Switching from Coal to Gas in Retirement
After moving with my wife to her family home, we lived for years with an old coal boiler. As we got older, carrying coal every day, cleaning the furnace, and dealing with smoke and dust became exhausting. We finally decided to switch entirely to a gas heating system. It wasn’t easy — we had to replace the entire installation, including pipes and radiators — but a professional company handled the process.
The difference is enormous. The house now has a stable, even temperature around 21°C, without the constant fluctuations we had with coal. There’s no dust, no ash, no smell. The basement is clean, and the air around the house is much better. Yes, the bills are slightly higher because the boiler also heats water, but the comfort outweighs the cost.
We didn’t apply for subsidies. The municipality requires that if you take funding, you must remove the coal furnace entirely, and we wanted to keep the option of burning wood occasionally — we have our own forest, which makes it essentially free. We do think about installing solar thermal panels for water, but we’re waiting for an affordable support program.
My advice to others, especially older people, is simple: gas heating brings incredible comfort and dignity to daily life. You don’t realize how tiring coal is until you stop using it. And if you’re doing such a big change, choose a good, recommended company — it makes all the difference.