Is a gas boiler possible without solar?

...however, the building authority is not quite as stupid and blind as some people like to assume.

In the regular building application procedure, the building supervision and other involved authorities not only examine the building application very carefully but also come to the construction site at fixed appointments. In the simplified approval procedure, there are only random checks, unless a "friendly" person has given a tip. Then the random check becomes a case-specific examination.

I assume that this is not only valid for NRW but handled similarly nationwide. In this respect, I would always avoid deviating from the building permit; although fines are often imposed in such cases, there are also cases where a demolition must be carried out. Only - even fines hurt

Rhenish regards

Hi, the accuracy of the inspections will probably depend heavily on the workload of the building authority and the presence of "friendly fellow human beings." But I would better not rely on "nothing will happen"!

For example, if you simply omit the ST still present in the building application, I would strongly recommend at least leading the lines to the roof and also placing a corresponding bivalent heat storage next to the heating system. This reduces the possible savings from €5000 to probably only €3000, but then you can still easily retrofit the modules quickly in case of emergency.

I know someone who did it that way and no one has complained for 3 years. Although both from the street and in tools like Google.Maps you can clearly see that no solar modules are installed there.

Is there actually a statute of limitations for such things? Like, after XXX years no one complained, no one can complain anymore?

Best regards,

Andreas

Hi,

this probably depends a lot on the local building authority.

Hm - at our place, the building authority went through the development area and looked at several things. This also led to one builder being asked to completely remove and rebuild his roof due to an excessively large roof overhang. Whether he was able to prevent this or possibly convert it into a fine, I don’t know – but the building authority is definitely not as stupid and blind as some people like to assume.

There are hip roofs here, although they are explicitly excluded in the development plan, there are gable roofs, also officially excluded, and at most half of the garages have the actually required greenery. I know of one case where someone had to pay the "outrageous" sum of 600 € fine for an unauthorized roof overhang. But that was it...

However, I don’t believe that they are "blind and stupid" here—in fact, during my visits to the building authority, they appeared very competent to me. Maybe, thankfully, they simply focus on things that are important and leave people alone…

I will definitely have everything prepared by the heating engineer. This means that all pipes will be laid under the roof so that a connection to a solar system is possible at short notice.

obviously they have too much money and want to install outdated technology - boilers should actually be banned! Everyone should make a possible contribution for the environment and for the descendants of our humanity. I can very well understand that they do not have solar water heating, as the hot water demand is not very high. The largest amount of energy consumed by a user is used by everyone here for building heating. Every house has a roof that should withstand the weather. A normal solar roof can ensure this and at the same time provide a large part of the required heating energy free of charge to the users over an almost unlimited period of time. This relieves the environment, conserves existing raw materials, and uses free solar energy. The sun does not send a bill! There is no VAT obligation. A solar system for [Thermie] or [Voltaik], which requires a roof because they are not watertight, requires double expenditure above the living spaces. Congratulations to the experts who still install boilers without a guilty conscience. For me, cogeneration technology in heating has been a technology worth more than the so-called "lower heating value technology" of well-known boiler sellers or manufacturers and sales corporations for over 35 years. The physics and fundamentals of the laws of nature cannot be changed by colorful brochures, nor by laws or regulations. We are also only part of nature in which we are allowed to spend a time and should appreciate this.

Obviously they have too much money and want to install yesterday’s technology—boilers really should be banned! Everyone should make some possible contribution for the environment and for the descendants of humanity. That it cannot do solar hot water heating I understand very well, since the hot water demand is not very high. The largest amount of energy consumed by a user is used for building heating. Every house has a roof that should withstand the weather. A normal solar roof can secure this and at the same time provide users with a large part of the required heating energy for free over an almost unlimited period of time. This relieves the environment, conserves the available raw materials, and uses free solar energy. The sun doesn’t send a bill! There is no VAT obligation. A solar system for thermal or photovoltaic, which requires a roof because they are not watertight, requires double expenditure above the living space. Congratulations to the experts who still install boilers without a guilty conscience. For me, condensing technology in heating has been a technology worth it for over 35 years compared to the so-called “heating value technology,” known from heating boiler sellers or manufacturers and sales corporations. The physics and basics of natural laws cannot be changed by colorful brochures, nor by laws or regulations. We are also only part of nature in which we are allowed to spend some time and should appreciate that.

With all due respect—the statement as it stands is quite provocative. Even though I understand and can follow the basic message, everyone makes their own decision, partly for personal/financial reasons. Therefore, if such comments are made, they should be conveyed in a factual manner.

One small note on the comment: “There is no VAT obligation.” Correct—it’s called sales tax (19%) and must also be paid on own consumption via the annual tax return.

PS: We have a photovoltaic system on the roof—so don’t think I am against photovoltaics.