Switch heating to heat pump

Hello everyone,

briefly about the initial situation:
Single-family house built in 2003, approx. 165 m2, underfloor heating throughout the house, photovoltaic system 13 kwp and storage. So far, heating has been done with gas (approx. 10,000 kWh consumption).
Our heating system has been running flawlessly until now. But our heating engineer thinks that we should slowly start thinking about renewing the heating system, as it is now over 20 years old and could slowly start causing problems.
At the moment, I am a bit unsure what to do. On the one hand, our heating system is running without problems so far, on the other hand, I think you probably shouldn’t wait to replace your heating system until there is a total failure.
Therefore, I am currently considering switching to a heat pump.
I would appreciate advice or experiences. Hope that I am not completely alone with this situation.

In the initial situation, you will certainly be able to switch to a heat pump without any problems. I would get a few offers and if there is a reasonable one, make the change. It is quite well subsidized, and with a 20-year-old heating system, I would not wait for a total breakdown.

Electricity currently costs about three times as much compared to gas.
A heat pump would operate in the house with a seasonal performance factor of about 3,
so that the heating costs probably would not change.
In the future, this could improve (if gas becomes more expensive and electricity cheaper).
The heat pump costs about €20,000 and you would receive about 45-50% funding.
The approximately €12,000 investment will not pay off through energy costs,
but only replace the "old" heating system.
In a few years, there may be better technology and more clarity regarding electricity/gas prices.
However, the funding might have expired by then.

Difficult decision.. personally, I would keep the gas heating running until the situation changes significantly.

I would appreciate advice or experiences. I hope I am not completely alone with this situation.

As already says. The exchange is possible without problems. But please take it very calmly. You are not in a hurry and prices will continue to fall. 1. Have a room-by-room heating load calculation done (costs about €150-200) 2. First get offers for heat pumps 3. Do nothing more this winter 4. For 2025, unless the gas heating breaks down, maybe have a look then. Subsidies should still be good - without them, heat pumps will not be viable in the coming years

We faced the same decision last year - although the house is a few years older and doesn’t have underfloor heating - and decided on a heat pump. Therefore:

- Get quotes
- Make a decision based on these
- Don’t wait until a total breakdown, that only puts you under pressure and makes it more expensive in the end
- Additionally, there are a few points of extra funding if an existing gas heating system is replaced
- And if you do it in the summer, you won’t have a cold house

I would do it again anytime.

but only replace the "old" heating system.

But that’s the point. After 20 years, the old heating system should be written off. Some may last 30 years, some are due after 15. The political aim is anyway to switch to a heat pump. And before you have to pay a very urgent price for a broken heating system in the middle of winter (because it always breaks down when it’s being used), I would rather change it in time, provided you get a reasonable offer. Admittedly, that’s the crux.