ᐅ Which type of heating system is best when replacing a unit after 36 years?

Hello, our newly purchased house currently has an oil heating system installed, which needs to be replaced before we move in.

It is a bungalow with 112 sq m (1206 sq ft). The boiler room is located in the basement. Next to it, there is a welded 4000-liter (1057-gallon) oil tank. Inside the house, there is a two-flue chimney. The previous owners also used a pellet stove in the living room as an additional heat source.

Now I am considering which type of heating system to choose. A gas connection is not possible since there is no gas line available.

My plan was to replace the oil boiler in the basement and additionally install either a water-heated pellet or wood stove in the living room. Possibly solar panels in the next few years as well (although I’m not sure about this yet, as I have often read that the benefits can be limited).

What would you recommend installing? Does it make sense to use a water-heated stove alongside the oil heating system? Or would a simple wood stove for occasional use be better?

What are your annual heating costs? How high is the heat loss of the house?
It’s hard to say in general... but often it makes sense—if the tank is still in good condition—to only replace the heating system and avoid any unnecessary experiments.

Okay. I haven’t lived inside myself yet, but I know from the previous owner that he apparently used about 1000 liters (264 gallons) of heating oil and heated the rest with a pellet stove. The pellet stove has a capacity of 10 kW. Unfortunately, I don’t know any more.

That would be 50 € for heating per month... the house is either relatively well insulated, or the stove was used a lot. With such a "low" consumption, a modern oil-fired heating system is probably the most suitable option.

I doubt that the house is well insulated, built in 1980, with decorative facade panels on the outside. There is no full thermal insulation system. According to the energy certificate, the consumption is 30,000 kWh of heating oil including hot water, and 25,000 kWh of pellets. So it seems he used roughly a 50/50 mix for heating.

My thought was whether to add a standard wood or pellet stove in addition to the oil heating system, or a hydronic (water-circulating) stove.

1. Modern oil boiler.
2. Insulating the house (consult an energy advisor to determine which measures are effective).
3. If desired, for added comfort, an additional stove or fireplace in the living area.

Is the ceiling or roof insulated?