The government is accelerating the energy transition. In 2018, Édouard Philippe set the goal of zero oil-fired boilers within ten years. But, with only 200,000 such installations replaced each year out of a fleet of some 3.5 million, the pace was too slow. The Castex government was therefore inspired by the work of the Citizen's Convention on the climate and decided that from 2022, it will be forbidden to replace oil-fired boilers and to install new ones. A challenge that will force households to adapt, but financial aid does exist.
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Fuel oil is cheaper but also less clean
It should first be noted that the ecological stake of replacing fossil fuels in the heating of individual dwellings is important. An oil-fired boiler emits 50% more CO2 than equipment running on natural gas. And it even goes up to four times more emissions than some heat pumps. In addition, many oil-fired boilers are old and inefficient, causing significant energy losses.
The alternatives are numerous: gas, pellet or wood boiler, heat pump, solar heating… But these are expensive equipment. Count several thousand euros minimum, or even more than 10,000 euros for certain installations such as high performance wood boilers and heat pumps. To support households, the government has therefore decided to strengthen the multiple existing aid mechanisms, in particular by endowing "MaPrimeRénov '", which replaces the tax credit for energy transition, with an additional two billion euros.
Several aids to replace your boiler
Between the aids offered by energy suppliers and those put in place by the State, everyone can benefit from financial support: conversion bonus, renovation assistance, energy bonus and voucher, eco-loan to zero rate… Most of the time, the amount varies according to household income, the most modest benefiting from more substantial aid. This can range from 3,500 to 5,500 euros for the conversion bonus for example. And even 10,000 euros for a heat pump financed by "MaPrimeRénov '". And all these aids are cumulative, which can reach up to 80% of the total amount of the heating system for the poorest households.
To encourage people to change systems, suppliers have even launched "one euro boilers". But beware, these offers sometimes hide scams, as the UFC-Que Choisir reported last winter. Some unscrupulous professionals do not hesitate to go so far as to double their installation bill in order to be reimbursed more money from the state. Finally, you should know that if you are a tenant of your home, you are only required to maintain your boiler. If it needs to be replaced, it is up to the owner to bear the cost of the installation.