ᐅ Heating System Quote Comparison – Request for Your Experiences

Why are the maintenance costs higher for a heat pump?

Joedreck schrieb:

Why are maintenance costs higher for a heat pump?

I’m not familiar with the pricing structure of gas-water installers, but in fact, that seems to be the case. Just a few weeks ago, I spoke with a distant neighbor who spends around 250 euros per year and is quite frustrated by these unexpected expenses.

Firstly, many manufacturers apparently require annual maintenance, and with some systems, the refrigerant gas must be topped up occasionally. It seems that companies need additional training or certifications to handle these gases. However, it could also just be a way to increase profits.

I recommend getting a binding quote from a service provider for a maintenance contract that includes not only labor but also all spare parts and gases. That way, you will have a clear idea of the exact costs associated with the specific system you plan to install.

As mentioned, experience shows that these costs are significantly higher than the simple maintenance done every two years on gas condensing boilers. Moreover, modern gas condensing boilers only require a chimney sweep check every three years.

Detlev69 schrieb:

In general, maintenance costs for heat pumps are significantly higher than for gas condensing boilers. Therefore, in the long run, heat pumps save less in regular expenses than is often suggested.

I can’t really judge that; it depends on what happens in the next few years...
But I can generate my own electricity, not gas, and who knows what else will come with the CO2 tax!

neubau2019 schrieb:

But I can generate electricity myself

In winter, when the heating is running, probably not. At least not on the roof....

Seen from a completely neutral and system-independent perspective, the following costs should always be considered:

1. Purchase price and service life of the device (cost per year)
2. Energy carrier consumption costs
3. Maintenance and repair costs

For gas condensing boilers, costs under points 1 and 3 are generally quite favorable, while point 2 tends to be slightly higher.

For heat pumps, point 1 is usually significantly higher, point 2 only somewhat lower, and point 3 mostly noticeably higher.

In the overall calculation, it is important to work out these factors precisely, using the expected service life of the device as the time frame. After all, these are long-term investments.

For a new build of a well-insulated, modern house, I currently expect gas costs of about 60 euros per month. These costs may increase due to future price rises. Over a period of 10 years, this amounts to about 7,200 euros.

Heat pumps using purchased electricity are definitely not cost-effective, since the annual performance factor roughly corresponds to the price ratio of electricity to gas. They may cause slightly lower energy carrier costs, but getting below 40 euros per month is unlikely; costs are probably higher.

Heat pumps powered by self-generated photovoltaic electricity are cheaper, but it should not be forgotten that even self-produced electricity is subject to income tax and value-added tax, and typically involves provision costs of about 10 cents per kWh. The dream of "free own electricity" is an illusion. It is advisable to seek detailed tax advice beforehand, as this depends on individual income circumstances. Even if you manage to reduce costs to about 30 euros per month with self-generated electricity (and winter generally requires purchased electricity), this only saves about 3,600 euros over 10 years.

After deducting additional maintenance costs, there is not much left. In my opinion, the increased initial investment never pays off. How long heat pumps last without significant maintenance costs is still unknown for many of the new models. Compressors, in any case, are not built to last forever.

Detlev69 schrieb:

I’m not fully informed about how gas and water installation services set their prices, but the fact is unfortunately clear. I recently spoke with a distant neighbor who spends around 250 euros per year and is quite upset about these unexpected costs.

Firstly, many manufacturers apparently require annual maintenance. For some systems, the gas needs to be refilled occasionally. It seems that companies need special training or certifications to handle these gases. However, it could also just be a way to charge more.

My advice is to get a fixed quote from a company for a maintenance contract that includes not only labor but also all spare parts and gases. That way, you have a clear picture of the costs for the specific device you plan to maintain.

As I said, experience shows the costs are significantly higher than for the simple maintenance every two years of gas condensing boilers. Modern gas condensing boilers also require chimney sweeping service only every three years.

I have a maintenance contract for my gas condensing system, including parts and emergency service. It’s expensive, I’ll tell you. Also, an annual service is necessary to maintain the extended warranty. I personally don’t believe it’s more expensive with a heat pump.