The farewell to gas boilers in private homes that the EU would like to impose starting from 2029 represents an unsustainable measure for families, which will not only lead to a sting on the expenditure front, but risks not even determining environmental benefits. This was stated by Codacons, commenting on the meeting on June 12 during which the European Union will discuss the draft revision of Regulation 813/2013 / EU which provides for the ban on the sale of gas boilers from September 2029.
If the measure studied by the EU were to become reality, families who from 2029 will be in a position to replace the old gas boiler, perhaps because it has broken, will have to buy a heat pump - explains Codacons - Today, for the purchase and installation of a heat pump, the cost varies between 6 thousand and 16 thousand euros depending on the system chosen: A prohibitive expense both for the constantly increasing costs of these plants, and for the increasingly expensive labor.
Not all homes, then, can be equipped with heat pumps, and the energy efficiency in some homes could be well below the expected standards: first of all the considerable size of the system makes it necessary to have a space where you can put the outdoor unit, a circumstance that makes it difficult to install in those homes that do not have outdoor areas where you can place it. Secondly, if the house is not renovated, and therefore does not enjoy optimal insulation and insulation, and if it has traditional radiators instead of modern floor systems, the yield drops a lot, nullifying the positive effects on the environment.
"Any measure aimed at improving the energy efficiency of homes must be fair, proportionate but above all sustainable, and must not weigh like a boulder on the shoulders of consumers - says President Carlo Rienzi - For this reason, if the European Union wants to impose the farewell to gas boilers, it will have to pre-sell not only exceptions for those houses that are not in a position to install heat pumps, but also incentives and bonuses to help families face the expense related to the replacement of old plants ".