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Best heating system to upgrade to

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  • 06-04-2021 6:08pm
    #1
    bawn79
    Registered Users Posts: 419 ✭✭


    I'm thinking of doing some home improvements.

    I have a house from the 70/80s, I want to do something with the heating system. There is some gun-barrell piping in parts of system that will eventually need to be replaced anyway so wondering about doing it all in one go. The rads are from the 80s and the oil boiler is a Firebird 90. There is a immersion cylinder for hot-water outside of the boiler, no zones.

    There are l think 18 rads in the place.

    I'd like better more efficient rads, zoning for upstairs, downstairs and hot water on its own. There is gas in the town so I could potentially go down that road. Haven't a clue what to do about anything renewable, I see some things I've read online recommending air to heat pumps. Mid-west area.

    What would people recommend for effiency short term and in the long term?


Comments

  • Options
    #2
    Calahonda52
    Registered Users Posts: 12,193 ✭✭✭✭Calahonda52


    1: reduce the heating demand so what is the current state of the building fabric, including windows/doors/ floors/ attic/airtightness.
    2: is cylinder lagged with the green stuff?

    you need to max out the airtightness and minimise the heat losses to use a heat pump.

    “I can’t pay my staff or mortgage with instagram likes”.



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    #3
    bawn79
    Registered Users Posts: 419 ✭✭bawn79


    Calahonda52 wrote: »
    1: reduce the heating demand so what is the current state of the building fabric, including windows/doors/ floors/ attic/airtightness.
    2: is cylinder lagged with the green stuff?

    you need to max out the airtightness and minimise the heat losses to use a heat pump.

    It is not up to the standard of of a heat pump. I see www.superhomes.ie giving prices of retrofits for heat pumps of between 30k - 55k on average and really I don't see how you can justify that personally.

    However the heating system does need to be upgraded, I think it is best to do it now and some more insulating / airtightening rather than doing anymore of that and having to rip it out when the gun barrell eventually gives up. So I'm trying to come up with a cost efficient solution if there is one out there.


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    #4
    Calahonda52
    Registered Users Posts: 12,193 ✭✭✭✭Calahonda52


    Do the math on the super homes annual savings over say a 30 year period, assuming fuel prices and carbon taxes will double

    “I can’t pay my staff or mortgage with instagram likes”.



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    #5
    Yellow_Fern
    Registered Users Posts: 2,570 ✭✭✭Yellow_Fern


    Hards to say but an airtight test might find easy to fix draughts that give a great ROV or might find few. But I think investitive works are an affordable way to start the process.


  • Options
    #6
    NeuralNetwork
    Closed Accounts Posts: 727 ✭✭✭NeuralNetwork


    If the house isn’t that well insulated, upgrade it and upgrade the controls on the heating system too.

    I would go with something like a very efficient modern gas boiler & maybe look into grants for solar hot water.

    Retrofitting heat pumps, at least until they can really match the output of a gas boiler (which will eventually happen) just is a significant task unless you’re doing a major renovation anyway.

    If you’re doing a total renovation of a whole house, they can become a much more attractive option though.


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    #7
    bawn79
    Registered Users Posts: 419 ✭✭bawn79


    Thanks for your comments.


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    #8
    Gumbo
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 38,436 Mod ✭✭✭✭Gumbo


    Air tightness.
    Insulation.
    Controlled ventilation.
    Possibly UFH with A2W and external insulation.

    That would be the Avenue I’d explore if I was building.
    Basically a passive house.


  • Options
    #9
    Yellow_Fern
    Registered Users Posts: 2,570 ✭✭✭Yellow_Fern


    I guess you have long finished your work but I might add as much 22mm piping as you can, short runs and an outdoor drain valve



  • Options
    #10
    circadian
    Registered Users Posts: 6,898 ✭✭✭circadian


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120405588#Comment_120405588

    Just a quick note on this OP, if you're considering you might go down the heat pump route later then larger bore piping might be an idea. I'd talk to a plumber though as I'm not sure how it would impact a gas boiler.



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