The heating check becomes mandatory in Germany during the energy crisis: The regulation is to apply until 2024 – what is behind it.
Berlin – The federal government has already decided on numerous measures to counteract the energy crisis in winter 2022/2023. As of October 1, more of these are to come into force, including the so-called heating check. This emerges from a statement by the federal government.
Owners of houses and apartments must therefore have the check carried out by a craft business. The “Measures of the Ordinance to Secure the Energy Supply through Medium-Term Effective Measures” – in short: EnSimiMav – are to apply until 2024, as the Federal Ministry of Economics announced in a statement.
Heating check is mandatory in Germany
The background of the heating check are suboptimal settings of many systems in Germany. According to the Ministry of Economic Affairs, a lot of energy can be saved through optimization. For example, the heating systems are still in the factory settings or without night setback.
Another part of the federal government’s energy-saving measures is hydraulic balancing, which can optimally distribute the heating water. However, this only applies to buildings with a central heat supply, such as large public buildings. According to official government information, this measure should reduce gas consumption by up to eight kilowatt hours per square meter, depending on the building. The crux of the matter is that the costs for such a hydraulic adjustment are borne by the owners and landlords. According to the federal government’s plans, inefficient heating pumps will also have to be replaced. Circulation pumps are an example of this.
Tea light oven instead of heating
What good is the supposed heat alternative?
According to the federal government, of a total of 14 million gas heating systems in Germany, only a fifth of the systems have undergone a heating check. Millions of heaters still have to be checked and replaced if necessary. Only heating engineers and energy consultants – i.e. specialist staff – are allowed to carry out these tests. This also has the effect that the order situation in the skilled trades should be very good.
By the way: With several tricks you can save a lot of money when it comes to heating. (do with dpa/AFP)
