Thermodynamic boilers and water heaters

The term “thermodynamic boiler” most often refers to an air-to-water heat pump installed in place of a boiler: it feeds your radiators or underfloor heating and can produce domestic hot water. A thermodynamic water heater, by contrast, is dedicated to hot water: a small module captures heat from the air to warm the tank.

The benefits of thermodynamic solutions

• Replace an oil or gas boiler without necessarily changing your water radiators
• Produce domestic hot water using less electricity than a conventional tank
• Reduce dependence on fossil fuels
• Where relevant, combine hot-water production with solar panels
• Benefit from financial aid when the eligibility conditions are met

When is it relevant?

• An old oil or gas boiler to replace
• An electric hot-water tank at the end of its life
• A home with water radiators or underfloor heating
• A garage, utility room or laundry that can house a thermodynamic water heater
• A renovation where insulation is dealt with in parallel

Limits and points to check

A solution that suits one home does not necessarily suit another. These points are systematically examined during the on-site study:

• Compatibility of the existing radiators with the water temperature produced
• The insulation level of the home, which determines the power required
• For a thermodynamic water heater: a suitable room (volume, temperature) or an outdoor connection via ducts
• Position of the outdoor unit, noise, and condominium or planning rules
• Removal of the old equipment (boiler, oil tank)

How does the support work?

1. Your request and the appointmentYou describe your project online (pre-study) or by phone. With your agreement, the adviser calls you back to arrange an appointment at your home.
2. The full on-site study, free and with no obligationIn your presence: analysis of your bills and consumption, heating and hot water needs, emitters, position of the equipment and power supply. If the project makes sense, the adviser presents the partner installer’s detailed offer.
3. Time to decideYou can sign at the appointment or take time to think. Once you have agreed, you have the legal 14-day withdrawal period.
4. The partner installer’s check visitAfter the withdrawal period, the partner installer visits the site in turn to confirm all the technical points.
5. Formalities and any financial aidTown-hall declaration if an outdoor unit changes the look of the façade, any financial aid and, if needed, a financing application. If an essential approval is refused, the project is cancelled.
6. Installation, checks and after-sales serviceOnce all approvals have been obtained, a qualified (RGE) partner installer with ten-year insurance removes the old equipment, installs and adjusts the new one, then explains how to use it. The partner installer then provides after-sales service under its own guarantees and those of the manufacturers.

What influences the cost of your project

We do not give prices without a study: a price displayed online could not take your situation into account. The main factors that change the quote are:

• The solution chosen: boiler replacement or water heater only
• The heating power or the volume of the hot-water tank
• Compatibility or replacement of the emitters
• Removal and disposal of the old equipment
• Electrical and plumbing work required

The brands we offer

• DaikinAir conditioning and heat pumps
• Mitsubishi ElectricAir conditioning and heat pumps
• AtlanticHeat pumps, thermodynamic water heaters and air conditioning

For thermodynamic boilers and water heaters, we work with Daikin, Mitsubishi Electric and Atlantic. The model and output are chosen after a study of your home.

What French regulations say

• Refrigerants: handling them is restricted to companies holding a certificate of competence issued by an approved body (French Environmental Code). This is one of the conditions met by the partner installers to whom the installation is entrusted.
• Planning rules: an outdoor unit visible from the street may require a prior declaration at the town hall; in a condominium, the agreement of the owners’ meeting is often required.
• Neighbours: the location of the outdoor unit is chosen to limit noise, as neighbourhood noise regulations apply.
• Financial aid: MaPrimeRénov’ and the CEE energy-saving premiums require the work to be carried out by an RGE-qualified company using eligible equipment: this is a selection criterion for our partner installers. The amounts depend on your situation and on the rules in force at the time of the study.
• Mandatory maintenance: a thermodynamic boiler is a heat pump; between 4 and 70 kW, servicing by a professional is mandatory at least every two years (decree no. 2020-912 of 28 July 2020).

Thermodynamic solutions in the Var and western Alpes-Maritimes

Many houses inland Var and around Grasse are still heated with oil. Replacing the boiler with a thermodynamic one is often relevant, provided insulation and radiators are checked.

The Mediterranean climate, with generally mild winters on the coast, suits thermodynamic equipment. In the hills, sizing takes lower temperatures into account.

See the communes we serve in the Var and the west of the Alpes-Maritimes.

Frequently asked questions

Is a thermodynamic boiler the same as a heat pump?

In most cases, yes: “thermodynamic boiler” is used for an air-to-water heat pump that replaces a boiler and feeds the heating circuit.

Where should a thermodynamic water heater be installed?

In an unheated room of sufficient volume (garage, utility room, laundry), or with ducts that take and expel air outside. The on-site study determines the choice.

Can I keep my radiators?

Often, if their sizing is compatible with the water temperature produced. We check on site.

Is aid available?

Aid may exist depending on your situation and the equipment chosen. It requires installation by an RGE company, which our partner installers are, and is checked at the time of the study, with no prior guarantee.

Complementary solutions

• Air-to-water and air-to-air heat pump
• Solar panels
• Insulation
• Whole-home energy renovation

Our commitments

• A study of your situation before any proposal
• Clear explanations of feasibility, constraints and administrative steps
• No unverified promise of aid, savings or return on investment
• A callback agreement that you can withdraw at any time

Request your thermodynamic pre-study

Under 2 minutes, no automatic price. An adviser analyses your request.

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What is your project?

• Reversible air conditioning
• Ducted air conditioning
• Heat pump
• Thermodynamic boiler or water heater
• Solar panels
• Insulation
• Whole-home energy renovation
• High-performance construction or extension
• I would like advice