What are the Benefits of Advanced Heating Systems?

Energy-efficient heating systems offer a number of benefits, some of which are described below.

Energy savings are a key consideration when choosing an energy efficient heating system. Lower energy consumption means that we need to buy less energy and, as a result, our monthly energy bills will be lower.

Modern heating systems are more flexible and convenient. For example, they are easy to control, so you can easily set the desired temperature in different rooms. This increases comfort and helps to meet individual needs.

Heating systems based on alternative energy sources offer an environmentally friendly solution. Renewable energy sources, such as solar or geothermal, not only reduce emissions during operation, but are also more sustainable in the long term.

What are the benefits of modern heating systems?

The total monthly bill depends on the amount of energy used. As a rule, the less energy you use, the less you pay. Here are some of the benefits of modern heating systems:

  1. Efficiency: Modern heating systems use energy efficiently, resulting in lower running costs.
  2. Comfort: These systems are usually easy to adjust and remote control, so you can easily adapt them to your current heating needs.
  3. Environmentally friendly: Many modern heating systems offer environmentally friendly solutions, minimising emissions and contributing to sustainability.
  4. Long-term savings: Although installation costs may be higher, in the long run, modern heating systems can reduce heating bills and pay for themselves.

What are the most common heating systems?

  1. Fireplace and stove: These are traditional heating solutions, but are usually used as supplementary heating.
  2. Gas boiler, gas boiler, condensing boiler: These systems are often used, especially for floor, wall or ceiling heating.
  3. Gas convector heating: It is convenient as the temperature in each room can be controlled independently, but more units are needed for larger properties.
  4. Solid and mixed fuel boilers: These boilers can run on wood, coal or other fuels and are easy to maintain, but fuel storage needs to be taken care of.

What modern (alternative) heating options are available?

  1. Infrared heating: It converts electricity into infrared heat waves and is easy to install.
  2. Heat pump: It harnesses energy from the sun, water or soil and is an energy-efficient solution.
  3. Geothermal energy: It uses pipes drilled into the ground to extract the heat energy stored in the ground, an environmentally friendly system that pays for itself in the long term.
  4. Solar heating: Solar panels can cover your entire energy needs, but they come with higher installation costs.

What aspects should be considered when designing heating systems?

  • Objective: First, determine the purpose of the new heating system (main heating, auxiliary heating, etc.).
  • Financial framework: It is important to take into account the available budget, as modern technologies may involve higher investment costs.
  • Building features: The orientation, size, ceiling height and thermal insulation of the building also affect the efficiency of the heating system chosen.
  • Environmental factors: The environmental factors of the area can also affect the efficiency of the system (e.g. amount of sunshine, temperature, etc.).

Modern heating systems often have a longer lifetime and require less maintenance. This can save money in the long run through reduced maintenance costs.

Energy efficient heating systems can contribute to increasing the value of a property and make it more attractive to potential buyers or tenants.

Finally, energy efficient heating systems can further reduce costs through often available subsidies and incentives, making the investment even more attractive.

These considerations can be important when choosing a new heating system. It is worth considering carefully the most appropriate heating solution according to your individual needs and the options available.

Before choosing a heating system, it is worth considering these aspects carefully and, if possible, seeking professional help to find the ideal solution for you. SolarKit's experts can help you navigate the different options and find the best heating system for your needs.

 

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Cooling-Heating with Solar Air Conditioning (How It Works)

We will show how solar panels and air conditioning can be made more efficient and economical in heating and cooling. This approach can also help to protect the environment and reduce overheads.

The use of inverter air conditioning systems for heating or as a supplement to heating offers a number of advantages. One of the main advantages is that you do not have to rely solely on conventional heating systems, thus increasing your energy independence. Combining this technology with solar panels can even create a fully independent energy production system, which can contribute to a more sustainable lifestyle.

The use of air conditioning for economical building heating can be competitive even at current energy prices. A significant proportion of gas and electricity bills in the winter months is for heating buildings, so air conditioning has the potential to deliver significant cost savings in this area. Solar panels are becoming increasingly affordable and their payback period is shortening, with a payback period of up to 8 years. If solar panels are integrated into the heating system, the payback period can be further reduced.

Together, solar panels and air conditioners can produce all the energy needed for heating and electricity. This can mean significant savings on gas and electricity bills for households. In addition, air conditioners provide faster heating than conventional heating systems and can be programmed to adjust the temperature, strength and direction of the hot air.

It is important to stress that inverter air conditioners are more efficient and energy-saving than conventional ON/OFF air conditioners. Inverter technology allows air conditioners to operate even during cheaper periods, such as at night (tariff H), and can be used over a wider temperature range, while operating costs and noise levels are also lower.

The ideal solution is still air conditioning combined with solar systems, as this is the most environmentally friendly and energy efficient way to achieve heating and cooling.

Finally, the article encourages readers to consider not only the price, but also the reliability of the company and the warranty conditions. Installing such systems is a major investment, so it is important to consider carefully and do proper research before making a decision. However, environmentally friendly and cost-effective use of energy can provide significant long-term benefits for the building owner.

 

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Heating with air conditioning

You wouldn't think it, but today it's possible, and very economical! Today's modern technology air conditioners are great for both heating and cooling your home. But how does it work in practice?

When cooling, the air conditioner uses the air outside to convert the air into cool air with the help of a heat pump, which is then used by the indoor unit. When heating with air conditioning, the principle is the same, but the air outside is heated by the heat pump instead of cooled by the heat pump and the indoor unit will make the temperature in the home comfortable.

Is it worth it financially?

Many people believe that using air conditioning increases their monthly energy bill, especially if it is also used for heating. However, today's modern air conditioners have excellent energy efficiency, so there's no need to worry about this at all. If we use and maintain our air conditioners properly, we don't have to worry about extremely high electricity bills.

Key benefits:

Not only can heating with air conditioning be cost-effective, it also has many other benefits. One is that it can be installed anywhere, independent of the gas network, and does not require a permit or chimney. Heating with air conditioning is also possible locally, i.e. only those rooms where you spend more time inside the dwelling can be heated. Both indoor and outdoor units can be easily installed, so it is also easier to change the location of the units, even when renovating a house. In addition, one of the best advantages is that it can be used not only for heating, but also for cooling and dehumidification in the summer heat.

One small negative:

There are significantly more advantages than disadvantages to heating with air conditioning, but it is worth knowing these in advance. Heating with air-conditioning is not possible in any kind of cold. Some air conditioners can heat at full efficiency down to -25 degrees Celsius, but this varies from model to model. When heating with air conditioning, moisture in the outdoor tray condenses on outdoor units, which can easily freeze in very cold weather, which can also damage the air conditioner. It is very important to pay attention to this and ask your air conditioning contractor to winterise the unit, otherwise it will be very expensive to replace the air conditioning.

 

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Comparison of heating methods

In all cases, it is important to know as much as possible about the subject in order to build the best heating system. That's why we've put together a short comparison to help you find the perfect solution for you.

Air Conditioning and Heat Pump Heating

Let's start from the beginning, in the case of a new house being built, there is no question that it is worth installing an air-to-water heat pump.

After all, the heating system will then be a very simple and efficient unit. With a little exaggeration, you put a box next to the house, connect it to the water system inside the house and the heating is on.

If you can install a solar panel on the roof, you can even produce your own energy. And with the H tariff, we can operate our heat pumps at a discount.

When replacing or upgrading an existing heating system, it is not so easy to opt for a heat pump, as a heat pump is a low-flow system and therefore not optimal for radiator heating. While a heat pump works most efficiently with water at 30 degrees, radiators require water at 60-70 degrees, otherwise the radiator surface area would have to be increased to an extreme to provide sufficient heat dissipation. So, in addition to the heat pump, underfloor and wall heating, ceiling heating is the appropriate heat emitter both because of its size and location. Unfortunately, in houses built in the 80s and 90s, radiator heating is the most common type of heating, and replacing it completely or even installing underfloor heating would be very expensive. This situation can be helped by modern, heat-pump air conditioners, which work exactly like a mini heat pump, only instead of water they heat the air in the apartment and, as a pleasant bonus, cool it in the summer!

Air conditioners can also qualify for the H tariff, and if you have a solar system, you can use the electricity it generates to heat your home in winter and cool it in summer, making it a perfect alternative to a large heat pump and avoiding the need to replace your existing system. While a heat pump is not necessarily suitable for cooling a home - because even a floor heater cannot be connected to cold water in summer, it is not comfortable - it can only be used for ceiling and wall heating, with air conditioning heating can be converted to cooling very easily, without any additional equipment. So in the case where you want to convert a radiator heating system, it is worthwhile to add air conditioning to the system, even if you leave the existing heating system in place.

If the chimney is old or unlined and cannot be lined, there is still a solution. The cost of such a chimney renovation can run into millions of euros, especially in the case of an old apartment building with many storeys. In such cases, air-conditioning is the most obvious alternative, as it is rare that the conditions in the apartment are suitable for the installation of a heat pump and there is not enough space to install one.

Convector

Convectors were invented in the 1980s and 90s, when gas oil and stove heating had to be replaced by the then new natural gas system. The simplest solution for ready-made homes was to install easy-to-install convectors, which, with gas prices still low at the time, did not cost much, even with the efficiency of the 60%. Nowadays, such poor efficiency and gas wasting equipment is considered a luxury and more and more are being replaced with modern, refrigeration-heating air conditioning units during home renovations.

Fireplaces, water fireplaces

In the early 2000s, fireplaces, water fireplaces, were a big success on the market as an alternative heating solution to gas. In the meantime, the market had re-priced the economics of fireplaces, as firewood had tripled in price during this period and the 70-80% efficiency of a fireplace was not competitive with either gas or electric heat pump systems for day-to-day use. While fireplace heating can be very good because of its cozy nature, it is important to know that the continued use of a fireplace has other responsibilities. The fireplace has to be constantly loaded with wood, which has to be stocked and dried every year, and then ashed, and there may be a smell of smoke in the home. So, apart from its idyllic appearance and romantic ambience, it may not be the best choice in terms of efficiency.

Electric underfloor heating

The positive thing about electric underfloor heating is that it is easy to lay and the warm feeling at the feet is much more pleasant than the comfort of general heating. It is economical to install, but its operation requires a high energy consumption, so it is only a good option when the renovation budget does not include an economical heating system, but the existing one has to be replaced for some reason: chimneys, convectors, old radiators, etc.

Pellet boiler

The palette boiler heating system is fraught with similar compromises as the wood-burning fireplace, although perhaps a little more comfortable.

The cost is high and the bigger problem is sourcing the wood pellets and ensuring consistent quality. There is not enough wood pellets on the market. Agricultural pellets are not suitable for heating because of their high silicon carbide content, which can clog the burner. And the price of clean, peeled wood pellets has risen so dynamically and the supply available on the market has been so tight that, unfortunately, domestic use has become a dead end. The basic principle was to provide adequate heating in houses built in areas without gas mains, but the heat pump has driven it out of the market in a very short time.

 

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