August 9, 2023, 3:21 pm | Read time: 3 minutes
Are you wondering if a heat pump is possible in your home? There’s a simple test that offers initial guidance without needing a contractor or energy consultation.
A heat pump isn’t the best heating method for every older building. For example, buildings with small radiators may require extensive renovations during such a heating system change. You can find out if this is a risk for your own home with a simple test—even before consulting a contractor or energy advisor.
Test Shows if a Heat Pump Is Worthwhile
It’s important to conduct this test during the heating season. On a cold winter day, limit the heating system’s flow temperature to 55 degrees, and set all radiator thermostats to level 3. On a thermostat with precise temperature settings, this corresponds to about 20 degrees. Peter Kafke from the consumer center’s energy advisory service explains the results:
- If all rooms become warm, installing a heat pump should be straightforward.
- If some rooms remain cold, replacing the radiators with larger ones may suffice.
- If all rooms stay too cool, a heat pump will only work economically if the building envelope is additionally insulated.
Related: Types of Heat Pumps and How They Work
However, such a test on your own system can only provide initial guidance. Heat pump manufacturers are increasingly offering systems that can work efficiently in older buildings requiring higher flow temperatures. Therefore, even with a poor test result, it may be wise to consult an energy advisor or heating contractor familiar with the latest developments.
Is a Heat Pump Problematic in Older Buildings?
In energy-efficient new buildings, heat pumps have been the leading heating systems for years, but older buildings have long faced hurdles with this heating method. Heat pumps typically worked efficiently only in systems with low flow temperatures—the temperature needed for heating water as it flows into pipes and radiators. Many systems long operated efficiently only with flow temperatures up to 55 degrees, making them suitable for buildings with underfloor heating, which has large surfaces that radiate heat.
Learn more: Is a Heat Pump Worth It for My House?
If radiators aren’t large enough and the building isn’t sufficiently insulated, higher temperatures are necessary. Common heat pumps achieved these only with more electricity—and thus higher operating costs.
But there are technical advancements in heat pumps: Every reputable manufacturer now offers devices specifically for older buildings that efficiently achieve flow temperatures of 65 to 75 degrees, or has announced such developments at trade fairs. Propane heat pumps, which use the natural refrigerant R290, are considered particularly energy-efficient.
with material from dpa