Energy-Efficient Timber Frame & Modular Homes

Heating in a frame house – heat pump, gas, or infrared mats?

Key to the puzzle: Low thermal inertia

Before you choose a heating system, it is worth understanding the phenomenon of thermal inertia of a frame building. In masonry houses, walls act like an accumulator – they heat up for a long time and cool down slowly. In frame structures, the reaction to temperature is immediate because you heat the air and interior elements, not heavy walls.

What does this mean in practice?

  • Quick effect: You come back to a house where it is e.g., 16°C. You turn on the heating and after just 40–60 minutes you reach thermal comfort. In a masonry house, it would take many hours.
  • Accuracy: If in winter the sun comes in through the glazing and heats up the living room, the system should react quickly and lower the heating power so as not to overheat.

When it comes to heating a frame house, controllers should work very precisely and react immediately to temperature changes. Otherwise, user comfort will be lower.

Heat pump – the king of energy efficiency?

Heat pumps are today one of the most frequently chosen solutions by investors looking for a cheap and maintenance-free heating installation. A high COP coefficient (3–4) means that from 1 kWh of electricity we get up to 4 kWh of heat, which significantly lowers operating costs in modern buildings.

Energy-efficient house heat sources:

  • heat pump
  • heating mats
  • heating foils
  • air conditioning with heating function (air-to-air)
  • electric heating (convectors, panel radiators)
  • gas (where connection is available)

When is it worth investing in a heat pump?

  • When the house area exceeds 100 m².
  • When domestic hot water consumption is high (family of 3–5 people).
  • When you plan to install photovoltaics – this is an ideal combination.

In our realizations, we often combine heat pumps with low-temperature underfloor heating and anhydrite screed, which ensures the highest thermal efficiency.

Mats and heating foils – the dark horse of the discussion

In older buildings, electric heating is associated with high costs. In a modern, tight frame house, the situation looks different.

Heating foils opinions:
Users most often praise them for simplicity, lack of visible elements, and the fact that they do not require servicing. Our experience shows that in smaller houses and seasonal buildings, the solution works particularly well – especially where low installation price and quick reaction of the heating system count.

Although the efficiency is 1:1 (1 kWh of electricity gives 1 kWh of heat), which is less than in a heat pump, the installation cost is many times lower.

System-S expert recommendation:
If you plan a house with an area of up to 70–80 m², mats or heating foils along with an electric water heater may be the most profitable choice. The difference in investment costs — reaching even tens of thousands of zlotys — can be decisive in many cases.

Gas – is it still worth it?

Gas heating is increasingly rarely chosen in new construction, mainly due to connection costs and technical requirements. In a frame house, a boiler with a closed combustion chamber and air supply from the outside is necessary.

Air conditioning with heating function

For many investors, an interesting option is air conditioning with a heating function, i.e., an air-to-air heat pump. Thanks to the fact that the thermal inertia of a frame building is low, the system works quickly and efficiently, simultaneously offering cooling in summer.

Summary: First calculation, then decision

The choice of technology depends on the size of the building, usage method, and budget. In large houses, the best long-term solution is a heat pump, while in smaller ones — especially up to 70–80 m² — mats or heating foils may be more profitable.

The most important thing is matching the system to the building structure — and here the differences between traditional construction and frame house heating are significant.

FAQ - Frequently asked questions

According to WT2021 regulations – no. A fireplace can be a recreational or supporting source. In a frame house, one must be careful not to overheat the living room – we recommend fireplaces with low nominal power or with a water jacket/accumulation.

If we do not use screed, we use dry construction systems – heating pipes are laid in special polystyrene boards with aluminum radiators that distribute heat directly under the floor.

Yes, but they must be panels dedicated to underfloor heating and installed according to the film manufacturer's recommendations (with an appropriate underlay).

Heating water with electricity (boiler) is more expensive than with a heat pump. For a 4-person family, this can be a cost of about 200-300 PLN more per month. With low water consumption, the difference is negligible.

Thanks to excellent insulation (wool in walls and roof), the house cools down very slowly (similarly to a closed thermos). The temperature may drop by 2-3 degrees per day, which gives a large safety margin.
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