2023-04-28 12:35:09
Heat pumps (PAC) are increasingly popular with the French. Consequence: they also attract margoulins and are the subject of a growing number of defects denounced by the monthly “60 million consumers” or scams. The opportunity to take stock of this heating system that has the wind in its sails.
• 5.9 million housing units equipped
Nearly 6 million homes are equipped with a heat pump in France, according to the French Association for Heat Pumps. “In 2 years, the share of heat pumps among all the sites we have supported has doubled“, underlines Nicolas Moulin, founder of PrimesÉnergie.fr, expert in energy renovation. At the national level, 346,000 heat pumps were sold in 2022. That is an increase of 20% compared to 2021. For the first time, their sales, in France, exceeded, over one year, that of gas or heating heaters. fuel oil, according to the International Energy Agency.
• Up to 10,000 euros in aid
This is one of the reasons for the enthusiasm of the French for heat pumps: they are among the most subsidized works. The air-water heat pump (which draws energy from the outside air and restores it indoors or to water points) is popular with households. “For an air-to-water heat pump, the total help (My Prime Rénov’ + Energy saving certificates) amounts to 10,000 euros for low-income households, 9,000 euros for intermediate households and 4,000 euros for wealthy households», Details Nicolas Moulin. The overall aid can exceed 10,000 euros for geothermal heat pumps (the heat is extracted from the soil of the garden) or solar thermal (heat pump associated with solar panels). But they are more complicated to install.
• A double digit cost
The aids are high but because installing a heat pump is expensive. For an air-water heat pump, the price varies, according to Effy, between 10,000 and 17,000 euros (depending on the capacity of the heat pump, the surface and the insulation of the house), installation and installation included. For a geothermal heat pump, count between 20,000 and 30,000 euros (installation and installation included). The amount to be paid out of your pocket can therefore be heavy. For Effy, the aids are still interesting in view of the energy savings achieved. “For a 100 m² house, the energy bill can go from 3000 to 1500 euros per year if you replace your oil boiler with a heat pump“, underlines Audrey Zermati, strategy director, who nevertheless recognizes the need to offer payment facilities to low-income customers.
• The heat pump can ruin a sale
Tariffs are not the only inconveniences for heat pumps. Noise pollution too. In the Yvelines, a buyer gave up buying a house, displayed at around 700,000 euros, because the neighbor’s heat pump was making too much noise for his taste. “We have received several dozen reports from customersconfirms Audrey Zermati. This is a real issue in dense areas“. The law is formal:No person, thing or animal“cannot produce more than 5 decibels during the day (7 a.m. to 10 p.m.) and more than 3 decibels at night (10 p.m. to 7 a.m.) compared to “a residual noise level(heat pump off in our case), according to a 2006 decree. And beyond the noise, an owner was found responsible for a serious accident for having mismanaged his heat pump. Its water flows had created a patch of ice below, causing a serious fall with hundreds of thousands of euros in damage.
To prevent neighborhood disputes from multiplying, the government may need to tighten regulations. For their part, manufacturers are working to make these devices less noisy. In the meantime, to reduce the nuisance, opt, after having submitted a preliminary declaration of work to the town hall, for an elevated installation thanks to concrete structures, equipped with anti-vibration pads. “They should be placed at a good distance from windows and living rooms, and from the neighboring house. (10 meters in town and 20 meters in the countryside)», advises Hello Watt.
• The “RGE” label is not enough
Dozens of scams are routinely reported to Fraud Control each year. To avoid being defrauded, the government reminds that individuals must select craftsmen with an “RGE” label (Recognized guarantor of the environment). This mention is all the more essential since, without it, you cannot benefit from aid if you carry out energy renovation work. But this RGE label is not always enough. Remember to have a thermal study carried out and bring the competition into play. “Do not sign an estimate before an on-site visit. If a maintenance contract is offered, that’s a good sign. On the other hand, if the professional does not go through all the rooms and does not check the insulation, it is a bad sign.“, alert” 60 million consumers “. “Remember to insulate your house, if this is not done, before installing your heat pump. Otherwise, it will be uselessconfirms Audrey Zermati.
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