Compared to gas, oil is currently a bargain. And in many a basement there is also a corresponding heating system. It really should be replaced in the long run. But in view of the current general weather situation, some people are thinking about sticking with oil heating.
Oil heating has recently gone out of fashion. Generating heat from other energy sources seemed much more attractive. And also more climate-friendly. The aim is to reduce the proportion of fossil oil in the heat supply. To do this, the quota of renewable energies must be expanded and energy efficiency increased. That’s the plan.
But heat pumps, solar systems and the like cannot be conjured out of a hat either. And the changeover is also expensive. Gas, also a fossil fuel, is very expensive today and probably will be for some time to come. Those who heat with oil, on the other hand, are currently significantly cheaper.
In practice, oil heaters continue to play a major role in the supply despite stricter future requirements. According to the German Energy Agency (DENA), oil is used in a good fifth of all German buildings. According to surveys by chimney sweeps, around 5,426,000 oil heaters are installed, of which only 12 percent are efficient condensing boilers. Which is bad for the environment and consumption.
In view of the current general weather situation, some may give the future a whistle and still flirt with investing in their old oil heating system and keeping their house warm in this way at a halfway reasonable price. For example, by modernizing an older heating system with a new oil condensing boiler. The efficiency of a heating system with an old constant temperature boiler is up to 70 percent, that of an oil condensing boiler up to 100 percent. But the thing is expensive. Including installation, you have to reckon with 8000 – 10,000 euros. In return, a consumption reduction of up to 30 percent can be expected.
And contrary to popular belief, homeowners can easily install a new oil heating system until the end of 2025. This applies even longer to buildings in which no alternative heat generation to oil is possible, for example in regions without a comprehensive gas supply. In this case, the climate protection package provides for exceptions and oil heaters can also be installed after 2026. Then this is also allowed if a hybrid heating system is chosen. So a model that works with oil and renewable energy. For example, solar energy that is used in the household via solar thermal or photovoltaic systems.
If you already have a condensing boiler in the basement, you can think about replacing the old burner with a new oil blower model. However, such a change primarily has an impact on the emissions from the heating system, but almost none on the efficiency of the heating system and the heating costs. For a high-quality burner, costs including installation of around 2000 euros must be expected. According to experts, replacing an old burner as a modernization measure does not make economic sense in many cases. In the event of damage or if there is a lot of soot formation, the burner for the oil heater must be replaced anyway.
Older heating systems must also be replaced anyway after 30 years according to the specifications of the Building Energy Act (GEG). However, the replacement obligation only applies to heaters with a constant temperature boiler and a nominal output of 4 to 400 kW. Condensing boilers or low-temperature boilers, on the other hand, are not affected by an exchange. Apart from this, owners of single or two-family houses who have lived in their house themselves since February 1, 2002 are also exempt from the replacement obligation. At least if the building has no more than two apartments.
Experts still advise switching to regenerative heating technologies. For the sake of the environment. In return, such investments are also subsidized by the state – in contrast to pure oil heating. According to surveys by the consumer advice center, homeowners have to invest 17,000 to 32,000 euros to install a heat pump. However, these are often not an option for old buildings. A firewood gasification boiler costs between 13,000 and 15,000 euros. The installation of a pellet heating system is available for 25,000 to 28,000 euros – but heating with wood is also bad for the environment.
(This article was first published on Monday, September 26, 2022.)
