The question cannot be answered easily.
Especially with geothermal energy, precise planning and execution are particularly important and have a significant impact on efficiency. If the conditions (e.g., building envelope, underfloor heating, etc.) are right, geothermal energy can be an option.
We ourselves (new build 2011/12, KfW 70) have a heat pump with probes.
However, no one can say for sure when the total investment will pay off compared to gas, because future energy prices cannot be predicted.
Low heating costs (despite the increase in electricity prices in recent years) are balanced against the higher investment and greater complexity of the system.
Kind regards
Especially with geothermal energy, precise planning and execution are particularly important and have a significant impact on efficiency. If the conditions (e.g., building envelope, underfloor heating, etc.) are right, geothermal energy can be an option.
We ourselves (new build 2011/12, KfW 70) have a heat pump with probes.
However, no one can say for sure when the total investment will pay off compared to gas, because future energy prices cannot be predicted.
Low heating costs (despite the increase in electricity prices in recent years) are balanced against the higher investment and greater complexity of the system.
Kind regards
D
Doc.Schnaggls4 Jul 2014 11:50Hello,
Basically, I think geothermal heating systems are a great option.
That was why our plan was to install one in our new build (construction starts next week).
However, we were alarmed and very concerned by a heavily promoted geothermal drilling project in a neighboring town back in the summer of 2011 – three days after the drilling, several houses in the area suddenly experienced some ground subsidence, which caused severe cracks in the buildings.
Well, that might primarily be the responsibility of the company that carried out the work or their insurance, but considering that we are building in a relatively small community where almost everyone knows each other, we wouldn’t even want to be seen around after a failed drilling like that – regardless of whether we had followed all the regulations or not...
Therefore, our house will now be equipped with an air-to-water heat pump and a photovoltaic system on the roof.
This should allow us to generate heat and hot water in the future at a neutral cost.
Regards,
Dirk
Basically, I think geothermal heating systems are a great option.
That was why our plan was to install one in our new build (construction starts next week).
However, we were alarmed and very concerned by a heavily promoted geothermal drilling project in a neighboring town back in the summer of 2011 – three days after the drilling, several houses in the area suddenly experienced some ground subsidence, which caused severe cracks in the buildings.
Well, that might primarily be the responsibility of the company that carried out the work or their insurance, but considering that we are building in a relatively small community where almost everyone knows each other, we wouldn’t even want to be seen around after a failed drilling like that – regardless of whether we had followed all the regulations or not...
Therefore, our house will now be equipped with an air-to-water heat pump and a photovoltaic system on the roof.
This should allow us to generate heat and hot water in the future at a neutral cost.
Regards,
Dirk
Hi Doc.Schnaggls,
would a trench collector be an option for you as well – as long as your plot of land is suitable?
By the way, has the cause been identified in your neighboring town? How deep were the boreholes?
Best regards
PS: Gas is still the favorite – even though there is at least one report every month about a huge gas explosion where a house was “blown away”…
Good luck with your building project!
would a trench collector be an option for you as well – as long as your plot of land is suitable?
By the way, has the cause been identified in your neighboring town? How deep were the boreholes?
Best regards
PS: Gas is still the favorite – even though there is at least one report every month about a huge gas explosion where a house was “blown away”…
Good luck with your building project!
Hello!
Thank you for your replies!
We will most likely build a solid structure using Ytong.
The plot is 641sqm (6897 sqft) in size. The living area will be approximately 140sqm (1507 sqft).
We have 3 children.
In the same neighborhood, a house with geothermal heating was already built. I plan to visit them tomorrow to ask about it.
Everyone is also recommending gas to us, especially since there is already a gas connection there and most houses in that area use liquefied gas.
However, I am reluctant to go that route.
Best regards and have a great start to next week!
Thank you for your replies!
We will most likely build a solid structure using Ytong.
The plot is 641sqm (6897 sqft) in size. The living area will be approximately 140sqm (1507 sqft).
We have 3 children.
In the same neighborhood, a house with geothermal heating was already built. I plan to visit them tomorrow to ask about it.
Everyone is also recommending gas to us, especially since there is already a gas connection there and most houses in that area use liquefied gas.
However, I am reluctant to go that route.
Best regards and have a great start to next week!
D
Doc.Schnaggls4 Jul 2014 12:44Hi Cascada,
Thanks for the good wishes!
We also considered surface or trench collectors, but on our property, solid rock starts at a depth of 3 m (10 feet), so without (expensive) blasting, it wouldn’t have been possible.
The drillings in the neighboring town were about 80 m (260 feet) deep. The final cause is believed to be that the drilling hit a large cavity, which collapsed three days later. So at least the worst-case scenario—hitting anhydrite clay that keeps swelling and causing damage—was avoided.
But even with this "minor" incident, 24 houses were severely damaged—the damage amounts to several million euros...
Gas is absolutely fine; if a house is destroyed by a gas explosion, in 99.9% of cases, someone who didn’t understand the system tampered with it.
We, however, didn’t want gas because we wanted to be independent from fossil fuels.
Regards,
Dirk
Thanks for the good wishes!
We also considered surface or trench collectors, but on our property, solid rock starts at a depth of 3 m (10 feet), so without (expensive) blasting, it wouldn’t have been possible.
The drillings in the neighboring town were about 80 m (260 feet) deep. The final cause is believed to be that the drilling hit a large cavity, which collapsed three days later. So at least the worst-case scenario—hitting anhydrite clay that keeps swelling and causing damage—was avoided.
But even with this "minor" incident, 24 houses were severely damaged—the damage amounts to several million euros...
Gas is absolutely fine; if a house is destroyed by a gas explosion, in 99.9% of cases, someone who didn’t understand the system tampered with it.
We, however, didn’t want gas because we wanted to be independent from fossil fuels.
Regards,
Dirk
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