It all depends on the right setting: Hydraulic balancing of the heating system saves energy and improves living comfort. Stadtwerke Gießen explained exactly how this works in a presentation at the customer centre on the market square.
The radiator in the bathroom doesn't get really warm in the morning, the valve in the living room is noisy and the heating in the bedroom is glowing. Unfortunately, this is not uncommon in German households, says Michael Rösner, Head of Sales for Private and Commercial Customers at Stadtwerke Gießen (SWG). "These are all signs that the heating system is not optimised for the building in question. This leads to pressure differences in the pipework - the hot water from the boiler cannot be distributed evenly," explains Michael Rösner.
However, if the heating system does not run optimally, this is not only to the detriment of living comfort. "Owners who opt for hydronic balancing save both energy and heating costs," says Michael Rösner. On Tuesday, 22 March, Stadtwerke Gießen provided information on exactly what the term means and how big the savings can be at its customer centre on Marktplatz.
Efficient and cost-effective
Hydraulic balancing involves the professional adjustment of the heating system. In her presentation, SWG energy consultant Astrid Weixler explained how the heating specialist goes about this. "First, the installer determines the heat requirement for each room. He then determines the amount of heating water required depending on the radiator size and the flow temperature." He then regulates the flow of heating water at the pre-settable thermostatic valves on the radiators. These make it possible to precisely determine the volume flow in the radiator - in other words, how much water flows through the radiator per unit of time. As a result, hydronic balancing ensures that exactly the right amount of heat is delivered to every point in the house. Astrid Weixler explained why an incorrectly set heating system often leads to significantly higher energy consumption: "If some radiators remain cold, the owner often simply increases the flow temperature. Although this solves the problem, it comes at the expense of heating costs."
After hydronic balancing, the flow temperature can be lowered and the pump output reduced to a minimum. "In most cases, smaller measures are enough to achieve energy savings of around 15 per cent - and at a low cost," Astrid Weixler calculated. Heating systems with condensing boilers in particular, which already work efficiently, can be further optimised in this way.
Concentrated expertise
SWG offers hydronic balancing together with the Giessen Guild for Sanitary, Heating and Air Conditioning Technology. It is a component of the "enerGIeßen" service package.
"Customers who are interested in hydronic balancing first get in touch with the contact persons at the customer centre. We then select a partner installer together," explained Astrid Weixler. During a visit to the customer's home, the relevant guild company then records all the necessary data on the heating system and passes it on to the experts at SWG.
In a further personal meeting at the customer centre, the consultants explain to the customer how their heating system can be optimised through hydronic balancing and provide them with a fixed-price quote. As soon as the order is placed, the specialist company gets to work. "In a typical detached house with six rooms, for example, the installers need around half a day to fit the pre-settable thermostatic valves," explained Astrid Weixler.
In a final inspection report, which is equivalent to SWG's "Heating CheckPlus" offer, customers receive comprehensive information about heat generation, heat distribution and heat transfer in their building. "In this way, we enable our customers to tap into additional savings potential and further increase energy efficiency at low cost," Astrid Weixler emphasised in conclusion.