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Increasing BER

  • 03-11-2024 12:51AM
    #1
    smndly
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 234 ✭✭


    I recently bought a house and trying to bring the BER up to a B3 to avail of green mortgage rates.

    The house is currently a C2. It’s well insulated. No solar.

    Biggest offender is an old conventional gas fired central heating system.

    I was looking at replacing that with a new condenser gas boiler and I’m going to block up the gas fireplace and chimney. (I’m not interested in heat pump). Any idea if those changes would get us up to a B3?



Comments

  • #2
    Alkers
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,935 ✭✭✭Alkers


    Do you have the existing ber report?

    First things first what is the rating as opposed to the category, you might be just below what's required for c1 for example.

    The report will make recommendations, I'm not an asssesor but open fireplaces do have a big impact on the score. Ensure all lightbulbs are led will make a difference also.

    If your sole aim is to improve ber and not comfort, warmth etc, I think the cheapest way will be to get a small 2.5kW PV system installed for the best price you can



  • #3
    smndly
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 234 ✭✭smndly


    Yes BER cert states 178.5kw/msq/yr so definitely close to a C1 which is less than 175.

    I think the boiler is a gonner so needs to be replaced regardless and I want to fill in chimney for comfort. So was wondering if those changes would likely tip the BER into B category without the need for solar panels? In other words is it worth while doing these changes and then getting a BER cert redone or is there no chance of getting to a B with these two changes?



  • #4
    J_1980
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 641 ✭✭✭J_1980


    the heat source efficiency is usually stated. New condensing Boilers are >90% so you can lower the kw/m^2/yr by just multiplying by the efficiency ration old/new



  • #5
    smndly
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 234 ✭✭smndly


    new boiler is 90% efficiency.
    Old boiler is 80%. So does that mean reduce kW/msq/yr by 10? Sorry not sure on the maths.



  • #6
    Deagol
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,845 ✭✭✭Deagol


    Put up as many solar panels as you can fit. BER will go up quite a lot as the overall affect on the BER calculation is quite high. (My house went from C1 to B1 with 6.1kw of panels on a 320sqm house).



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  • #7
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 8,532 ✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    Whats the monthly savings on a green morthage versus the costs of the upgrades required to get you into the ber category? Im guessing you will be a while before you see your money back. Upgrades including solar could be 10k plus. Boiler could be 3k plus.



  • #8
    ted1
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 24,358 ✭✭✭✭ted1


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122795204#Comment_122795204

    solar will pay for itself very fast.
    boiler not so much.



  • #9
    smndly
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 234 ✭✭smndly


    I have to change the boiler as i think it’s likely not repairable. So I’m wondering if the change from an 80% efficiency boiler to 90% would bring me up to a b3 as I have to do this change anyway?



  • #10
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 8,532 ✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122795299#Comment_122795299

    Thats a broad sweeping statement.



  • #11
    ted1
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 24,358 ✭✭✭✭ted1


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122795449#Comment_122795449

    in what sense.
    Solar has a very good payback period of less than 7 years


    A boiler will set you back €3000
    going from a 80% to 90% will save 12,5% of Gas bill excluding standing charges , which means you’d need to spend €24k on heating before you get your €3k back


    my gas spend in 3 bed semi d with a C2 is less than €1000 a year so that’s 24 years payback. Just replace your boiler when it breaks

    With solar you’ll also get hot water so that 24k will take longer



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  • #12
    smndly
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 234 ✭✭smndly


    If we can just go back to my original question. Can anyone with knowledge of BER calculations figure out what my kw/msq/year would go to by installing a gas boiler with 90percent efficiency compared to my current gas boiler which is an 80% efficiency boiler. Currently BER cert says house is 178.5kw/msq/yr.



  • #13
    ted1
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 24,358 ✭✭✭✭ted1


    what wa your report say. A front door may be a better purchase



  • #14
    FledNanders
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 420 ✭✭FledNanders


    Can't answer your specific question on the BER maths of it, but installing remote heating controls like Nest also improves BER. So doing this while installing the new boiler would make sense



  • #15
    spaceHopper
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,170 ✭✭✭spaceHopper


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122795660#Comment_122795660

    The OP is concerned that the boiler has reached the end of it's life so has accepted they will have to spend the 3k replacing it.

    OP I'd do the boiler (as you are going to do it anyway. Add heating zones, so down stairs, upstairs, hot water (or combi boiler)

    Get the chimneys plaster boarded over with a small vent in it so they don't get damp and have the top capped so you don't get nests and to stop rain water.

    Change all old bulbs to LED and check your windows, are they old whats the frames like, whats the glass like.

    After you do the boiler, get a a BER, you could hit the B3 and happy days.

    After that then look at solar, if you still need the B3 or you want the benefit of a good solar system



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