Winters are cold and gas is expensive in Italy. At least, in large parts of the country it can be quite wintery and certainly in Le Marche and Abruzzo!

A common misunderstanding is that it will always be nice and warm in Italy. Nothing could be further from the truth, it can get really cold here! Every year we also have a few days of snow with all its consequences. It provides beautiful pictures, but if you live a bit remote in the hills then you are sometimes cut off from the outside world for a short time. All reasons to think carefully about your heating system. The choice for gas is of course obvious to us Dutch. But not automatically also for an Italian. Gas is expensive, especially if you live in the countryside and are not connected to the gas network. The underground gas tank must then be topped up in good time by the gas supplier and the rates are sometimes not tender. Fortunately, there are interesting alternatives.

Wood

Almost every Italian farm has a fireplace. Often this is not just an ordinary fireplace, but the pipes of the heating system run behind the rear wall to provide the radiators with hot water. It is of course important that the fire continues to burn. The traditional fireplace is seen less and less: often an inset fireplace is built in with ventilation so that the warm air is blown into the room. This can also be a different room than the one in which the fireplace is located. EdilKamin and Nordica Extraflame are some of the best known brands

Then there are of course the many models of wood stoves that, more or less efficiently, immediately bring warmth and atmosphere to the various rooms. A wood-fired stove connected to the radiators is also possible. A world famous brand is of course the Norwegian Jotul, the producer of indestructible cast iron stoves.

Pellets

Pellets are the pressed elongated wood pellets that are considered standard fuel in rural Italy. Available everywhere in 15 kg bags and easy to use. The freestanding pellet stoves bring atmosphere and warmth to the living room, just like the wood stove, but have the advantage that they are programmable. Do you want to keep the kitchen nice and warm when you get up? Then you just set it so that it switches on at a certain time. But there are also pellet fireplaces that function like a heating boiler. They are connected to the radiators and also provide the hot water. These fireplaces have an advanced electronic system and are often installed in combination with solar panels and a solar boiler. Showering in the summer with the help of the sun's warmth, in winter the pellet fire starts when the sun alone cannot make it. Especially in combination with underfloor heating, this is a good alternative to gas. There are also combi fires that burn both wood and pellets.

All-burners

These heating boilers burn on literally everything: except wood and pellets also wood chips, but also the residual waste that is released when pressing olives and grapes. On the shells of hazelnuts, walnuts and almonds, apricot kernels and much more. In short, they burn on biomass. They are also called 'omnivores' in Italy. These types of boilers are especially interesting for those who have a farm.

The latest trend

The latest trend is the heat pump. Preferably to be installed in combination with underfloor heating and solar panels. It is a solution that is especially suitable in the case of a thorough restoration or new construction. With existing buildings, the benefits are considerably smaller. Installing a heat pump falls under the Ecobonus subsidy scheme.