ᐅ Geothermal Heating or Condensing Gas Boiler?

Good evening Eve,

EveundGerd schrieb:
The noise level of the outdoor units has caused disputes in the neighborhood more than once. After one winter, a unit had to be relocated to the opposite side of the property, far away from its original installation spot.

That is certainly possible; primarily because Germans tend to be sensitive to any noise, even if they just “hear” it mentally. I have experienced this multiple times myself, even with the rough installation of an outdoor unit of a ground source heat pump without connection.

There are noise limits in decibels that must be observed, and without compliance, split systems cannot be approved. Anyone wanting to add a bit more power, for example with an Ochsner unit, is free to do so. However, it is generally the case that a quieter outdoor unit often means it is louder indoors; although this always depends on the specific situation, as nordanney has nicely explained.

Best regards, Bauexperte

EveundGerd schrieb:
The developer doesn’t decide.

And you also get golden faucets without any discussion and at no extra cost?

So, the outdoor unit of our neighbor is uncomfortably loud when it runs at full power. Fortunately, it is positioned so that it does not face our direction, and it is located on the street side. In the garden, you don’t hear anything, but on the street, it is audible even from 30m (98 feet) away despite background noise, and the unit is only 1 year old, so it probably won’t get any better.

Bieber0815 schrieb:
And you get golden faucets without any discussion and no extra charge?

That’s nonsense! However, I am surprised that as a client you let yourself be persuaded by the contractor to install a heating system you don’t really want and may even feel uncertain about.

If someone likes golden faucets, they probably won’t avoid an additional charge.

EveundGerd schrieb:
I find it surprising that as a client, you let the contractor persuade you to choose a heating system you don’t really want and might feel uncertain about.

Well, at first I thought a gas condensing boiler would be the best solution for us (due to the lowest initial costs). Then I learned that combined with KfW 70 standard, it isn’t actually that inexpensive (solar thermal). Yes, there are concerns regarding the air-to-water heat pump (noise, electricity costs), but you have to trust the supplier to some extent. Other people live in houses built by them with this kind of air-to-water heat pump and seem to manage fine.

If we had built with an architect or a general contractor/general builder, things might have gone differently (no solar thermal, but other measures instead). However, the developer owns the plot. In the end, it’s a balancing act between many factors (plot, construction method, technical specifications and scope of work, contract terms, company reliability, and much more), with the heating system being just one aspect. The developer guarantees that it will work. I am relying on that.

Your reasons are understandable and make sense.

We already owned the plot of land and were therefore able to freely choose the general contractor.
For example, we have a gas condensing boiler with solar panels and are very satisfied.
The heating system was a major topic for us for nearly two years, during which we ultimately decided between geothermal and gas.

The underfloor heating was installed in tight loops, allowing us to switch later if needed.

Since we had a good deal with our energy provider regarding the connection and related costs, gas was the most affordable and also the most familiar choice for us.