Hello everyone,
we are currently planning to build a relatively large single-family home (living area, including the rooms in the basement used as living space, around 450 sqm (4844 sq ft)).
In addition, we are building an outdoor pool, which should also be heated from April to October. Ideally, it should not have a separate heating system but be integrated into the overall heating concept.
I generally prefer to invest a bit more upfront in order to have lower ongoing costs.
The construction companies mostly recommend an air-to-water heat pump because it requires the least effort for them (no chimney needed, no solar system required).
However, I am somewhat skeptical about heating such a large house and the pool only with a heat pump.
Therefore, the question is:
What would be a reasonable solution for the heating? Heat pump? In combination with solar thermal or photovoltaic? Gas condensing boiler with solar thermal or photovoltaic? Or perhaps even a small combined heat and power plant?
I would really appreciate any input on this.
we are currently planning to build a relatively large single-family home (living area, including the rooms in the basement used as living space, around 450 sqm (4844 sq ft)).
In addition, we are building an outdoor pool, which should also be heated from April to October. Ideally, it should not have a separate heating system but be integrated into the overall heating concept.
I generally prefer to invest a bit more upfront in order to have lower ongoing costs.
The construction companies mostly recommend an air-to-water heat pump because it requires the least effort for them (no chimney needed, no solar system required).
However, I am somewhat skeptical about heating such a large house and the pool only with a heat pump.
Therefore, the question is:
What would be a reasonable solution for the heating? Heat pump? In combination with solar thermal or photovoltaic? Gas condensing boiler with solar thermal or photovoltaic? Or perhaps even a small combined heat and power plant?
I would really appreciate any input on this.
Hello,
How large will the pool be? Definitely cover it at night!
Is the house designed only according to energy-saving regulations or is it a passive house?
We have a similar project, just a bit larger.
Including the pool in the heating system only makes sense if the pool is directly adjacent to the house.
Gas plus photovoltaic system is the most cost-effective option.
For a small pool, I could also imagine hydrogen plus gas.
A micro combined heat and power system doesn’t make sense because the heat and electricity demand isn’t high or constant enough.
Please provide a few more details.
Best regards
How large will the pool be? Definitely cover it at night!
Is the house designed only according to energy-saving regulations or is it a passive house?
We have a similar project, just a bit larger.
Including the pool in the heating system only makes sense if the pool is directly adjacent to the house.
Gas plus photovoltaic system is the most cost-effective option.
For a small pool, I could also imagine hydrogen plus gas.
A micro combined heat and power system doesn’t make sense because the heat and electricity demand isn’t high or constant enough.
Please provide a few more details.
Best regards
The house only meets the energy saving ordinance. At the moment, I don’t see how the additional cost for KFW 55 or better would be worthwhile.
In any case, there will definitely be a ventilation system with heat recovery.
The pool is 10 x 4 m (33 x 13 ft) and will definitely have a cover.
It is located right next to the house, separated only by a 3 m (10 ft) terrace.
In any case, there will definitely be a ventilation system with heat recovery.
The pool is 10 x 4 m (33 x 13 ft) and will definitely have a cover.
It is located right next to the house, separated only by a 3 m (10 ft) terrace.
Are you planning to have a fireplace anyway for coziness and such? In that case, it might make sense to consider a water-heated fireplace combined with a heat pump, which could help reduce the load on the heat pump during winter. However, I’m not sure if this setup can also be efficiently combined with photovoltaic panels.
Thank you for the additional information.
Your house will likely require a heating system with 15-20 kW.
On top of that, there is the pool. You have almost 60 m3 (around 2,100 cubic feet) of water at a typical depth.
Having a slightly larger boiler doesn’t significantly increase costs, so it’s better to plan with some margin.
I recommend a gas condensing boiler with about 40 kW capacity, combined with photovoltaic panels on the roof. Together with your controlled ventilation system with heat recovery, this should meet the energy efficiency requirements.
It is important to size the heat exchanger large enough. For your pool size, 50 kW at 30/40°C (86/104°F) is appropriate (most specifications refer to 70°C or 90°C (158°F or 194°F)!). I would suggest a titanium plate heat exchanger. It is very durable and independent of which system you use in the pool (saltwater, ozone, bromine, chlorine, etc.).
You will need a separate heating circuit with a temperature limiter set to 55°C (131°F).
You seem to have a similar mindset: it’s better to invest a bit more upfront to have peace of mind and lower maintenance costs. For this reason, I recommend the Speck Badu pool pump. The exact model depends on your specific pool setup. These pumps are very energy-efficient, durable, and have excellent spare parts availability.
A water-heated fireplace is more of a gimmick for a house of this size (according to energy efficiency standards) and with a pool. It’s better to invest more in insulating the pool.
If you have any further questions, feel free to ask.
Your house will likely require a heating system with 15-20 kW.
On top of that, there is the pool. You have almost 60 m3 (around 2,100 cubic feet) of water at a typical depth.
Having a slightly larger boiler doesn’t significantly increase costs, so it’s better to plan with some margin.
I recommend a gas condensing boiler with about 40 kW capacity, combined with photovoltaic panels on the roof. Together with your controlled ventilation system with heat recovery, this should meet the energy efficiency requirements.
It is important to size the heat exchanger large enough. For your pool size, 50 kW at 30/40°C (86/104°F) is appropriate (most specifications refer to 70°C or 90°C (158°F or 194°F)!). I would suggest a titanium plate heat exchanger. It is very durable and independent of which system you use in the pool (saltwater, ozone, bromine, chlorine, etc.).
You will need a separate heating circuit with a temperature limiter set to 55°C (131°F).
You seem to have a similar mindset: it’s better to invest a bit more upfront to have peace of mind and lower maintenance costs. For this reason, I recommend the Speck Badu pool pump. The exact model depends on your specific pool setup. These pumps are very energy-efficient, durable, and have excellent spare parts availability.
A water-heated fireplace is more of a gimmick for a house of this size (according to energy efficiency standards) and with a pool. It’s better to invest more in insulating the pool.
If you have any further questions, feel free to ask.
@Rick, thank you for your recommendations!
May I ask why you prefer a gas condensing boiler instead of a heat pump in this case? For this size, are the operating costs of a heat pump too high? Perhaps a heat pump with a groundwater probe might be worthwhile?
Would additional insulation for KfW 55 certification be worthwhile for us? However, with this house size, it is not exactly cheap.
May I also ask what kind of project you are planning?
May I ask why you prefer a gas condensing boiler instead of a heat pump in this case? For this size, are the operating costs of a heat pump too high? Perhaps a heat pump with a groundwater probe might be worthwhile?
Would additional insulation for KfW 55 certification be worthwhile for us? However, with this house size, it is not exactly cheap.
May I also ask what kind of project you are planning?
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