The bitter cold and snow have already arrived in various areas of Italy and for a few weeks some have already turned on the radiators. Those who have central heating will have to follow the calendar in force based on the different climate zones. At the moment only those who live in the coldest areas of the country and fall into bands F and D can turn them on.
Due to the increases in electricity and gas bills, it is essential to avoid waste. How to do it? In reality, there are some simple rules to follow both to save money and to protect the environment. Let’s find out what advice is provided by ENEA (National Agency for new technologies, energy and sustainable economic development) to make the best use of radiators.
10 golden rules to follow
- Perform plant maintenance. It is the first rule when it comes to safety, savings and environmental protection. A system consumes and pollutes less when it is correctly regulated, clean and without limescale encrustations. For those who do not maintain their system there is a fine starting from 500 euros (Presidential Decree 74/2013)
- Control the temperature of the rooms. Heating the house excessively can damage your health and your pocket: the legislation provides for a temperature of 20 degrees plus 2 tolerance, but 19 degrees is more than sufficient to guarantee the necessary comfort. Furthermore, for every degree less you save 5 to 10 percent on fuel consumption.
- Pay attention to the ignition times. It is not advantageous to keep the heating system on day and night. In an efficient home, the heat accumulated by the structures when the system is in operation guarantees a sufficient degree of comfort even when it is turned off. The maximum daily switch-on time varies by law depending on the 6 climatic zones into which Italy is divided: from 14 hours per day for systems in zone E (northern and mountainous areas) to 8 hours in zone B (coastal areas of southern Italy).
- Install reflective panels between the wall and the radiator. It is a simple but very effective solution for limiting heat loss, especially in cases where the radiator is embedded in the wall, reducing its thickness and degree of insulation. To help reduce dispersion towards the outside, a simple sheet of tinfoil may be enough.
- Screen your windows at night. Closing shutters and shutters or placing heavy curtains reduces heat loss towards the outside
- Avoid obstacles in front of and above radiators. Placing curtains or furniture in front of radiators or using radiators as a clothes dryer hinders the diffusion of heat into the environment and causes waste. Furthermore, it only takes a few minutes to renew the air in a room, so windows should not be left open for too long as this leads to unnecessary heat loss.
- Do a check-up on your home. Asking a technician to carry out an energy diagnosis of the building is the first step to take to evaluate the state of the thermal insulation of walls and windows and the efficiency of the air conditioning systems. With the diagnosis it is possible to know the interventions to be carried out by evaluating the cost-benefit ratio. In addition to reducing heating costs, even by up to 40%, the interventions are even more convenient if you take advantage of tax deductions for the energy requalification of buildings.
- Choose innovative heating systems. Since 2015, with rare exceptions, it is possible to install only condensing boilers. It is advisable to evaluate the possibility of replacing the old heat generator with a condensing one or a high efficiency heat pump. Biomass-fueled boilers and hybrid systems (condensing boiler and heat pump) combined with solar thermal systems to heat water and photovoltaic systems to produce electricity are also available. It is also possible to benefit from tax relief for these interventions.
- Opt for innovative technological solutions. It is essential to equip your system with an automatic temperature regulation control unit capable of avoiding unnecessary peaks or power surges. The possibility of hourly, daily and weekly programming guarantees further energy savings. Home automation also promotes savings: chronothermostats, presence sensors and electronic regulators allow you to adjust the temperature of individual rooms and the switching on time of heating systems even remotely via mobile phone.
- Install thermostatic valves. These devices serve to regulate the flow of hot water in the radiators, allowing the temperature set for heating the rooms not to be exceeded. Mandatory by law in condominiums, thermostatic valves help reduce consumption by up to 20%.
Reduce costs with intelligent heating management
An important aspect for energy saving concerns the adoption of technologies for intelligent heating management. In recent years, the use of smart thermostats, which can also be managed remotely via smartphone, has become increasingly common. These devices allow you to set different temperatures for the various time slots and adapt the heating to the real needs of the home, optimizing consumption. Estimates show that intelligent heating management can reduce energy consumption by up to 15%.
The importance of thermal insulation
In addition to correct management of the systems, the thermal insulation of the home plays a crucial role in keeping the heat inside. According to studies conducted by ENEA, a well-insulated house can reduce energy consumption for heating by up to 40%. Among the most effective solutions are the installation of double glazing, the insulation of walls and the reduction of thermal bridges, i.e. those areas of the building structure that disperse heat more easily. Insulation not only reduces consumption, but also increases living comfort, improving air quality and maintaining a constant temperature.
You might also be interested in:
