Is Your Home Heat Pump Ready? Get Ready for Some Cheeky Insights!
Well, well, well! It seems the world has taken a fancy to heat pumps. You know, those miraculous devices that suck heat out of the air like a teenager with a vacuum during a Saturday clean-up? The Flemish Energy and Climate Agency (VEKA) has come up with a genius little tool that answers the burning question: ‘Is your home ready for a heat pump?’.
Why Heat Pumps Are the Future (No, Seriously!)
Let’s get this straight: heat pumps are not just energy efficient; they’re climate-friendly, too! Almost 70% of Flemish homes are already primed and ready for these eco-goodies. If your house isn’t suitable yet, don’t worry, it just means it’s in need of some TLC—I mean, extra insulation!
The Numbers Don’t Lie!
According to the stats, we’ve got 35% of single-family homes set for a heat pump, and guess what? A whopping 76% of apartments are also in the running! If your house is less than stellar when it comes to insulation, then it’s time for some improvements. You wouldn’t take your old clunker on a road trip, would you? Save that for the Grand Tour!
How Does the Tool Work?
Wanna find out if your place can bask in the glory of a heat pump? Just pop over to their heat pump ready tool. It’s as easy as pie! You enter a few deets about your home: the area size, insulation levels, and current heating status. In return, you’re awarded a score—either “ready,” “hybrid needed,” or “what’s insulation?”
- Ready for a heat pump!
- Hybrid heat pump intervention required!
- Desperately in need of insulation!
The Installers Are Ready, Are You?
VEKA’s tool is just a preliminary guage—kinda like a free taste at the ice cream shop. For the full scoop, you should definitely consult a certified installer. And good news—there are 2,400 RESCert installers, all set to work their magic on your home. Trust me, nobody wants a heat pump installed by a guy named “Old Smokey” with a questionable history!
Financial Sweeteners on the Table
The Flemish government is throwing a little cash into the mix to help you pivot away from fossil fuels and say hello to renewable sources of heat. Whether you’re a first-time home buyer or landlord extraordinaire, you might just snag a sweet premium. It depends on your income and the type of heat pump you go for. There’s even a loan option for you to take on—up to 60,000 euros! Forget that vacation you wanted—this is the investment you need!
The Bigger Picture
Now, if you’re still relying on fossil fuel heating, let me give you the not-so-subtle nudge: fossil fuels are on their way out! The carbon tax is lurking just around the corner, and it’s going to make those cozy gas bills feel about as pleasant as a tooth extraction. So if your old boiler packs up, you’re going to want to be prepped for the heat-pump revolution.
A Word from Lotte Ringoot
“A heat pump is especially suitable in a sufficiently insulated home. Many people therefore wonder whether their home is sufficiently ready for a heat pump. This tool offers a first answer to that. Do you still have a perfectly functioning fossil fuel heating system? Then of course you don’t have to replace it today. But prepare yourself thoroughly for the future now. Anyone who has a fossil boiler that needs to be replaced today is now making a choice for the next 20 years.”
Wrapping Up!
So, are you ready to prepare your home for the future? Head on over to heatpumpready.be! Whether you’re living in an ancient castle or a modern apartment, there’s no time like the present to future-proof your heating!
Many people do not know whether their home is suitable for a heat pump. However, this way of heating is the future, because it is energy efficient and climate-friendly. The Flemish Energy and Climate Agency (VEKA) therefore presents an online tool that answers the question ‘is your home heat pump ready?’. With the heat pump ready tool, owners can find out in a few simple steps whether their house or apartment can be sustainably heated with a heat pump.
The majority of Flemish homes and apartments are ready for a heat pump
Almost 70% of Flemish homes are heat pump ready. The energy performance certificates (EPCs) submitted over the past two years for single-family homes and apartments show that 35% of single-family homes are ready for a heat pump and that 33% have a hybrid heat pump (that is the combination of a gas boiler and an air-water heat pump). can install without major adjustments. The other single-family homes must first be additionally insulated. In theory, 76% of the apartments are heat pump ready, 17% can install a hybrid heat pump and the remainder need extra insulation.
The figures clearly show that the majority of Flemish homes and apartments are ready for a heat pump. To make this clear to Flemish people, the Flemish Energy and Climate Agency (VEKA) is launching the heat pump ready tool. In a few simple clicks you will find out whether your house or apartment is included.
Method of tool
The above figures are based on the insulation degree and heat demand of the submitted EPCs. Last year, VEKA had VITO/EnergyVille conduct a study to determine from what degree of insulation and at what heat demand low-temperature heating, and therefore a heat pump, is feasible. The study results form the basis of the calculation engine behind the ‘heat pump ready’ tool.
After you have entered some properties, such as the surface area, the insulation of the roof, walls, windows and floors and the current way of heating, the house is given a score:
- ready for a heat pump;
- an intermediate step is required with a hybrid heat pump
- not yet suitable and in need of additional insulation.
Is the home heat pump ready? The tool then indicates which type of heat pump is best suited, with an indication of what such a device costs, and how much space and what work is required. It is also extra useful that an indication is given of how the EPC will improve after installing a heat pump. Is the house not yet ready for the future? Then you will find out what steps you can take.
The tool also provides advice for apartments, although the tool leaves more options open and it is advisable to involve all owners. After all, a collective solution such as a communal heat pump is preferable to individual heating installations.
Many installers are already heat pump ready
The tool provides an initial estimate, based on the entered data and some assumptions. VEKA recommends a certified installer for a design and advice tailored to the home. There are 2,400 RESCert installers ready to install heat pumps. And according to Techlink, more than 1,200 installers participated in information sessions about heat pumps in the past two years, 500 of which focused specifically on training ‘heat pumps during renovations’.
The tool is primarily for homeowners, but can also help installers decide whether they can propose a future-oriented heat pump or whether they should stick with a classic gas boiler for the time being.
Choosing a heat pump is financially supported
In Flanders, we are gradually saying goodbye to fossil fuels and switching to renewable sources for heating our buildings.
The Flemish government supports the choice of a heat pump with premiums. This is to make the choice of a heat pump feasible and affordable for everyone. The amount of the premium depends on your income and the type of heat pump that is installed. The premiums are available to owner-occupiers of single-family homes and apartments, as well as to investors and landlords. The amounts apply until the end of 2025. Until the end of 2025, there is also an increased premium for those who replace electric heating, or when installing a heat pump in an area without natural gas.
Are you considering a heat pump, or do you have plans to insulate additionally? Then My Renovation Loan could be interesting. Depending on your income, you can borrow a maximum of 60,000 euros over a maximum term of 25 years at an annual interest rate of 2.75%.
Anyone who has to choose a new heating appliance today should also take into account that a European carbon tax (so-called ETS2) will be introduced on fossil fuels from 2027. This will make the purchase of natural gas and fuel oil more expensive.
Lotte Ringoot, spokesperson for the Flemish Energy and Climate Agency:
“A heat pump is especially suitable in a sufficiently insulated home. Many people therefore wonder whether their home is sufficiently ready for a heat pump. This tool offers a first answer to that. Do you still have a perfectly functioning fossil fuel heating system? Then of course you don’t have to replace it today. But prepare yourself thoroughly for the future now. Anyone who has a fossil boiler that needs to be replaced today is now making a choice for the next 20 years.”
And for new construction and major energetic renovations?
New construction and major energy renovations (IER) are well insulated. A heat pump is then self-evident. For permit applications for new-build homes and IPRs from 2020, almost 40% installed a heat pump, and for permit applications from 2021, almost 60%.
For new construction, a natural gas connection is no longer permitted for permit applications from January 1, 2025 and a heat pump is the most logical choice if there is no heating network in the street. In the event of a major energy renovation, at least a hybrid heat pump (combination of boiler and heat pump) will have to be installed.
Prepare your home for the future now and check heatpumpready.be.
More information:
000 euros at favorable rates to help fund the installation of your new heat pump or insulation improvements. This way, you’ll not only be investing in a sustainable heating solution but also saving on your energy bills in the long run.
Looking Ahead
So, if you’re still relying on aging fossil-fuel heating, it’s time for you to start thinking about the future. With the carbon tax on the horizon, continuing to maintain an old heating system could result in escalating costs that your wallet won’t appreciate. Transitioning to a heat pump now positions you to sidestep those financial pitfalls and embrace a greener lifestyle.
A Final Note
In the words of Lotte Ringoot, “Anyone who has a fossil boiler that needs to be replaced today is making a choice for the next 20 years.” As you weigh your options for home heating, remember that switching to a heat pump not only benefits your comfort but also the environment. Let’s make the wise choice together and ensure a brighter, greener future.
Don’t hesitate! Take advantage of the heat pump ready tool today and find out just how ready your home is to embrace this innovative technology. Visit heatpumpready.be and get started on your path to sustainable heating!
