Old boilers often consume a lot of energy and thus cause high costs

A combination with a central system is also possible.

In contrast to central water treatment, instantaneous water heaters only heat the amount of water actually required directly at the point of use. "No long lines to the tap are necessary", explains Wagnitz. The instantaneous water heaters can be installed close to the taps.

Gas combination thermal bath

"If there is a gas connection in the house or apartment, a combined gas boiler is also worth considering"says Brandis. In a sense, this is a combination of centralized and decentralized heating. A combined thermal bath usually does not have a storage tank for heated drinking water, but works as a flow heater.

It is usually located where the most hot water is needed – in the bathroom or kitchen. Compared to the instantaneous water heater and a boiler, however, a longer waiting time must be planned for warm water to flow.

Winter is approaching with giant strides and a procedure that has meanwhile become a nasty routine is already repeating itself: Just in time for the start of the heating season, the German gas suppliers are announcing, in some cases drastic price increases. It is all the more important that your own heating is in perfect condition in winter. According to the German Energy Agency (dena), however, there is unused potential for savings in almost every heating system.

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It is a ritual that consumers hate, but is apparently dear to the utilities: shortly before the start of the heating season, the price screw is turned vigorously.

Almost every heating has savings potential

The consumer is largely powerless against this additional burden. For example, you can look around for a cheaper provider with the help of an online gas price calculator, but the general tendency for prices to rise does not change anything in the medium and long term.

wirtschaft.t-online.de

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In order to keep the additional costs within acceptable limits, it is important not to waste valuable heating energy. Even with an optimally set heating system, heating costs can be reduced considerably. How high the possible savings are, of course, depends on the current status of the heating system. Dena offers a computer on its website with which you can determine your personal savings potential in a few seconds.

Investments that pay off

With old heating systems, the greatest savings potential is usually found in the installation of a modern boiler and a new, efficient heating pump. However, both initially require investments. A new boiler immediately costs several thousand euros. Money that certainly not everyone has on the high edge.

A good and modern heating pump, on the other hand, is available from around 200 euros. Old pumps are mostly unregulated and run continuously. In comparison, new pumps allow the water to circulate in the heating pipes with around 80 percent less electricity consumption. A new heating pump usually pays for itself after just a few years.

Have the heater serviced by a professional

But even if you don’t want to make any new investments in heating: In any case, the entire system should be carefully examined by a professional in winter. "Regular maintenance of the heating by a specialist increases the service life of the system and lowers energy costs", inform the experts at dena. This is the only way to detect cost-relevant errors – for example a flow temperature that is set too high – and to rectify them.

Saving through hydraulic balancing

Once the heating specialist is in the house, you should ask him immediately about a hydraulic heating adjustment. The water in the heating pipes always takes the path of least resistance, so that long, thin and winding pipes carry less warm water than thick and short ones. The result is that different amounts of warm water reach the radiators, so that some get too warm and others not warm enough.

With hydraulic balancing, bottlenecks are specifically built into the pipeline network, which regulate the flow in such a way that each radiator is supplied with the required heating power at the end.https://123helpme.me/argumentative-essay/ The installation is complicated and must be carried out by a specialist company. The costs vary widely and amount to one to six euros per square meter of living space. The annual savings volume can be estimated at around 1.50 euros to 1.80 euros per square meter of living space.

Insulate heating and hot water pipes

"Anyone can take a number of simple measures into their own hands or have them done by a craftsman for little money", explains Christian Stolte, division manager at dena. The energy-saving expert is thinking primarily of the insulation of heating and hot water pipes that run over plaster. Without the insulation, a large part of the thermal energy contained in the water would simply evaporate in cold basement rooms, which would be unintentionally heated via the uninsulated pipes. Coating the pipes could significantly reduce heat losses, says the dena man.

Heating optimization is subsidized by the state

Many individual measures to optimize heating are subsidized by the state. The Kreditanstalt für Wiederaufbau (KfW) grants low-interest loans for many modernizations. However, it is not easy to keep track of the jungle of different funding opportunities. The heating contractor can inform you about the most sensible funding pots for your personal case. If you want independent advice, consider hiring an energy advisor. The funding calculator on the dena website provides an initial overview of which measures are funded and in what volume.

Certain boilers now require an energy label. This innovation came into force at the turn of the year. You can find out which boilers the regulation applies to and how to get the label here.

Old boilers often consume a lot of energy and thus cause high costs. Since January 1, 2019, a new label has been required to provide information about the efficiency of boilers built before 1996.

This is indicated by the information program "Future old building" of the Ministry of the Environment Baden-Württemberg. The chimney sweep responsible affix the label free of charge as part of their regular inspection. The efficiency of the device is indicated on the label. However, there is no data on heating costs there. Until the turn of the year, a label was mandatory until it was installed in 1993.

When is an exchange worthwhile

In the case of old devices, it may be worthwhile to replace them, they say. From efficiency class C or D and an age of 20 years, a renewal is economical in many cases.

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Most consumers are already familiar with the energy label through household appliances such as refrigerators and tumble dryers. The classification currently ranges from A ++ to E for heaters. Class A +++ will be added from the end of September 2019. Class E is not applicable for this.

Sources used: dpa news agency

Germany’s farmers fear for their existence. The responsible minister Julia Klöckner is under pressure. Among other things, she urges consumers to spend more money on their food. Not everyone can afford that. 

Germany’s farmers are loud: With heavy equipment they vent their anger in political Berlin. You want firm commitments, planning security, appreciation – and money. They get far too little for their products. On the other hand, there are mandatory measures to protect the environment and the climate and the desire of consumers to pay as little as possible. In an interview with t-online.de, the Agriculture Minister argues that Germans should spend more money on food. But for some it is not that easy. 

According to Eurostat, the share of food and non-alcoholic beverages in private consumer spending in this country was just under eleven percent in 2018. This proportion is constant over the previous years. The proportion is only lower in Austria, Luxembourg, Ireland and Great Britain. The EU average is more than twelve percent higher. Romania is the front runner: on average, almost 28 percent of income is spent on food. Lithuania follows some way behind in second place – there are just under 21 percent. 

Although the share of the cost of food in Germany is comparatively low, it is difficult for many people here to eat a balanced diet. For low-wage earners, poor pensioners – and Hartz IV recipients, for example.

Hartz IV rate increased minimally – by a few cents per day

The standard rate has been 432 euros since January 1, 2020. It was increased by two percentage points to eight euros. In a community of needs, the rate is currently 389 euros per month. The adjustments are based on the price and net wage development. The sum is intended to cover the costs of food, clothing, personal hygiene, household items, electricity (but not heating costs) and other needs of daily life – and in part also the costs for social and cultural participation. Housing costs are also covered to a reasonable extent. 

For a month with 30 days, the recipients have 14.40 euros per day at their disposal for all this. The standard rate for minors in recipient families is even lower: 308 euros per month for children under 14 years of age, 328 euros for 14 to 18 year olds. Single parents, pregnant women and other people with additional needs receive additional benefits. One-off payments for special expenses are also possible. So should a "decent subsistence level" guaranteed, says the federal government.

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The standard rate for adults provides 150.60 euros per month for food and non-alcoholic drinks, a little over a third of the total. Calculated on the day, that’s around five euros – for three meals. A balanced diet is hardly possible with this amount. T-online.de reported about this in March 2018 – despite the increase in the Hartz IV rate, people only have a few cents more per day. Every price increase has a huge impact on those in need. If costs rise without corresponding adjustments in one area, savings must be made in another. However, since the need is determined meticulously, this is hardly possible. 

Sources used: State Center for Civic Education Baden-Württemberg: ALG II standard set of own research

In spring, the heating oil tank of many homeowners is half empty. Many believe that now, in the mild season, they can buy heating oil particularly cheaply and that when the temperatures drop, they will have to expect higher prices. But this old rule no longer applies.

overview

Predictions for the oil price are hardly possibleRegional price differencesGroup ordering saves moneyHeating must be switched offWhoever modernizes saves money

Heating oil prices vary from region to region. You should therefore compare the prices of several heating oil suppliers with each other before you order. It is best to ask for the current prices directly on the phone. More tips for buying heating oil can be found here.

Predictions for the oil price are hardly possible

Many still believe that in the months with mild temperatures, prices are particularly low due to lack of demand. But the ideal time to buy heating oil has not been around for a long time. Looking at the price development over the past few years, the same seasonal effects cannot always be observed. Since the heating oil price is based on the oil price on the stock exchange, it is hardly possible to make predictions.

The development of the oil price and thus also of the heating oil price depends on various factors. The US dollar rate plays a role, but so does supply and demand in the oil markets. There is also the energy tax, which is a fixed amount per liter. According to this, the share of energy tax in the price increases the cheaper the heating oil is.

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Compare heating oil prices

If you want to buy cheap heating oil, you should regularly compare the prices of several suppliers. "It’s definitely worth it, because there can be huge price differences"says Aribert Peters, chairman of the Federation of Energy Consumers.

The easiest way to compare heating oil prices is via the Internet. After entering the postal code, type and quantity of heating oil, databases determine the price that dealers are currently offering. In addition, an offer from a local mineral oil dealer can be obtained. "The final prices should be compared and not the prices per 100 liters, which are often shown graphically", advises Stiftung Warentest. The prices in bold sometimes lacked certain surcharges such as dangerous goods surcharges or flat delivery charges. "Particularly cheap providers often have long delivery times of up to 25 working days", so Stiftung Warentest.