Heating
Without getting deep into climate change, I still need to state that it is real.
Due to its geographical location, the Mediterranean region is warming 20% faster than the global average.
From primary school studies, everyone knows that the typical Mediterranean weather can be described as hot, dry summers and mild, wet winters.
For over 2000 years, humans in the Mediterranean strongly influenced the environment. The ongoing growth in the population of Mediterranean countries is a significant indirect driver of climate and environmental changes.
The old Maltese houses had thick double walls. These limestone walls were the most unique aspect of the local architecture. The 120 cm thick walls provided perfect insulation against the mild winter and summer heat. However, things have changed; companies use concrete blocks instead of limestone. This is how the well-insulated 120-thick limestone walls turned into 23-27 cm thin concrete. These walls cannot protect the home from the weather, but the same walls can’t keep the A/C provided warm or cold inside either.
But until our homes are not insulated (which makes me extremely sad), let’s see how we can make our freezing home slightly warmer and comfortable during the winter months. Several systems provide heat, and within each broad type, there are many variations.
But I have to inform you, these systems only work well if the house is insulated with the appropriate insulation materials… that is not the plaster and paint.
The most traditional heatings in Europe are boiler and radiator systems.
These include a central boiler that circulates steam or hot water through pipes to radiator units placed strategically around the house. These systems’ advantages are that the heat is very comfortable at every point of your home and offers excellent energy efficiency.
Many new buildings in Europe opt for a surface heating system.
You install the heating panel under the floor, walls, or ceiling with surface heating. It fulfils two functions: in winter, the system heats up the rooms, while in summer, it cools them down by running water through the pipes. A wide range of solutions is available for old buildings as well. Surface heating systems naturally work well with low heating temperatures; the lower their temperature, the higher their efficiency. And on a positive side note: these heating systems are built into the walls, floors and ceilings, freeing up a lot of space.
If you are lucky enough to have a chimney, a stove or fireplace can be installed without too much problem.
The more efficient your fireplace or stove is, the more heat is used to heat your home. For example, a wood-burning stove will provide around 85% efficiency. Meanwhile, an open fireplace has a shallow efficiency rate of approximately 25%, as much heat goes up the chimney.
If you don’t have a chimney, an electric stove could be a great alternative to enjoying the aesthetic of a wood burner. With powerful heat results, just plug your electric stove into the socket, and you can easily enjoy the cosiness of the heated room.
These conventional heaters work by warming up the air around you, which then expands and rises. As the warm air rises, it creates a vacuum, pulling the colder air under. As the warm air cools down, it drops to floor level.
Infrared heating is a relatively new addition to the market.
Infrared is a form of electromagnetic radiation. We often associate the word “radiation” with being harmful, but radiation is just a process of energy emission. The infrared heater warms the objects in the heater’s direct vicinity and also the people in the room.
Infrared panels only need to be on when you are near them; therefore, electricity usage can be low. Since infrared heaters heat the walls, they stay completely dry, preventing the spread of mould in the home.
