Climate Control and Heating: Keys to Regulating Your Home Without Spiking Your Bill
An increasing number of homeowners are installing air conditioning systems. While central ducted systems are highly efficient for cooling entire homes in hot regions and avoid cluttering building facades, modern multi-split inverter units also achieve top-tier energy efficiency ratings (A+++).
In summer, maintaining a comfortable target temperature of 25 °C (77 °F) is recommended. Additionally, the indoor-outdoor temperature gap should ideally not exceed 12 °C (21.6 °F).
Heating
Heating accounts for nearly 50% of average residential energy consumption. Naturally, usage depends on local climate conditions: in milder regions, heating requirements are minimal or non-existent.
In winter, a thermostat setting between 19 °C and 21 °C (66 °F–70 °F) provides optimal comfort while keeping energy bills in check.
Heating systems
Boilers and Radiator Systems
Under current Ecodesign (ErP) regulations and energy efficiency standards:
- Atmospheric and Standard Sealed Boilers: The sale and installation of non-condensing conventional boilers have been banned across the EU.
- Condensing Boilers: They represent the standard for gas heating today. By recovering latent heat from combustion water vapor, they achieve efficiencies exceeding 100% (based on lower heating value). They operate most efficiently at flow temperatures between 30 °C and 50 °C (86 °F–122 °F).
Efficient & Renewable Heating Solutions
- Air-Source Heat Pumps (Aerothermal Systems): Considered the most efficient and future-proof heating solution. Air-to-water heat pumps extract ambient heat from outdoor air to power underfloor heating or low-temperature radiators. Modern inverter-driven units operate efficiently even in sub-zero outdoor temperatures.
- Underfloor Heating (Hydronic): Circulates warm water (30 °C–40 °C / 86 °F–104 °F) through pipes embedded in the floor. It is the ideal partner for heat pumps and condensing boilers due to its low operating temperatures.
- Direct Electric Heating & Thermal Storage:
- Electric Convectors & Radiant Wire: While inexpensive to install, resistance-based electric heating (Joule effect) has high operating costs. It is best suited for mild climates or supplemental heating.
- Thermal Storage Heaters: Store heat in ceramic bricks during off-peak electricity hours (or via solar PV surplus) and release it gradually throughout the day.
Practical Tips for Saving Energy on Heating
- Lower nighttime temperatures: Set the thermostat to 15–17 °C (59–63 °F) overnight or switch it off in well-insulated homes.
- Install smart programmable thermostats: Zoning and scheduling can reduce heating consumption by 10% to 15%.
- Bleed your radiators: Release trapped air at the start of the heating season to ensure uniform heat distribution.
- Keep radiators clear: Do not block radiators with furniture, covers, or drying clothes, as this obstructs airflow.
- Ventilate wisely: Opening windows for 5 to 10 minutes per room is enough to refresh the air without cooling down walls and furniture.
Practical Tips for Saving Energy on Cooling
- Turn off AC units when leaving a room or use a sleep timer overnight.
- Use ceiling fans: On moderately warm days, ceiling fans use up to 90% less electricity than air conditioning.
- Keep the thermostat at 25 °C (77 °F) or higher: Lowering the setting by just 1 °C can increase energy consumption by 6% to 8%.
- Don't set the thermostat to minimum on startup: Setting the AC to 18 °C (64 °F) when turning it on won't cool the room any faster—it simply forces the system to run longer at peak power.
