Winter and electric blankets

[sungoddess]

We move to Nerja at the end of October and I am thinking of winter temperatures and more importantly how spanish houses "do" in the winter.We have lived in Greece,Northern Cyprus and Turkey and the winters in the houses can be terrible.It always seemed warmer out than in due to things like,no damp proofing,no insulation,no central heating.We always had our electric blanket on in the winter.Don't know if we should expect the same in Nerja.We can bring one from UK with us,but don't want to waste the space if we are never likely to need it.Also any general information of how good or bad winter can be.We won't have central heating or warm air from airconditioners,so is there any advice on what sort of stand alone heating is best.

[ajtg1952]

Electric blankets are a must; though we do live at 500m. Our log burner gets lit in October and put out in April.

[Free at Last]

Yes, you can certainly expect it to feel warmer outside than it does inside (at least between 11.00 am and 4/5.00 pm) in the winter in Nerja.

Good idea to bring your electric blanket, a couple of years ago (having seen them mentioned on this forum) we bought an electric duvet which is great, and very cheap to run.

We use a standalone butane gas heater which we find ideal for heating the house. Many people say they cause a lot of condensation inside so don't recommend them, but we don't have those problems. We find it best not to use it in a room with the door closed but leave them open and let the warmth spread around the house, otherwise the room you are in feels warm but as soon as you step outside or go upstairs it's igloo territory. We have a heat/light fitting to heat one of our bathrooms in winter too. It's not the prettiest of things for sure, but easy to fit without having to spoil bathroom tiling, and certainly beats shivering when getting out of the shower! We brought ours from the UK (haven't seen them on sale in Spain) but have seen them for sale in shops in Gibraltar.

[gruff]

A friend of mine says, "In winter I keep a coat by the door, I put it on when I come in". You've had the experience by the sounds of it. When I drive down to Spain in December will be taking a new electric blanket. Must admit I have never looked for them in Spain.

[gruff]

Out of interest FaL how old is your property? Ours is about 30 years old. We've heard terrible stories about the butane heaters but never experienced any problems except if we have two on full they will turn off after a while due to lack of oxygen. It is a dilemma in winter. Do we keep the windows closed, lots of heat on and high humidity causing damp, mould etc. or open the windows, lower the humidity and feel colder than if in the UK.

[kexon]

Personally,I would definitely bring the electric blanket and a good quality duvet,both difficult to find/buy over here,especially duvets,due to smaller sizes and poor quality.Whilst I would bring your thermals and jumpers etc also.Spanish houses can be freezing in the winter.

[BENIDORM]

Yes, I fully agree with everyone about bringing your electric blanket etc...It is colder inland but can also get quite 'nippy' at the coast.
We have tried butane heaters several times, very efficient, but we have had condensation problems in both old and new houses and I find my breathing is affected also, but if you get a butane heater I recommend that you buy new and the best available..

Regards,
Gordon.

[Lyric]

SG I know you will be at sea level ± 10 meters so snow is unlikely to be a problem but it will be cold indoors. One of Senior Management's biggest moans, and she can moan, is that we never brought her overblanket. They do seem quite expensive here and we have never got round to buying one. Bring it and pullovers etc. to wear inside the house ! and probably outside at night.

[sungoddess]

Already have the jumpers and thermals from previous lives abroad,sounds like we will be bringing the electric blanket as well.We had an older house in Greece with 18" thick walls and despite whatever heating we threw at it, our bedroom averaged 6 degrees by morning!!Hoping as a "terrace" we will be slightly better than that in the new house.The guy who lives there at the moment reckons he has never had heating on in the house!!!!!!He is much,much younger than us,so that may be the reason.

[gruff]

When I was in Spain over last winter I remember thinking I could have been so much warmer back in the U.K.
Thought about having a wood stove fitted but whoever built the house put the chimney in upside down.

[Free at Last]

Out of interest FaL how old is your property? Ours is about 30 years old. We've heard terrible stories about the butane heaters but never experienced any problems except if we have two on full they will turn off after a while due to lack of oxygen. It is a dilemma in winter. Do we keep the windows closed, lots of heat on and high humidity causing damp, mould etc. or open the windows, lower the humidity and feel colder than if in the UK.

Difficult to say really, the escritura says 1974 but I think it is much older and that is probably the date it was reformed and registered (an old man living nearby told me he remembers the house from his childhood when it was just a pile of stones -as he put it!). The exterior walls are 18" thick, anyway, and although it's a townhouse it's not attached.

We follow the pattern (learned the hard way) of keeping all our windows open in winter between about 11.00 am until the sun goes down, and doing the opposite in summer, closing them all by about 1.00 pm and not opening them until the sun has gone down, and most stay open all night. We usually start using our gas heater in November just for the last hour or so before going to bed, then from December to February it goes on about 6pm (earlier if we've had a really cold day, and if always feels even colder if the weather's been wet as well) to 11.00 pm/midnight, then in March it just goes on later again. When we get up in the morning, with no heating having been on overnight, the inside temperature very rarely goes below 18C - but that feels cold, doesn't it, once we've become acclimatised to the high summer temperatures and we get that very sudden and sharp drop in the winter temperature when the sun goes down. Using gas for all our cooking and nearly all heating (apart from the bathroom heater I mentioned and we have a couple of electric heaters (one an oil filled radiator) for the spare bedrooms which only get used if guests are here, I've never had to buy more than 10 gas bottles in one year, so spend under €200 a year on gas. Using the gas heater on the lowest setting is usually enough, if it's very cold we sometimes put it on medium for half an hour or so then turn it down again. Maybe not using it on full heat lessens the condensation problem, I don't know.

We found the electric heaters absolutely useless for heating a larger room, they don't really seem to make any difference at all apart from to the electricity bill!

[Free at Last]

[

Sorry, hit wrong button!

[Unicorn]

I had always resisted an electric blanket, thinking it was the road to God's Waiting Room, via the rocking chair etc., but I was given one last winter and wow! It needed a crowbar to get me out of bed on those cold, or, damp days. My flat gets the sun almost all day but there are dark cold misty days. And those rare very cold evenings. You have to remember that by the sea there is always damp, no matter how great the construction.
I recommend it highly.

I would like to get one that fits like a double sheet, which I cannot find on Amazon.es, so will put in an order with a visitor with space in the case.

[ajtg1952]

We have every type of heating, free standing wood burner, built in wood burner, electric and butane and by a long way the free standing wood burner is the best.

I rebuilt it myself and installed the flue pipes up through the upstairs bedroom and out through the roof. The flue gives some heat too the bedroom. It works so efficiently, a single bit of olive or lemon can last 3 or 4 hours.

[El Cid]

I had always resisted an electric blanket, thinking it was the road to God's Waiting Room, via the rocking chair etc., but I was given one last winter and wow! It needed a crowbar to get me out of bed on those cold, or, damp days.

If you think that was good try an electric duvet. They stay on all night and have 6 levels of heat which adjust to the ambient temperature. Dual controls so you can each choose your comfort setting.

http://www.dreamland-electric-blankets. ... ton-duvets

Sid

[Unicorn]

Cheers Sid, but can't have too much comfort, otherwise I would get in bed in November, pop out for Xmas and New Year, and back in 'till March.

Your one looks great but 'intelliheat..'. Bad enough having a smart TV......

I've just ordered a fitted under blanket from UK, 50 quid delivery inc. (Pifco, kingsize) from Amazon uk from a company that will send electricals here so the old one will be moving into the spare room.

[Mowser]

We find it best not to use it in a room with the door closed

Not only best, but sensible. If you have a gas fire on, you MUST have a window or door open for ventilation.

[Free at Last]

In order to get our gas contract, we had to have a ventilation grille fitted in the front door. I wasn't best pleased at the time as I'd just finished stripping and refinishing our wooden double doors, but safety is paramount after all. We tend to leave the smallest window in the kitchen open just a tiny bit all the time, as well (the ground floor of the house is pretty much open plan).

[Free at Last]

If you think that was good try an electric duvet. They stay on all night and have 6 levels of heat which adjust to the ambient temperature. Dual controls so you can each choose your comfort setting.

http://www.dreamland-electric-blankets. ... ton-duvets

Sid

Yes, that's the one we bought (ordered from Amazon.co.uk). I think it must have been after seeing your earlier recommendation, so thanks for that! I just put it on 10 minutes or so before going to bed and have to turn it off after getting into bed or I'm too warm, and have never had the heat setting higher than 2. I think anyone would have to live at the North Pole to need it on 6!

[luckyjim]

What about good old fashioned water bottles and a loving husband or wife! Panel heaters are good for smallish spaces like bathrooms. Good blow heaters just to give the room a boost.