If you’re feeling a bit chilly, you might be wondering how the heating works in your apartment here in Milan. No worries—it’s quite easy to understand once you know the basics. During the check-in process, you may have already received some information about the heating, but let’s go over it again to make sure everything is clear.
If you notice a boiler in your apartment, it means you most likely have autonomous heating. If there isn’t one, it’s very likely that you have centralized heating. Let’s take a look at what these two types of heating systems mean:
🔥 Autonomous Heating 🔄
With autonomous heating, your apartment has its own boiler, which gives you complete control over the temperature and when to turn the heating on or off. This means you can decide exactly how warm or cool you want your space to be, without being tied to any fixed schedule. It’s convenient because you can turn on the heating whenever you feel cold, no matter the time of day or season.
🏢 Centralized Heating Explained 🌡️
On the other hand, if your building has a centralized heating system, it means that the boiler is shared by all the apartments in the building and is usually located in a common area. The heat is distributed to each apartment through radiators.
Right now, it’s October 4th, and although it might be a bit chilly, the centralized heating system is not on yet. Typically, it starts around mid to late October (usually around the 15th-20th), depending on the regulations and weather. It stays on until around mid-April.
Centralized heating also works for specific hours during the day, usually from 7 AM to 7 PM, but the exact hours depend on your building’s rules.
The radiators in your apartment are equipped with thermostatic valves, which allow you to adjust the intensity of the heat. There is a knob on the radiators, and you can set it from 0 (off) to 5 (maximum power). A good setting for maintaining a comfortable temperature is around 2. The thermostatic valves also measure the energy consumption in your apartment, which is included in your building’s shared gas bill.
⚡ Electric Heating 🌀
In addition to gas heating systems, some apartments do not have gas at all and rely solely on electric heating. In these cases, heating comes from the same air conditioning vents, which can provide both heating and cooling functions. This system allows you to control the temperature through your air conditioning unit, making it easy to switch between heating and cooling as needed.
💡 More Information & Useful Links 🔗
If you want to learn more about heating regulations in Italy or need more guidance on using the thermostatic valves, here are some helpful resources:
If you have any questions or concerns about your apartment’s heating system, don’t hesitate to reach out to us! We want to ensure you’re comfortable and well-prepared for the winter season. 😊🛋️
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📌 Interesting blog posts from RentalMilan:
Fair use of energy and Limit in the bills included in the price
Apartment maintenance: some tricks
House rules and good to know