Ecological heating with wood, air and sun
More and more home-owners want to heat their property in a climate-friendly and ecological way and do without fossil fuels completely. Various environment-friendly systems are available to them, in which wood, sun and air are the decisive energy sources.
Advantages of renewable energies
Switching from heating oil and natural gas to solar energy, thermal energy and wood as a fuel has many advantages. They are renewable and environment-friendly energies, they are significantly cheaper and regionally available: In Central European latitudes, the sun shines from January to December, if not with the same intensity, then with sufficient intensity. As a result, the air is mostly warm and wood grows more in Germany than what is consumed, as confirmed by the Forest Farmers' Association.
Thus, if you properly combine a solar system or heat pump with modern fireplaces, you can feed your heating and hot water with CO2-neutral energies all year round.
Solar thermal energy and wood fire stove
The use of a solar thermal power system makes sense especially from May to September, when the sun is high enough to cover the entire hot water demand. The remaining, cooler months require the support of another heating system; a water-bearing wood-fire stove with heat exchanger is recommended. This first heats the room where it is installed and then passes on the further energy to the heating circuit, where it can be used both as space heating and for water heating.
Heat pump and wood fire stove - a hybrid heating system
Air heat pumps use thermal energy, they extract heat from the outside air and convert it into heating energy. One disadvantage of air-source heat pumps is that in winter, of all times when heating is needed most, temperatures are around and below the freezing point. An air-source heat pump then becomes an electricity guzzler: the heat demand and the heating output rise to a point where 1:1 heating is provided with electricity. The more sensible solution is to supplement the heating system with a water-bearing tiled stove or heating fireplace. This way, peaks can be covered and heating costs saved.
Conclusion
Fuel oil and natural gas are expensive, and fossil fuels have less and less of a future. Solar systems or heat pumps in combination with modern water-bearing fireplaces are the sensible alternative; they enable heating and hot water preparation with CO2-neutral energies. A wood fire in the house not only warms, it also creates a wonderfully cosy indoor climate thanks to its pleasant radiant heat. Sitting in front of a wood fire is a holistic experience: the view of dancing flames, plus the crackling of the burning logs, the scent of the wood and the gentle light.
There are various heating systems that can be combined with a wood fire stove. Seek detailed advice from a professional and choose the system that best suits your individual solution.
