Hello,
after several years, we have finally found our own home.
The house was built in 1981 and is still in good condition, so we could actually move in right away.
There is a gas heating system and radiators in place... however, we have been "spoiled" by underfloor heating for years.
Now we are trying, as non-experts, to weigh the pros and cons... which is not so easy.
I think IF you decide to go for it, it should be done before moving in. Because once you live in the house (with 4 people), it only gets more complicated.
One point we can’t quite assess: does underfloor heating save enough energy to be worthwhile? What kind of purchase and installation costs should we expect?
My husband and father are skilled DIYers and could do some of the work themselves.
The total living area is 186 m² (with either just the ground floor or ground and first floors with about 65 m² each being relevant).
By the way, the house has a basement.
What type of underfloor heating would be recommended for retrofitting? I don’t know the ceiling height at the moment, but it was neither especially high nor low.
A very important point:
According to calculations, the house has an energy efficiency rating "G" with a consumption of 217.2 kWh/(m²·a).
Can anyone comment on this? What does that mean in practical terms?
There are double-glazed wooden windows installed, and I think replacing them would also make sense to avoid heating the garden...
We will probably hire an energy consultant to take a closer look at the house and provide advice. But I appreciate any help you can give in the meantime!
Regards,
schnie
after several years, we have finally found our own home.
The house was built in 1981 and is still in good condition, so we could actually move in right away.
There is a gas heating system and radiators in place... however, we have been "spoiled" by underfloor heating for years.
Now we are trying, as non-experts, to weigh the pros and cons... which is not so easy.
I think IF you decide to go for it, it should be done before moving in. Because once you live in the house (with 4 people), it only gets more complicated.
One point we can’t quite assess: does underfloor heating save enough energy to be worthwhile? What kind of purchase and installation costs should we expect?
My husband and father are skilled DIYers and could do some of the work themselves.
The total living area is 186 m² (with either just the ground floor or ground and first floors with about 65 m² each being relevant).
By the way, the house has a basement.
What type of underfloor heating would be recommended for retrofitting? I don’t know the ceiling height at the moment, but it was neither especially high nor low.
A very important point:
According to calculations, the house has an energy efficiency rating "G" with a consumption of 217.2 kWh/(m²·a).
Can anyone comment on this? What does that mean in practical terms?
There are double-glazed wooden windows installed, and I think replacing them would also make sense to avoid heating the garden...
We will probably hire an energy consultant to take a closer look at the house and provide advice. But I appreciate any help you can give in the meantime!
Regards,
schnie
B
Bauexperte17 Oct 2014 00:32Good evening,
Another option would be electric underfloor heating. It is very thin but has the disadvantage of being very costly for an entire house. It *can* be an option if combined with photovoltaic panels and storage.
G – typical for partially modernized older buildings: thermal insulation measures on some areas and/or a new more efficient central heating system.
Regards, Bauexperte
schnie schrieb:For new buildings, yes; for existing buildings, it depends on the overall situation.
One point we can’t quite estimate: Does underfloor heating save enough energy to be worthwhile? Total living area is 186 m² (with either only the ground floor or ground floor plus upper floor, each about 65 m², being relevant). The house also has a basement.
schnie schrieb:As the name suggests, underfloor heating is installed in the floor. So it depends on whether the floor slabs have enough thickness to accommodate the substructure plus plastic pipes. This would mean a lot of mess for you; probably new interior doors as well.
What type of underfloor heating would be recommended for retrofitting? I don’t know the ceiling height at the moment, but it was neither particularly high nor low.
Another option would be electric underfloor heating. It is very thin but has the disadvantage of being very costly for an entire house. It *can* be an option if combined with photovoltaic panels and storage.
schnie schrieb:The energy efficiency of buildings is classified in an energy certificate according to the Energy Saving Ordinance by energy efficiency classes from A to I. The classification is based on primary energy demand. This takes into account thermal insulation, the technology used for the building systems, and the environmental impact of the energy sources used.
One very important point:
According to calculations, the house has an energy efficiency rating “G” with a consumption of 217.2 kWh/(m²a).
Can anyone explain this? What does that mean exactly?
G – typical for partially modernized older buildings: thermal insulation measures on some areas and/or a new more efficient central heating system.
schnie schrieb:That’s a good approach, because no one can really advise you here without knowing the scope of partial modernization, building condition, etc. Ultimately, the energy consultant might even recommend making no changes initially.
We will probably hire an energy consultant to take a closer look at the house and provide advice. But I’m already thankful for your help!
Regards, Bauexperte
Correct me if I’m wrong, but usually the heating pipes are not installed in the (concrete) ceiling, but rather in the screed layer placed on top of an insulation layer. Therefore, the ceiling thickness shouldn’t matter initially. Conversely, it would probably be quite uneconomical to tear out the screed in a well-maintained house, add insulation, and then lay new screed after installing the heating pipes.
However, there are also systems for retrofitting (involving milling into the existing screed). The problem might be that there is insufficient (or no) insulation beneath the screed, causing the heat to radiate both upwards and downwards – which is generally not desired.
Best regards
K1300S
However, there are also systems for retrofitting (involving milling into the existing screed). The problem might be that there is insufficient (or no) insulation beneath the screed, causing the heat to radiate both upwards and downwards – which is generally not desired.
Best regards
K1300S
Hello you two,
thank you for your help.
I had almost suspected that retrofitting underfloor heating in an existing house would be very complicated and expensive.
We will probably get a quote, but I’m already starting to let go of the idea...
The thing is (which is actually an advantage) that except for one room, the floors are still in great condition. Parquet and light-colored tiles. It would really be a shame to tear them out...
Still, I will mourn the underfloor heating a bit... not least because I have a house dust allergy.
thank you for your help.
I had almost suspected that retrofitting underfloor heating in an existing house would be very complicated and expensive.
We will probably get a quote, but I’m already starting to let go of the idea...
The thing is (which is actually an advantage) that except for one room, the floors are still in great condition. Parquet and light-colored tiles. It would really be a shame to tear them out...
Still, I will mourn the underfloor heating a bit... not least because I have a house dust allergy.
B
Bauexperte17 Oct 2014 11:32Hello,
We are basically talking about the same thing. By floor slabs, I mean the ceiling above the basement, ground floor, upper floor, and attic (the latter probably a collar beam construction). It does depend on whether a 150mm (6 inches) or a thicker concrete/wood floor was installed originally. If a minimal use of floor thickness (insulation?) and screed was applied, I’m rather pessimistic about retrofitting a conventional underfloor heating system.
Exactly—that’s why there was the suggestion from the energy consultant to possibly leave everything as it is.
Regards, Bauexperte
K1300S schrieb:
Correct me if I’m wrong, but typically the heating pipes are not installed in the ceiling (concrete) but rather—in a screed layer—on top of an insulation layer. Therefore, the ceiling thickness should not really matter at first.
We are basically talking about the same thing. By floor slabs, I mean the ceiling above the basement, ground floor, upper floor, and attic (the latter probably a collar beam construction). It does depend on whether a 150mm (6 inches) or a thicker concrete/wood floor was installed originally. If a minimal use of floor thickness (insulation?) and screed was applied, I’m rather pessimistic about retrofitting a conventional underfloor heating system.
K1300S schrieb:
On the other hand, it would hardly be economical to remove the screed in a well-maintained house, add insulation, and then install new screed after laying the heating pipes.
Exactly—that’s why there was the suggestion from the energy consultant to possibly leave everything as it is.
Regards, Bauexperte
Oh, it’s not that expensive. We also bought an old house and the screed on the ground floor was removed because a thick insulation layer was necessary, and the screed simply got in the way. On the upper floor, however, the new underfloor heating can be installed directly over the old tiles. The total build-up height upstairs is 4.5 cm (1.8 inches) — 2.5 cm (1 inch) for the underfloor heating including insulation, plus 2 cm (0.8 inches) for the screed. Downstairs it’s 13 cm (5 inches), which includes 11 cm (4.3 inches) of insulation and 2 cm (0.8 inches) of screed.
Material costs for 100 sq meters (1,076 sq feet) are just under 3,000 euros (without screed), and installation is 1,000 euros. It hasn’t been done yet because, yes, I can confirm it’s a bit tricky to clear out 100 sq meters (1,076 sq feet) after moving in. The furniture has to go somewhere, and we’re still figuring out how to manage that. I don’t find it expensive, but you should be prepared for additional costs related to the heating system. We had already bought a new pellet boiler and buffer tank, but a mixing valve and a new pump were still needed. The cost for these, plus two distribution manifolds including piping, was about 1,000 euros.
Material costs for 100 sq meters (1,076 sq feet) are just under 3,000 euros (without screed), and installation is 1,000 euros. It hasn’t been done yet because, yes, I can confirm it’s a bit tricky to clear out 100 sq meters (1,076 sq feet) after moving in. The furniture has to go somewhere, and we’re still figuring out how to manage that. I don’t find it expensive, but you should be prepared for additional costs related to the heating system. We had already bought a new pellet boiler and buffer tank, but a mixing valve and a new pump were still needed. The cost for these, plus two distribution manifolds including piping, was about 1,000 euros.
Similar topics