enEnglisch
Energy saving tips
Prospective Customers
Saving energy always pays off!
For the environment and your wallet.
Responsible use of our resources not only protects the environment but also our wallets. Even small changes can make a big difference.
Every megawatt hour of heat generated by an oil heating system releases around 300 kg of CO2 into the atmosphere – as much as approx. 24 adult beech trees convert into oxygen in an entire year. This means that with every megawatt hour we generate in Grünwald not by burning heating oil, but from geothermal energy, we do the job of a small beech forest.
Our hot tips
Saving energy with a geothermal connection
Over 80 percent of energy consumption is used by private households in Germany for heating and hot water. Many of our customers report significant energy savings since the district heating connection went into operation. This may be due to various factors.
On the one hand, district heating does not incur the losses fossil heating systems do; these can be over 30% with old boilers.
On the other hand, energy can be saved by:
- Adjusting the heating and hot water preparation times according to customer needs.
- Adjusting the hydraulic pressure.
- Reducing the flow temperature.
- Installing high-efficiency pumps (which saves electricity).
- Using the night setback system.
Insulating is easy – and saves money
Less heat is lost through insulation. You can easily seal leaking windows and doors yourself. Laying additional layers of insulation, e.g. in the attic or on the basement ceiling, significantly reduces energy loss.
Additionally protected heating pipes and hot water pipes also help to reduce energy consumption. The Energy Saving Ordinance (Energiesparverordnung, or EnEV for short) is part of German building and environmental law and describes in detail the requirements for insulation thickness in relation to pipe thickness for heat distribution and hot water pipes.
Adapted heating and ventilation behavior
Through your individual heating and ventilation behavior, you can reduce your consumption and save energy. Here are some valuable tips:
- Since lowering the room temperature by one degree already reduces your heating costs, the temperatures in the individual rooms should be adapted to the rooms' respective use.
- Optimum room temperatures: 22° Celsius in the bathroom, 20° in living rooms, 16° in bedrooms, kitchens and unused rooms, and 15° in the hallway.
- Keep doors of heated rooms closed if possible and close curtains and shutters at night to prevent heat loss.
- The most effective way to ventilate is to open the windows completely two to four times a day with the heating turned off. When the outside temperature is around zero, 3-5 minutes are enough, otherwise 10-15 minutes.
- The heat should flow unhindered into the room. Covers, furniture, long curtains and drapes in front of the radiators obstruct the flow of the warm air.
- Thermostatic valves must also be able to 'feel' the temperature freely and not be blocked or insulated.
- For an optimal heating circuit, vent the radiators until they drip. Radiator vent keys are available at the hardware store or specialized stores.
Environmental Office at Grünwald City Hall
City Hall's Environmental Office can provide valuable information on energy, electricity and water conservation and current grant programs.
Terminology
Hydraulic balancing
Hydraulic balancing solves the problem of heat distribution. Each radiator is individually adjusted according to the heat demand of the room. In the process, the same resistances are created in the pipe network for all radiators. The heating water now flows evenly through all parts of the building. Without heating balancing, the system is severely impaired!
Flow temperature
The flow temperature in a central heating system is the temperature of the heating water that is supplied to the radiators or an underfloor heating system, for example. Correspondingly, the return temperature is the temperature of the cooled water that flows back to the heating system. The difference between flow and return temperature is called temperature spread. In combination with the volume flow of the heating water, the transported heat output and heat quantity can be determined with the help of a meter.
High-efficiency pumps
The so-called high-efficiency pump is a modern circulation pump that conducts the generated heat from the boiler into the heating pipes. Compared to conventional heating pumps, it runs in a controlled manner and has a minimal energy consumption, i.e. it saves energy. Best case scenario, you save 3/4 of the electricity costs. In larger buildings, the HE pump is also suitable for domestic hot water circulation. It reacts to pressure changes in the pipe and only runs when needed.
Night setback
Night setback refers to the reduction of a daytime setpoint temperature to a lower setpoint temperature at night. Night setback is used in private and public buildings. The temperature of the heating is generally controlled via the outdoor temperature sensor in all heating systems.
More about Erdwärme Grünwald
Are you interested in a district heating connection? Discover the possibilities.
How does geothermal energy work and how does the heat come into your home?
As a local energy company, we also offer support and help wherever we can.