After the Italian boom period from Ecobonus and Superbonus, many are wondering how to modify their heating system.
As always, the first piece of advice we give is to contact qualified technicians and professionals, as these are vital systems for home safety and incentives subject to very restrictive regulations.
First of all, it should be noted that it is unlikely that only the intervention on the thermal power plant, and therefore on the heating system, will allow a jump in energy classes and often this type of intervention must be accompanied by the thermal insulation of the external walls, doors and windows and other driving systems such as solar thermal or photovoltaic panels, based on what the preliminary energy survey will establish, to be entrusted to a qualified technician.
Also, you can follow these tips to improve an existing system.
After these necessary premises, let’s see what interventions on the thermal power plant can be considered starting from the type of terminal, i.e. radiators, radiant floor system, low-temperature system.
Renew a system with radiators
If you want to keep the system as it is (therefore, if you don’t want to switch to other systems such as underfloor heating or others), you can opt for a condensing boiler, driven by a solar thermal system.
The condensing boiler allows the recovery of the heat present in the combustion fumes through a heat exchanger: the encounter between the hot air produced by the boiler and the colder water returning from the radiators creates condensation and part of the heat present in the air pre-heats the water passing through the coil, so that water at a higher temperature reaches the boiler burner. This process allows energy savings of between 7 and 30% compared to traditional boilers, without forgetting that they could have, in a few years, a much greener implication than expected (read here!).
In addition, the combination with thermal solar panels allows you to further increase these savings, using the heat of the sun to heat the system delivery water.
Renew a system with radiators or floor
Whether you have a classic system with radiators or with an underfloor heating system, the optimal solution could be a hybrid system, i.e. a condensing boiler supporting a heat pump. In the hybrid system, the two heat generators communicate with each other: the heat pump works as long as the system deems it convenient but, if further input is required, the boiler comes into action.
This system is even more efficient if the heat pump is connected to a solar photovoltaic with energy storage (to further reduce the consumption of electricity).
We remind you that the use of the heat pump alone is ideal for low-temperature terminals, with delivery temperatures of about 40°C, typical of radiant systems such as underfloor systems. If the heat pump were to feed old cast iron radiators, for example, the ratio between the thermal power produced and the electrical power absorbed would make it impossible to pay back the initial investment.
Renew a low-temperature system
As we have just said, low-temperature systems include radiant floor systems, but also air systems (split or fan-coil).
In this case, you can opt for a heat pump integrated with a solar photovoltaic with storage through battery packs, so that even in the absence of sun, it is possible to use the stored energy to operate the heat pump, saving on the bill.
With such a solution, it’s possible to forget about the gas supply, as long as you are not using it for cooking.
Fun fact
Did you know that we could speak of a low-temperature system even in the presence of radiators?
In fact, if the house is insulated efficiently, the heat demand will be lower, so the radiators could perform well even with a lower flow temperature, or in any case by increasing their number, with a consequent increase in the radiant surface.
Which thermostat to choose for the new system?
Once you have chosen the system, thanks to the help of your trusted professionals, we refer you to our articles dedicated to which type of chronothermostat or room thermostat to install:
- How to replace an old room thermostat
- How to choose the right room thermostat for classic and underfloor heating systems
- How to choose the right room thermostat for combined heating and cooling systems
- Why do choose a radio thermostat?
Check with the technician what incentives there are based on the type of thermostat chosen.
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