Germany continues to intensify draconian measures to cut energy consumption…
Germans struggling to keep warm. (Symbol image, cropped here).
As if the costs for heating in Germany weren’t expensive enough. Already addled with high natural gas and heating oil costs, German residential building owners are now being required to replace gas furnaces that are 30 years old or more, according to a new law that went into effect on January 1st.
Violators will see their heating systems shut down
German site Blackout News.de here: “Homeowners in Germany are legally obligated under the Building Energy Act § 72 (GEG) to replace their old boilers after 30 years. This affects about 2 million oil and gas heating systems in Germany at the end of the year. Refusal or failure to do so will result in fines and the responsible chimney sweeper can even have the heating system shut down.”
In Germany, by law, all chimneys are inspected at least annually by chimney sweepers, who will be checking the gas heater’s nameplate. Of course, “heating systems that are powered by renewable energies, e.g. wood pellets burners, are exempt from the obligations.”
“Homeowners who purchased their property after Feb. 1, 2002, have two years to install a new heating system if they purchase an older home with an existing old heating system,” reports Blackout News.
More costs for tenants
“And if the apartment or house is rented, “the owner is required to replace the heating system if it is 30 years or older. Anyone who has purchased or is about to purchase a property with oil or gas heating after the cut-off date must replace the heating system in any case if it is over 30 years old, even if they live in it themselves.”
The law will further increase the burden on landlords, who in turn will pass the costs on to their tenants.
New law bans new oil heating systems in private buildings beginning in 2026
“The installation of new oil condensing boilers is only permitted until the end of 2025; from 2026, the installation of new oil heating systems is generally prohibited – provided that alternative heat generation is possible,” writes Blackout News. “The state is promoting the replacement of old heating systems with a number of subsidy programs to reduce the costs for those affected. However, corresponding applications for subsidies must be submitted before the conversion is carried out.”
Well you kinow what they used to say in the30’s and 40’s…Sik Hill!
It is the lifetime of a heating system, usually. The furnace installed in 1974 was replaced with a 90 percent efficient 100,000 btu furnace. The old furnace was costing me 235 USD per month during winter months burning natural gas. After the new furnace was installed, the cost fell to 150 USD per month and less. The old furnace was 80 percent efficient, a 10 percent difference along with the age of the furnace, it became obsolete, made a substantial difference in efficiency.
The heat exchanger was cracked and soot-ed up the chimney. What was a normally hot to the touch chimney exhaust was cool and never did heat up again. One month of heating cost with a bad furnace was over 400 USD.
I did question the cost of the heating bill to the utility, requested an inspection of the meter hardware. Was informed that they do not fail. After the new furnace was installed and the heating bill was half and less, the utility came to inspect the meter and changed it out. I think they suspected tampering.
All I did was replace the old furnace for a new one. The utility did not do anything until they thought there was some kind of fouling of the system. The dirty dogs.
Out with the old and in with the new.
It is in your best interest to have an inspected furnace by qualified HVAC certified technicians.
It can be a blessing in disguise.
Any item, say a furnace, that repeatedly cycles from hot to cold will experience wear. Inspections and maintenance are good ideas. Whether a mandatory replacement after 30 years should be required — likely was debated. {33 sounds better!, suggesting it was debated and not plucked from …}
I replaced the heater/AC when the “heating” part quit, reasoning that a new unit would be better than fixing a 20 year-old unit.
I replaced a simple iron-box wood stove with a modern catalytic burner stove with the State Govt. picking up the sales tax on the new one.
These two things have in common that they required “up-front” money. Considerations of emissions did not enter the equation.
I’d be surprised if spare parts for 30 year old furnaces would still be available.
I live in an area with no mains gas, we’re on oil. We changed our boiler a few years ago & the new one is vastly more economical than the old.
Adam … from experience the items that commonly fail ie the thermocouple on the pilot light or fan motors are readily available but the serious items like the heat exchangers that last decades before failure usually aren’t available since they tend to fail about when folks want new furnaces. I am talking about hot air furnaces not those using hot water with boilers …. they can almost go forever but modern designs are significantly more efficient. Recently we replaced a 35 year old unit that was fine with a new one with “rated” 40% more efficiency (it was used for hot tub / pool water heating.
This is also FUN news from Germany…
https://twitter.com/JoanieLemercier/status/1609934271027847168My fellow modern moron slaves the Secular Ruling Families and Billionaires will achieve Their Goals unless… CULL this part!!
The wisdom of replacing old equipment HIDES severe adverse consequences caused by this regulation. It will cause homeowners to use biomass and electricity to heat residences. Why? Fuel oil is banned. Natural gas supplies are now inadequate, and they will remain so if anti-fossil fuel tyrants have their way.
So, more forests in Germany and elsewhere will be destroyed.
And, Germany’s electricity system will become more vulnerable to severe disruptions. Those disruptions will almost certainly ripple across much of Europe given cross border trading of electricity.
If I can foresee the adverse consequences, the geniuses behind this regulation know and accept the harms to be inflicted upon Heidi, Hans, Francoise, Francois, Sven and Elsa.
Awesome post