When homeowners look at their energy costs, it is often difficult for them to estimate how much their consumption compares to that of other households. Many of them only look at the values from the previous year and lose sight of the numerous savings potential. In many cases it is worth taking a closer look at electricity and heating energy.
The electricity requirement
If you want to get an overview of the average energy requirements of your home, you have to use various values. The first thing to mention here is the power consumption.
Basically, the more people live in the household, the higher the consumption. The type of hot water preparation also has an influence. If it is done electrically and not via the heater, this increases the electricity costs. The type of building is also important. Here the values in multi-family homes are often better than in single-family homes. In general, the following average values can be assumed:
- Single household: 1,000 to 2,000 kilowatt hours per year
- 2-person household: 1,500 to 3,000 kilowatt hours per year
- 3-person household: 2,000 to 3,500 kilowatt hours per year
- 4-person household: 3,000 to 4,500 kilowatt hours per year
If you look around different households, you can often see similar cost drivers. Old heating pumps, for example, are among the largest consumers of electricity. If you assume an average consumption of 500 to 800 kilowatt hours, at a price of 35 cents per kilowatt hour you will have additional costs of up to 230 euros per year. For this reason, consumers should get rid of models that are more than ten years old.
Lighting is also an issue. Around 330 kilowatt hours are needed annually to light the rooms. This can amount to energy costs of up to 115 euros. If you haven't already done so, we recommend switching to economical LED lamps. They use significantly less than energy-saving lamps and last much longer.
Other consumption drivers include tumble dryers, washing machines, WiFi routers, dishwashers and refrigerators. Care should be taken to ensure the highest possible energy efficiency.
More energy saving tips:
- Block out sunlight in summer
- No fans
- Use air conditioning with a high energy efficiency class
- Using photovoltaics to generate electricity
- Dry laundry in the fresh air
- Candles instead of light bulbs
- Showering instead of bathing
- Use high-quality insulation to reduce the load on electric heaters
The heating requirement
How much heating energy is required depends on the size and condition of the house. Older, unrenovated houses in particular are often in poor energy condition, meaning that a lot of heat escapes outside in winter.
The second decisive factor is the heating technology. What is important here is to use modern technology that utilizes the fuel used as efficiently as possible. User behavior should also be mentioned here. If consumers can cope with low temperatures, little energy is needed even in unrenovated old buildings.
Depending on the year of manufacture, the following consumption values are typical:
- 1970 to 1980: 300 to 300 kilowatt hours per square meter per year
- 1980 to 1990: 125 to 200 kilowatt hours per square meter per year
- 1990 to 2000: 90 to 125 kilowatt hours per square meter per year
- 2000 to today: 25 to 90 kilowatt hours per square meter per year
If you heat with liquid gas, wood or heating oil, you first have to convert the consumption values into kilowatt hours. The consumption can be approximately determined using the following values.
- Gas: Multiply the purchased volume in m³ by 10
- Heating oil: Multiply the purchased volume in l by 10
- Liquefied gas: Multiply the purchased volume in m³ by 28
- Firewood: Multiply the purchased mass in kg by 4.2
- Pellets: Multiply the purchased mass in kg by 4.9
What can you do if heating costs are too high?
If your own values are significantly above average consumption, there is great potential for savings. The following measures should be highlighted here.
Venting the heater and hydraulic balancing
If air gets into the heater, the heated water can no longer be distributed optimally. This leads to uneven heating and lower efficiency. As a result, the heating is then set at a higher level and costs increase. This problem can be solved with professional ventilation. With a little manual skills you can do this yourself. Alternatively, you can hire a plumber.
If changes have been made to the building or parts of the heating system have been replaced, it may happen that rooms near the boiler heat up excessively while others remain cool. Hydraulic balancing is recommended here, which is usually carried out by the heating engineer.
Have the heating serviced regularly
There are a number of defects that can increase heating costs. The heating system should therefore be inspected and maintained regularly. Useful measures include checking the functionality of heating emergency switches, the air supply for the burner as well as the signs of corrosion and the tightness of the water supply system.
Replacing the heating pump
The heating pump transports the heating water from the boiler to the radiator. Outdated models have the disadvantage that they work with consistent performance and consume an unnecessarily large amount of power. Modern high-efficiency versions offer significant savings potential in this regard and can be adapted to the actual heat requirement.
Heating check
During a heating check, an expert checks heat generation as well as heat transfer, heat distribution and hot water preparation. In doing so, he or she uncovers weak points that lead to increased consumption and high costs. Typical problem areas are inadequately insulated heating pipes, oversized boilers or leaks on the boiler surface.
Insulation and insulation
The prevention of heat loss is closely related to the heating performance. Among other things, it is important to check whether the doors and windows are tight and whether more effective multiple glazing can be used. Other starting points for savings include replacing or renewing the insulating material or leak tests on roller shutter boxes and radiator niches.
More savings options
- Avoid tilt ventilation
- Do not close the radiator
- Choose the right room temperature for living, working, sleeping and sanitary rooms
- Use of central hot water preparation
- Use of solar thermal systems
Conclusion
Anyone who buys a house should always keep the energy costs in mind as a fixed reference point for their investment volume. Depending on the owner's behavior, electricity and heating energy can have a major influence on whether buying a house is profitable or not in the long term. The most important starting points here are the modernization of the heating system and the optimization of the insulation. In addition, care must be taken to select electrical devices that are as energy-efficient as possible and to use them economically as needed.
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