4 tips against rising gas prices

Dusseldorf Germany is heavily dependent on Russian gas. More than half of the natural gas consumed is imported from the country. In view of the war of aggression against Ukraine, more and more people are calling for a halt to imports.

At the same time, consumers are increasingly feeling the consequences of the energy price crisis: half of all private households in Germany use natural gas for heating. The costs here have already risen massively in the past year. Putin’s war in Ukraine has made it even more expensive.

Consumers can hardly avoid the high prices, but some measures can be taken to reduce energy consumption in order to save costs. The Handelsblatt explains in four steps how you can save natural gas both in the short and long term.

1. Heat and ventilate properly

Noticeable savings are already possible by adapting habits. The think tank Agora Energiewende estimates that households can already reduce their natural gas consumption by up to 15 percent by making small changes. Thorsten Schneiders, Professor of Energy Storage at the Technical University of Cologne, estimates that savings of up to 30 percent are even possible in some single-family homes. “Some energy can be saved without having to forego the comfort of a warm home or having to invest a lot of money,” says Schneiders.

Optimize your heating behaviour: “Every degree of room temperature reduces consumption by around six percent,” says Martin Pehnt, scientific director and head of the Institute for Energy and Environmental Research in Heidelberg. Pehnt recommends a temperature of 20 degrees in living rooms, 17 to 18 degrees in bedrooms and 16 degrees in unused rooms. The heating should not be turned down, otherwise there is a risk of mold.

In addition, consumers should be careful not to place any furniture or curtains in front of the radiator. As a rule of thumb, every radiator should be clearly visible. In addition, a sofa distance from the heater of at least 30 centimeters should be maintained.

Radiators should also be bled regularly. Air in the heater makes the radiator warm unevenly and wastes energy. A bleeder key provides a remedy. If you are not at home, you can turn the heating down or switch it off completely. “But only if the house is poorly insulated,” says Pehnt. In this way, heating energy savings of between five and ten percent are possible compared to continuous heating in poorly insulated old buildings.

More on the energy price crisis

Adjust the heating correctly: Most savings are possible with individually tailored timing. Times can often be set when the temperature should be lowered – for example at night or during working hours.

Consumers should also check their heating curve. This specifies how much heat must be provided depending on the outside temperature. If it’s around minus 10 degrees outside, you can see what flow temperature is required. Due to the precise setting, only the amount of heat that is actually needed is provided and no unnecessary heat is generated in the boiler.

Proper ventilation helps with economical heating: “Regular burst ventilation is significantly more energy-efficient than constant tilt ventilation,” says Martin Pehnt. Windows should be opened as wide as possible for a period of five to ten minutes. Fresh air flows into the apartment without the walls cooling down.

When the windows are closed again, the radiators only have to warm up the fresh air. “By the way, air is exchanged even faster and more economically if the opposite windows or doors are opened at the same time, i.e. there is a draft,” advises the North Rhine-Westphalia consumer advice center.

The heating should be turned off briefly when airing out. Then it is enough to set it back to the desired temperature. The humidity should not be above 70 percent. “Otherwise there is a risk of mold and you don’t feel comfortable,” says Schneiders. A moisture meter (hygrometer) costs around 20 euros.

Adjust your water consumption: “Hot water is often an underestimated energy guzzler,” says Pehnt. And also expensive: a liter of warm water costs up to four times as much as a liter of cold water, calculates Schneiders from the TH Cologne.

There is plenty of savings potential in everyday life: a dishwasher is more energy-efficient than washing dishes by hand, a shower head that saves energy can reduce hot water consumption in the shower by up to 30 percent, and laundry should be washed at lower temperatures if possible. “In view of the impending gas shortage, we should also avoid long showers or extensive bathing,” advises Pehnt. On average, three times more hot water is used for bathing than for showering.

2. Greater energy efficiency with smaller investments

Even small investments can make a house or apartment more energy-efficient. A trip to the hardware store is often sufficient for this.

Seal your heating pipes: The insulation of the heating pipes and heating fittings is now mandatory in Germany. However, older heaters are still not properly sealed. A lot of heat is lost unnecessarily, especially in a cool basement. A seal is worthwhile even for small pipe sections. “These should have a wall thickness that corresponds at least to the diameter of the heating pipes,” recommends Schneiders. The energy expert calculates that this can save up to 20 euros per meter of heating energy per year.

Replace your heating pump: The heating pump keeps the heated water circulating between the boiler and the radiator. Although the pumps are inconspicuous, they require a great deal of energy: the “heart of the heating system” consumes up to ten percent of the average electricity consumption in a household. Installing a high-efficiency pump can reduce annual electricity consumption by up to 90 percent. Consumers save up to 120 euros a year, calculates the consumer advice center NRW.

Seal critical spots: “Particularly in houses from the 1950s to 1970s, radiator niches are poorly insulated,” says Martin Pehnt. In the medium term it is therefore worth moving the radiators and filling the niche with insulating material.

Another weak point in many buildings are uninsulated roller shutter boxes. In many cases, however, insulation is possible and with relatively little manual effort. The NRW consumer advice center estimates that the cost per roller shutter box is around 15 euros if you make the improvements yourself.

Check windows and doors: If there is a draft despite the windows and doors being closed, then these are leaking. Hold a candle to the appropriate spots – if the flame flickers, the spot needs to be sealed.

Windows can be self-sealed using a variety of materials. Foam, rubber seals, silicone or window putty, for example, are suitable for this. Most materials are available at hardware stores. A similar procedure also applies to the sealing of doors. There, brush seals that close the gap between the door and the floor can already save energy. The same result can be achieved with rubber sealing strips.

Get yourself a smart home system: Smarthome enables the control of sockets, radiator thermostats and lamps. To do this, a control center (about 100 euros) is programmed, which then controls the various remote-controlled components (each about 30 to 40 euros) by radio. For example, you can set a schedule for each individual radiator thermostat. In practical tests, savings of up to 30 percent in gas consumption could be achieved. A smart home system can be retrofitted in any apartment or house.

3. Long-term savings when heating with renovation and heat pumps

By far the most effective are basic remedial measures. “Particularly high savings are possible if the shell of the house is improved,” says Pehnt. This includes the basement, roof and windows.

According to the energy expert, it is not possible to say in general whether a complete new insulation or just a spot repair will improve the energy efficiency of the property. That depends above all on the condition, age and geographical location of the house. Basically, the following applies: “First insulate and reduce consumption, then install a new heating system to suit the reduced consumption,” advises Schneiders.

Heat pumps in particular are seen as a great hope for the future, says Reinhard Loch, head of the energy efficiency group at the NRW consumer advice center. These work with electricity. They draw heat from the ambient air or the ground, for example, and raise it to a higher temperature level. According to a study by the Fraunhofer Institute ISE from the summer of 2020, they can also function in existing buildings.

According to the consumer center, the pumps cost between 15,000 and 25,000 euros on average. If the demand for it increases as a result of the high gas prices, the installation costs can also be significantly higher.

But the use of heat pumps is not possible everywhere. For this reason, Pehnt recommends hiring an energy consultant to analyze the property for larger investments. “It makes sense to work out a renovation roadmap together,” says Pehnt. In addition to refurbishment measures, this plan can also include options for generating energy – for example a solar system on the roof.

4. Subsidies for new heating, ventilation system and heat pump

With the Federal Subsidy for Efficient Buildings (BEG), households receive support for the renovation of buildings that permanently save energy costs and thus protect the climate. The Federal Office of Economics and Export Control covers 20 percent of the costs for renovations to the building envelope. System technology such as new ventilation systems are also subsidized at 20 percent. Subsidies of 30 to 45 percent are even possible for new heating systems.

For example, if you swap your oil heating system for a biomass system or heat pump, you can have almost half of your new heating system subsidized by the state. For smaller jobs, the craft business usually takes care of the application for funding.

For larger projects, consult a professional energy consultant. The Federal Ministry of Economics and Climate Protection covers up to 80 percent of the consulting fees. Important: You should submit all applications for funding before the measure is carried out. You can find an overview of the advantages and disadvantages of different types of heating and the amount of funding available here.

Here you will find more information: The Federal Government has compiled information on the subject of saving energy on the “Germany makes it efficient” platform. A lot of helpful information on energy saving measures can also be found at “CO2 Online” or the websites of the consumer advice centres. Information on funding programs is also available from KfW, Bafa and the responsible state authorities.

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