Heat pumps in old buildings: Tips from financial experts on efficient and cost-saving heating technology

Heat pumps in old buildings: Tips from financial experts on efficient and cost-saving heating technology

Heat pumps are a much-discussed heating technology for use in old buildings. The consumer advice center's energy advice clarifies myths and gives tips on how heat pumps in old buildings can provide pleasant warmth at moderate prices. Heat pumps use environmental heat from the air, ground or groundwater, making them low-temperature heaters. A flow temperature of 35 to 55 degrees Celsius is sufficient, which saves energy. In many old buildings the radiators are oversized, so in many cases only individual radiators need to be replaced to enable a heat pump. However, it is advisable to carry out a comprehensive review of the building by an energy consultant in order to find the optimum solution from larger heating surfaces and better insulation.

The cost of a heat pump for a single-family home is between 20,000 and 50,000 euros, which is higher than fossil alternatives. However, the operating costs over a period of 15 to 20 years are crucial. The efficiency of the heat pump as well as the cost gap between the price of electricity and, for example, gas or oil prices play a role here. A heat pump is more expensive to purchase than condensing technology, but is subsidized by the state at up to 40 percent. The annual performance factor is an important indicator of the efficiency of a heat pump. In old buildings, an annual performance factor of at least 3 should be aimed for.

A comparison between a gas heater and a heat pump shows that the total costs for a heat pump are lower after 15 years. A concrete example calculates costs of 85,000 euros for a gas heater and costs of 80,500 euros for a heat pump. Heat pumps also perform better when it comes to CO2 emissions because they produce less carbon dioxide.

The consumer advice center's energy advice offers comprehensive advice on heat pumps and other heating technologies. The consultation can take place online, by telephone or in person. She is independent and individual. Further information is available on the website www.verbraucherzentrale-energieberatung.de. The consumer advice center's energy advice is funded by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Protection.

Source: According to a report by www.landkreis-wuerzburg.de