Is a Heat Pump Possible in My House? Test Reveals the Answer

June 16, 2025, 10:00 am | Read time: 3 minutes

Are you wondering if a heat pump is possible in your home? There’s a simple test that provides initial guidance without needing a contractor or energy consultation.

A heat pump is not the best heating option for every older building. For example, in buildings with small radiators, extensive renovations may be necessary when replacing the heating system. You can determine 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 68 degrees Fahrenheit. Peter Kafke from the consumer advice center’s energy consulting explains the results:

If all rooms become warm, installing a heat pump should be no problem.
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.

However, such a test on your own system can only provide initial guidance. Heat pump manufacturers are increasingly offering systems that can work more efficiently in older buildings requiring higher flow temperatures. Therefore, even with a poor test result, it may be worthwhile to consult an energy advisor or heating contractor familiar with the latest developments.

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Is a Heat Pump Problematic in Older Buildings?

In energy-efficient new buildings, the heat pump has been the market leader among heating systems for years, but in older buildings, there have long been obstacles to this type of heating. Heat pumps typically worked efficiently only in systems with a low flow temperature. This is the temperature the heating water needs when it flows into the pipes and radiators. Many systems only worked efficiently with flow temperatures up to 55 degrees. This was feasible in buildings with underfloor heating, which have large areas that radiate heat.

Learn more: Is a Heat Pump Worth It for My House?

If radiators are not large enough and the building is not sufficiently insulated, higher temperatures are necessary. Standard heat pumps achieved these only with more electricity–and thus higher operating costs.

But there are technical developments in heat pumps: Every reputable manufacturer now offers devices specifically for older buildings that efficiently achieve flow temperatures of 149 to 167 degrees Fahrenheit, or has announced such developments at trade fairs. So-called propane heat pumps, which use the natural refrigerant R290, are considered particularly energy-efficient.

with material from dpa

This article is a machine translation of the original German version of MYHOMEBOOK and has been reviewed for accuracy and quality by a native speaker. For feedback, please contact us at info@myhomebook.de.