New heating trends for renovated homes

Assessing the heating requirements of the house

Good insulation is essential for enjoying the heat produced for as long as possible. This preliminary step, which is too often overlooked, determines the efficiency of your future installation and your daily comfort.

Why reduce demand before changing the system?

Insulation is the first essential step before any change in heating system. A poorly insulated house can lose up to 30% of its heat through the roof and 25% through the walls. These losses force your system to work harder, leading to significant energy overconsumption.

Start by improving the insulation of your roof and walls before replacing your old boiler. This work represents a significant initial investment, but will enable you to make significant savings in the long term.

The principle is simple: the less heat your home loses, the less energy your heating system will need to produce. This means you can install a smaller, less powerful system, which will be cheaper to buy and run. This approach avoids you having to invest in an oversized system that would operate below its optimal capacity.

The main types of sustainable heating

Heating technologies are evolving rapidly to meet today's energy challenges. These sustainable solutions can significantly reduce your carbon footprint while keeping your heating costs under control.

Heat pumps: air-to-water, air-to-air, geothermal

Heat pumps are attractive because of their remarkable efficiency. These systems extract heat naturally present in the environment and transfer it to your home. Their exceptional efficiency produces on average three times more energy than they consume.

There are three main technologies available to you:

Air-to-water heat pumps: these draw heat from the outside air to supply your central heating system (radiators or underfloor heating). The cost varies between £8,000 and £12,000 for a complete installation.

Air-to-air heat pumps: economical to install, they distribute warm air directly into your home. This solution is particularly suitable as a supplement to an existing system.

Electric inertia radiators

Inertia radiators are an attractive solution for well-insulated homes. They work by storing heat in a solid heating element and gradually releasing it.

The most efficient models combine inertia (cast iron, fluid) and responsiveness (aluminium) in a dual heating element. This technology provides gentle, even heat while adapting to your lifestyle.

Advanced features—intelligent control, presence detection, connectivity—enable energy savings of up to 30%.

Hybrid systems and passive heating

Hybrid systems offer a pragmatic approach to renovation. The principle: combine a heat pump with a traditional boiler (gas or oil heating), each operating under its optimal conditions.

This solution offers several concrete advantages. It immediately reduces CO₂ emissions (the heat pump operates approximately 80% of the time) while ensuring constant comfort even in very cold weather. It also allows investments to be spread out over time by retaining part of the existing installation.

Criteria for choosing the right heating system

The choice of your new heating system should not be limited to the purchase price. We help you identify the essential criteria for making an informed decision that will guarantee your comfort and savings in the long term.

Energy performance and efficiency

Always check the energy label on your future equipment. The most efficient technologies have an A++ rating, guaranteeing minimal consumption for optimal comfort.

Condensing boilers achieve remarkable efficiencies of 104 to 108% thanks to heat recovery from flue gases. Heat pumps produce three times more energy than they consume, with an average coefficient of performance of 3.

Regular maintenance preserves this performance over time. This is a crucial point that is often overlooked and has a direct impact on your energy bill.

Compatibility with accommodation

Your home partly dictates your choice. A low-temperature underfloor heating system works perfectly with a heat pump in a well-insulated home. For older homes, opt for central heating with high-temperature radiators.

Also check practical constraints: space for the outdoor unit of a heat pump, possibility of gas connection, or storage space for pellets.

Comfortable for everyday use

Consider your everyday comfort beyond technical performance:

• Noise level: some outdoor heat pumps generate noise.
• Responsiveness: underfloor heating distributes heat evenly but reacts slowly to temperature changes.
• Autonomy: pellet boilers and heat pumps require little maintenance.

Room-by-room control with thermostatic valves or connected thermostats optimises comfort and consumption. This feature allows you to adjust the heating according to the actual use of each room.

Which heating system is best for your type of renovated home?

Every home has its own specific characteristics and deserves a tailor-made heating solution. The layout of your home determines the most effective options for combining optimal comfort with energy savings.

Old house: heat pump + stove combination

Older homes often present significant insulation challenges. The most effective solution is to combine a heat pump with a wood-burning stove. This smart combination covers your heating needs all year round: the heat pump manages daily heating and hot water production, while the stove provides additional warmth during cold spells. Installing a hybrid heat pump is particularly useful for compensating for significant heat loss while reducing your energy consumption.

Apartment: connected radiators or air-to-air heat pumps

Limited space and condominium restrictions call for compact and flexible solutions. Connected electric inertia radiators allow for precise room-by-room control, perfectly suited to different living spaces. For more spacious flats, opt for a single-split or multi-split air-to-air heat pump, with an investment of between £2,500 and £8,000 excluding VAT. Please note: installation in a condominium requires the prior agreement of the property manager, especially for outdoor units.

Passive house: minimal auxiliary heating

A passive house consumes a maximum of 15 kWh/m²/year. This exceptional performance drastically reduces heating requirements. A simple wood or pellet stove is sufficient as auxiliary heating, ideally supplemented by a thermodynamic dual-flow CMV system that heats the incoming air while ensuring effective ventilation. Solar thermal panels easily cover most of the domestic hot water requirements.

Two-storey house: condensing boiler + underfloor heating

Distributing heat evenly across multiple levels requires a tailored solution. Combining a condensing boiler with underfloor heating delivers outstanding performance. The natural gas condensing boiler achieves 109% efficiency and efficiently powers the underfloor central heating system. This configuration distributes gentle, constant heat, which is particularly appreciated in family homes where heating requirements vary between rooms and floors.

Innovations to watch out for in the coming years

The heating systems of tomorrow are already taking shape today. These new technologies promise to make your home even more comfortable and economical, while simplifying your daily life. We present the innovations that will soon transform the way you heat your home.

AI-controlled smart heating

Your thermostat learns your habits and automatically adapts to your lifestyle. Thanks to geo-fencing, it adjusts the temperature according to your location. These systems analyse your energy consumption and advise you on how to optimise your spending without compromising your comfort. AI also improves facility monitoring thanks to IoT sensors that continuously monitor wall humidity and ambient temperature.

This technology allows you to make substantial savings while enjoying personalised comfort tailored to your preferences.

High-temperature and CO₂ heat pumps

The new high-temperature heat pumps produce water at over 65°C, making them ideal for replacing old boilers with your existing radiators. They operate efficiently even at very low outdoor temperatures (down to -20°C). CO₂ models maintain their performance even when there are large temperature differences.

This development allows you to upgrade your system without changing your current radiators.

Biofuels and hydrogen heating

Hydrogen boilers offer an environmentally friendly alternative for the 4 to 7 million homes that cannot accommodate heat pumps. Hydrogen combustion does not release CO₂ and emits little NOx compared to conventional gas boilers. Manufacturers offer "H2-ready" equipment that can be quickly converted to hydrogen (1 to 2 hours of work). By 2030, gas networks are expected to contain up to 20% hydrogen, immediately reducing carbon emissions.

These innovations will enable you to keep your current installation while reducing your environmental impact.

Towards lasting comfort thanks to well-chosen heating

Choosing the right heating system for your renovated home is a major investment that will determine your comfort and energy bills for years to come. Analysing your heating needs is the first essential step – a well-insulated home requires a less powerful and more economical system.

Today's sustainable solutions offer remarkable possibilities. Heat pumps excel in well-insulated homes, pellet systems guarantee local and stable energy, while inertia radiators provide optimal comfort in flats. Every home can find its ideal solution.

You will quickly see the benefits of a well-sized system: consistent comfort, lower bills and reduced environmental impact. It's not only good for your wallet, but also for the planet!

Current innovations such as smart thermostats and thermal storage open up even more promising prospects. These technologies will soon enable you to manage your heating with unparalleled precision.