Keep a cool head when replacing the heating system

In 2022, the Energy Saving Association of Upper Austria carried out four times as many consultations on replacing the heating system as in the previous year – namely around 20,000. “We are very pleased that we can help so many people. People want to make a difference,” says Gerhard Dell, Managing Director of the Energy Saving Association.

There are currently three forms of heating that are being promoted in Upper Austria primarily because of their sustainability: pellet heating, heat pumps and local or district heating. “We have a very good funding situation, up to 50 percent of the investment costs are reimbursed. That’s often around 10,000 euros,” says Dell. For low-income households, there is the “Heat clean for everyone” program, which replaces up to 100 percent of the costs of replacing the heating system.

Which form of heating makes the most sense must be decided individually. “If there is a district heating connection in front of the house, that will often be the simplest option. Anyone who had oil heating often already has a good storage room for pellets,” says Dell. The costs are similarly variable: “There are certain benchmarks, but that depends heavily on the location,” says the expert.

It always makes sense to thermally renovate the building to be heated. “It doesn’t always have to be the whole house – that’s also a question of financial resources. Individual measures such as insulating the top floor ceiling bring improvements,” says the managing director of the energy saving association.

You shouldn’t be discouraged by long waiting times: “There are companies that install a heater within a few months. And even if it takes longer: It’s better to start waiting now than in the fall. The waiting times aren’t getting any shorter,” says Dell.

The Energy Saving Association Upper Austria is also on the Energy saving fair in Wels represented from Friday to Sunday. Experts there provide individual advice on replacing the heating system.

Local and district heating

If there is a local or district heating network nearby, this is often the most obvious option. “One advantage is that there is no need to set up a separate boiler in the house. The heat is distributed directly via the in-house heating network, i.e. the heating pipes – these are already available in most houses when you switch,” says Gerhard Dell, Managing Director of the Upper Austrian Energy Saving Association.
In Upper Austria there are around 350 district and local heating networks. “Basically, there is a network in almost every municipality. Whether district heating makes sense in individual cases depends heavily on the nearest connection option,” says Dell.

With current funding campaigns, which the energy saving association is in charge of, the costs for homeowners are around 25,000 euros – without counting the subsidies. “This value also includes the average excavation costs – the actual costs for the individual depend heavily on how far the lines have to be laid and how difficult the excavation work is – i.e. whether only soil is dug up or, for example, a driveway is torn open must,” says Dell.

pellet heating

A suitable, spacious storage facility for the fuel is necessary for a pellet heating system. “A dry basement room, for example, is suitable for this. The former storage area for the tanks of an oil heating system can often be converted,” says Gerhard Dell. It should also be considered in advance whether there is an access road for the pellet deliveries. “But a lot has happened there too, pellets can now be pumped into the warehouse like oil via pipes,” says the energy-saving expert.

Alternatively, there is the option of burying pellet tanks in the ground – but that drives up the costs. “In our experience, the cost of a pellet heating system is usually a maximum of 31,000 euros – but the price can be higher or lower depending on the individual requirements,” says Dell.

For many farmers and their relatives who have access to cheap wood chips, these are an attractive option as a heat source – but the maintenance effort for appropriate heating systems is higher than for pellet heating.

“In general, the advantage of these forms of heating is that you are independent with them,” says Dell.

heat pump

How useful a heat pump is depends on the existing heat distribution system in the house. “It works very well with underfloor heating or low temperature radiators. A heat pump will probably not be able to heat radiators with high flow temperatures of between 60 and 70 degrees,” says Gerhard Dell.

With air-to-air heat pumps, it is important to clarify in advance whether the distance to the neighbors is sufficient: “Of course, the compressors make a noise that can be annoying,” says Dell. The cost of heat pump systems with geothermal heat collectors depends on how complex the excavations are – whether there are rocks in the ground, for example.

The annual performance figure is essential for receiving the funding. This tells you how much electricity is used for how much heat. The coolants used must also be environmentally friendly.
A PV system always makes sense, but not necessarily better with a heat pump than with other types of heating. “The PV system usually does not generate electricity when there is a lot of heating,” says Dell. On average, without funding, heat pumps would cost around 22,000 euros.