There is great potential for climate protection in the heating systems in our private homes, as the heating systems in many buildings are over 15 years old. Switching to new and more efficient systems can save money and help to protect our climate. But if you want to modernize your heating system and replace it with a climate-friendly variant, the large range of offers on the market raises the question: which heating system is the right one for me?
Everyone is talking about wind turbines and electromobility: But the right type of heating plays a very central role in the success of energy transition worldwide.
Buildings consume more than a third of the entire energy used in our country – i.e. the energy that reaches the consumer – in the form of fuels such as oil and gas or as electricity. The largest share, almost two thirds, is not caused by offices, hotels, sports facilities or stores and malls, but by residential buildings nationwide. Private households make out the lion’s share of this energy for heating: 70 percent!, 14 percent for hot water, and only 16 percent for electricity.
Gas heating is the most popular of the various heating systems in private homes with about 50%. Another third heats with oil.
The average age of heating systems is 17 years and around 40 percent of the heating systems are even older than 20 years. There is great potential in this high need for modernization: Replacing old heating systems with more efficient systems that will also use renewable energy in the future will significantly reduce CO2 emissions in the first step and avoid them altogether in the long term.
The installation of new heating systems could therefore be worthwhile – for the climate and the wallet of the owner. But which type is the right one for you?
There is no general answer to the question of the best heating technology. In addition to climate compatibility, the ongoing expenses for fuel and maintenance play an important role. Consumption does not only depend on the type of heating and the desired comfortable temperature. Insulated roofs, exterior walls and windows help to save energy significantly. Energy-related renovation measures are therefore state subsidized. In order to really achieve the climate goals, however, heating must use a form of energy that is climate-neutral in the long term.
In addition, not every building is suitable for every type of heating. If you want to heat with gas, you should also have access to the gas network. Heat pumps, on the other hand, are only particularly effective in connection with underfloor heating and thermal insulation, and wood pellets need a storage room.
Which heating system makes sense for which building and when is a good time to install it depends on the local conditions. One thing is certain: there is no such thing as one ideal solution for everyone. Instead, many individual factors have to be taken into account in order to find the ideal heating solution. Important criteria will be whether there is a wired energy source such as a gas connection nearby, whether the roof is suitable for photovoltaics or solar thermal energy, or whether there is enough space in the basement for a pellet store. Does the house have underfloor or wall heating and is it state-of-the-art in terms of energy? Only then is a heat pump economical and efficient.
When it comes to climate protection, what matters is less the type of heating and more what it is operated with. Homeowners with a heat pump can only have a good climate awareness if the electricity for the operation comes from renewable sources, e.g. their own photovoltaic system with an electricity storage system. The situation is similar with gas heating systems: if they are supplied with climate-neutral gases such as hydrogen or biomethane, they make a significant contribution to climate protection. These renewable gases can be stored for long periods of time, but we are still missing a decently developed network in the United States.. Hydrogen generated from wind and solar energy as well as biomethane from biogas plants are being added to the gas network in some areas today and help reduce CO2 emissions from gas condensing boilers.
Conclusion: There will be more than just one heating solution in the climate-neutral heating market of the future. There is a lot to be said about a balanced mix of different technologies that are used optimally and in accordance with requirements. Our heat supply must become climate-neutral, but at the same time remain reliable and affordable.
Give us a call today and schedule an inspection that will give you answers to what’s possible in your home and what is the best solution for you.
call: 508-775-6670
or email: cmurphy@plumberscapecod.com
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