’t let yourself be brushed off too quickly on this point... Besides the old heating system, the insulation is probably also insufficient by today’s standards... costly renovations will likely be necessary!
When choosing a heating system, you also need to consider the radiators or whether underfloor heating is installed... Radiators usually require a higher supply temperature, which might cause problems with heat pumps.
Solar alone won’t be enough for heating... you also have to distinguish between photovoltaic systems that produce electricity (which you can use, for example, to operate a heat pump) and solar thermal systems that provide hot water...
The problem with solar is that electricity is difficult to store, and especially at the times you most need heating (winter evenings), sunlight is usually scarce...
I would see photovoltaic systems primarily as an investment... whether you use the electricity for heating or sell it to the grid operator is a matter of cost-effectiveness analysis...
Dear loko,
Based on the information you provided, it is not easy to fully answer your questions. Essential details needed include, besides the insulation standard of the house, also the number of occupants and their usage patterns. This includes whether children are planned (which leads to higher hot water demand and different perceptions of cold and heat). Since you have not specified anything particular, we assume the house still complies with the standard from the 1980s.
Before planning and sizing a heating system, it needs to be clarified whether a renovation of the property is planned soon or if it will be carried out later due to budget constraints. Of course, ensuring a reliable supply of hot water and heating is always a priority, especially with a system from the 1980s. If the system can be adapted through renovation measures, this saves investment costs for the new system as well as energy costs.
The heating system is designed based on a heating load calculation. This calculation determines the required capacity considering the above-mentioned conditions. There are several subsidy programs available (e.g., BAFA, KfW) to support heating system renovations; a plumbing, heating, and air conditioning (PHAC) specialist company with energy consultant training can provide the appropriate advice and calculations.
Based on the heating demand and possible energy sources (gas, oil, solar, pellets, etc.), an economic feasibility study can be conducted. Since a gas connection already exists, for example, the investment cost for a gas condensing boiler is relatively low (around 7,000 to 8,000 euros including chimney renovation). Solar collectors can make a useful contribution to hot water production and heating support. For every 10 square meters (108 square feet) of living area, about 1 square meter (11 square feet) of collector area is calculated, so the required roof area should be around 15 to 20 square meters (160 to 215 square feet) with suitable orientation (potential issues: dormers, roof windows, etc.). Combined with a modulating gas condensing boiler, which adapts to the actual demand, high comfort can be ensured, especially under possible extreme weather conditions in Traunstein.
Regarding the question of whether a heat pump would be possible, the following applies:
The question is whether the heat is delivered into the room via radiators. For a building from the 1980s, we assume radiators. In principle, an air-to-water heat pump requires low system temperatures to guarantee heating, which is usually not ensured in unrenovated houses without underfloor heating.
Best regards,
Erik
Based on the information you provided, it is not easy to fully answer your questions. Essential details needed include, besides the insulation standard of the house, also the number of occupants and their usage patterns. This includes whether children are planned (which leads to higher hot water demand and different perceptions of cold and heat). Since you have not specified anything particular, we assume the house still complies with the standard from the 1980s.
Before planning and sizing a heating system, it needs to be clarified whether a renovation of the property is planned soon or if it will be carried out later due to budget constraints. Of course, ensuring a reliable supply of hot water and heating is always a priority, especially with a system from the 1980s. If the system can be adapted through renovation measures, this saves investment costs for the new system as well as energy costs.
The heating system is designed based on a heating load calculation. This calculation determines the required capacity considering the above-mentioned conditions. There are several subsidy programs available (e.g., BAFA, KfW) to support heating system renovations; a plumbing, heating, and air conditioning (PHAC) specialist company with energy consultant training can provide the appropriate advice and calculations.
Based on the heating demand and possible energy sources (gas, oil, solar, pellets, etc.), an economic feasibility study can be conducted. Since a gas connection already exists, for example, the investment cost for a gas condensing boiler is relatively low (around 7,000 to 8,000 euros including chimney renovation). Solar collectors can make a useful contribution to hot water production and heating support. For every 10 square meters (108 square feet) of living area, about 1 square meter (11 square feet) of collector area is calculated, so the required roof area should be around 15 to 20 square meters (160 to 215 square feet) with suitable orientation (potential issues: dormers, roof windows, etc.). Combined with a modulating gas condensing boiler, which adapts to the actual demand, high comfort can be ensured, especially under possible extreme weather conditions in Traunstein.
Regarding the question of whether a heat pump would be possible, the following applies:
The question is whether the heat is delivered into the room via radiators. For a building from the 1980s, we assume radiators. In principle, an air-to-water heat pump requires low system temperatures to guarantee heating, which is usually not ensured in unrenovated houses without underfloor heating.
Best regards,
Erik
Shism schrieb:
you also need to distinguish between photovoltaic systems that generate electricity (which you can use, for example, to operate a heat pump)Hello!
Jokes aside – here, please always think economically and technically 😀!
Best regards,
TomTom.
Hello!
Jokes aside – please keep it economic and technical with an exclamation mark!
Best regards,
TomTom.Why? With 100 modules and a basement full of batteries, that’s not a problem at all 😉
My point wasn’t that you can run a heat pump 100% on this, or that it’s economically viable, but I wanted to give the original poster an example of how heat from their rooftop photovoltaic system can provide heating in their apartment 😉
Electric fan heaters would be another alternative :p
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