Spain is a country of sun, warm sea, endless sandy beaches and luxurious holidays. The main tourist flow occurs in the warm and hot months from April to October, and few tourists experience cold and dank weather. But permanent residents know firsthand how invigorating the local winter can be, when the humidity rises and the wind seems to blow right to the very bones. From December to March, the comfort level of residents directly depends on the warmth of their homes and work offices and, therefore, on efficient heating.
Types of heating in Spain
Heating systems in Spain can be classified in different ways. Let’s start with the fact that there is individual and central heating. By central in this case we do not mean the usual centralized heating of entire microdistricts and districts through the supply of hot water from a thermal power plant, but a system within the boundaries of one residential complex.
Approximately 15% of households in Spain have no heating at all (probably most of them from the Canary Islands) and 10% of households are connected to centralized systems, the vast majority of which run on natural gas.
Approximately 25% of households prefer to use a heating system other than the pre-installed one (for example, an apartment complex is equipped with a common cold/heat air conditioning system, but some residents prefer to use electric radiators). The vast majority of households prefer to use their own heaters: radiators, modern stoves running on different types of fuel, and individual air conditioners.
In terms of fuel, heating systems in Spain are divided into the following types:
- Those powered by natural gas are the most popular in Spain and the most inexpensive to operate.
- Electric powered ones are more expensive and also incredibly popular.
- Propane -powered ones are expensive and not in great demand.
- Butane -powered ones were very popular in the 80-90s, but are losing their position year after year due to inconvenience (requiring constant purchase and replacement of used cylinders).
- Those running on diesel fuel are very popular in homes (cottages, villas, estates) where it is possible to install a diesel boiler.
- Biomass-powered systems are modern, increasingly popular systems that are still expensive to install, but convenient and inexpensive to maintain and use.
- Systems powered by renewable energy sources (solar energy, wind energy, air energy) are more and more in demand in Spain, since natural and climatic conditions allow them to be used with maximum efficiency. If we talk about new buildings, it is currently rare that a project does not use an aerothermal system and/or does not install solar panels. The aerothermy system is capable of obtaining up to 70% of its energy from renewable sources (air or groundwater). Solar panels will save up to 40% on heating.
In 2023, demand for secondary real estate in Spain decreased and increased for new buildings. And the number of new projects itself increased by approximately 10% compared to the previous year. An important role in changing demand and preferences on the part of investors was the transition of developers to modern heating and air conditioning systems.
Not a single high-quality project can do without the introduction of the latest technologies: maximum energy efficiency of housing is at the forefront. New houses and apartments cannot be compared with the old housing stock: they are easier and cheaper to heat, they use energy-saving technologies and systems, and as a result, the higher cost is more than offset by efficiency and ease of use.
But what to do if the rented or purchased property is not a new building, and the harsh Spanish winter is already upon us?
Ways to save on heating in Spain
If the choice is made in favor of individual heating systems, then you should pay attention to the most economical ones – infrared, convective-infrared and metal-ceramic heaters. And if it is possible to strengthen or modernize the thermal insulation in an apartment or house, it is worth doing this as quickly as possible.
Also, electric sheets and electric blankets can significantly improve the comfort and quality of life in winter; they are quite economical, easily adjustable, do not take up much space, but can provide warmth and comfort for hours.
Oddly enough, regular ventilation is also a way to save money. When ventilating, it is not so much the accumulated heat that is lost (in 5-10 minutes the apartment or house will not have time to cool down), but rather the excess moisture that is removed from the interior.
Depending on the life schedule of each specific family, the correctly chosen tariff from the energy company will help ensure significant savings for the family budget. The monopolist on the market is Iberdrola, and it is from them that you can find a variety of tariffs, including those that can be flexibly adjusted literally by the hour. Using the cheapest tariff during peak energy consumption hours will provide significant savings. According to statistics, the average annual electricity consumption of one household in Spain is 10,000 kWh, of which about 50% is used for heating. That is why it is so important to choose not only the optimal system, but also the appropriate tariff.
Our next advice will be from the category of “Captain Obvious”, but we cannot help but note a simple thing: in winter it can be much warmer outside than indoors – this is a typical Spanish feature, primarily in regions such as the Costa Blanca and Costa Blanca. del Sol. In unheated rooms with thin walls it can be +15ºC, while outside it is +20-25ºC. Therefore, we go out onto the terraces, into the courtyards, walk as much as possible, bask in the sun and at the same time save on heating.
Useful tips when choosing housing in Spain in terms of saving on heating costs
We talked about the advantages of new buildings above. Perhaps the most useful advice from us will be the advice to buy new housing from the best Spanish developers who keep up with the times and care about the comfort of their clients.
When buying real estate second hand, you should pay attention to the following points:
- Orientation of the apartment or house: optimally – south, southeast or southwest.
- Floor: the first floors are the coldest, the middle floors are the warmest.
- Availability of double glazed windows.
- Age of housing: As a rule, the coldest houses are older houses, both apartments and detached houses, built with minimal thermal insulation. If you pay attention, you will notice that old bungalows and townhouses have very low foundations, or even stand on the ground.
- Energy efficiency class specified in the energy certificate. The difference in energy consumption between class A and class D can be colossal.