Gas condensing boiler, air-water heat pump, fuel cells - please advise

Hello everyone,

we are currently in the planning phase for our new home. A city villa with about 157sqm is being built according to the Energy Saving Ordinance.

My favorite until this morning was a heat pump with deep drilling plus a normal fireplace. The drilling company declined the order today due to too high a risk. That means I need a new heating alternative.

We are 3 people, man, woman and toddler + possibly another one. The child actually goes into the bathtub daily, so a relatively high hot water consumption will probably occur. A rain shower would be desirable.

1. Air-to-water heat pump, somehow I just don’t get along with this thing. On the one hand, it bothers me that the system is very sensitive to the outside temperature and on the other hand, the appearance on the house and the acoustics.

2. Gas condensing boiler with solar hot water support and central ventilation with heat recovery. Since a relatively large water tank is necessary here, I thought about using a water-bearing fireplace. The risk of overheating the living room is reduced among other things and the remaining energy can be used for the water. Wood working is my hobby. Saw license, saw, wood splitter, trailer and relatively cheap wood are available.

3. My house builder then suggested an alternative to the gas boiler. That would be the fuel cell, I have not dealt with it at all yet. Does anyone have experience with it?

I hope you can help me. Oh yes, trench collector is ruled out due to too little space on the property.

2. Everything else does not pay off.

Clearly option 2. But even there with underfloor heating and heating load calculation + calculation of the underfloor heating. Then you are already safe at the first heating system replacement in x decades. Maybe by then there will be an air heat pump at Aldi to take away with super efficiency..who knows?

So gas is always the best, but it has to be available. Oil would also be great, but almost no one installs it anymore and everyone thinks you're crazy, even though the heaters have become very efficient and you don't need big tanks anymore.

Air-water heat pumps have improved a lot compared to the earlier ones that were loud and inefficient. BUT these things don't pay off financially, due to high investment and short lifespan.

Deep drilling is financially the most expensive depending on the offer and only suitable for enthusiasts.

So go with gas and then you'll be happy :)

Exactly, gas condensing boiler

You have to look at it soberly and free yourself from all fascination with technology. I calculate like this. House 108 sqm, 600 Euro gas p.a. 6000,- investment Junkers boiler plus 6 sqm fuel cells plus storage, divided by 10 years gives again 600,- p.a. Gas connection 750,- divided by 100 years house lifetime gives 7.50 p.a. Plus 25,- Euro chimney sweep p.a. 1232.50 costs p.a. With a 10 year consideration. What do you think the air-water heat pump or the fuel cell costs. Always calculate 10 years, anything else is not honest. A 20 year consideration the system does not even endure. Karsten