What’s The Best Heating System For A New Build?

The beauty of moving into a new build home is that you have so much flexibility to install whatever heating system you want. Rather than putting up with a traditional oil or gas boiler which isn’t sustainable for the environment or your wallet, you can look at cost-effective renewable alternatives. The best heating system for a new build should be cost-effective and energy efficient. This will ensure you save money on your energy bills once you move into your new home. As new builds have to be built to certain energy efficient standards, renewable systems are the best choice. Some of the best options to consider include:

Air To Water Heat Pumps

An increasingly common choice among Irish homeowners, air to water heat pumps extract heat from the outside air and transform it into usable heat for the home. Whilst standard boilers need to operate at high temperatures, an air to water heat pump can operate at much lower temperatures. Relying on the outside air alone, every 1KW of energy used to power the heat pump is capable of providing up to 5KW of energy in a well-insulated home. Considered by many to be the best heating system for a new build, heat pumps can help to reduce heating bills and CO2 emissions in the home by more than half. 

Solar Heating 

Another option for some new builds will be solar power. Solar thermal panels collect energy from the sun and use it to deliver hot water for the home. The benefit of solar power is that it’s relatively cheap to run and requires little maintenance, alongside the fact that it is of course fully renewable, relying on the sunlight alone. However the effectiveness of solar heating is dependent on the weather conditions (In Ireland this can be a little more challenging!). As a result, you may need to support the effectiveness of your solar panels with a heat pump or boiler. 

Biomass Boilers 

Biomass boilers burn fuel in the same way as gas and oil boilers, however the key difference is that the fuel they use is plant-based – this is usually either wood logs, pellets or chips. This is far more sustainable than burning fossil fuels. The drawback of biomass boilers is that they require quite a large amount of storage space and require a fair amount of maintenance. For example, log boilers have to be manually fed which can put some people off using this form of heat source.

What Type Of  Heat Distribution System Do I Need?

When considering the best heating system for a new build, it’s also important to think about what kind of heat distribution system is best for you. The most common types of heat distribution system are radiators or underfloor heating. 

Radiators

You’ll often see radiators used alongside boilers. However, radiators are not the most efficient distribution system. This is due to the fact that they have a tendency to create hot and cold spots in the room, rather than creating an even distribution of heat. So, if you’re investing money in choosing a renewable heat source to make your new home more energy efficient, it’s not worth wasting this by using an ineffective distribution system. The only exception to this are energy efficient aluminium radiators which have rapid heat up times and operate at low temperatures, with an innovative shape to aid the distribution of heat. These can be a good option to use alongside heat pumps or boilers. 

Underfloor Heating

As we mentioned previously, the best heating system for a new build needs to be cost-effective and energy efficient. As an economical distribution system, underfloor heating ticks these boxes perfectly. Effectively, underfloor heating works by turning the floor into a giant radiator via a network of pipes. However, the key difference is that the water supply is at a much lower temperature than that required for radiators. It also creates an even distribution of heat throughout the property. Pairing underfloor heating with an air to water heat pump is the most energy efficient way to heat your home. 

For more information on how to choose the best heating system for a new build, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with the Pipelife team. We can help you choose and design the perfect heating system to suit your new home.