Heating in the home, when you can turn it on: the dates

Hello, lovely readers! Daniela here with some cozy advice for your home.

When it comes to heating, timing is everything. Generally, you should consider turning on your heating between October 1st and November 1st, depending on your location and local climate. However, remember that comfort is personal, so adjust accordingly!

Some quick facts to keep in mind:

• The ideal indoor temperature range is 18-21°C (64-70°F).
• Lowering your thermostat by just 1°C can save up to 10% on your energy bill.
• Proper insulation can reduce heat loss by up to 25%.

For more energy-saving tips, check out the Energy Saver guide from the U.S. Department of Energy.

Stay warm and cozy, friends!

When the heating can be turned on

After a truly scorching summer, autumn has finally arrived: temperatures have dropped dramatically throughout Italy, and there are already those who are thinking about turning on the heaters, to make the environment more pleasant and relaxing. But, as we all know by now, there is legislation to comply with regarding turning on radiators, which is aimed at limiting gas consumption and reducing their impact on the environment. Our country is divided into. 6 climate zones, for each of which there are special rules. Let’s find out about them together.

Heating in the home: what the law requires

For those who own the independent heating in the home, Italian law stipulates certain rules to be followed when turning it on. In fact, it is not possible to start the radiators before a certain date, which varies according to the climate zones into which our country has been divided. The goal is to balance the need to heat the house (based on the average temperatures that are seasonally recorded in each location) with that of reducing gas consumption and the environmental impact that the use of radiators entails. Of course, the regulation also covers condominium heating – which, however, is not managed by individual condominiums, so it is not usually a cause for concern.

Let us first see what are the General criteria regarding the lighting of radiators in Italy, and then goes into the details. According to the regulations, heating can be turned on in the range between October 15 and December 1, 2024, depending on the climate zone in which you live. Turning off radiators, on the other hand, is scheduled – again based on climate zones – between March 15 and April 15, 2025. However, individual municipalities can waive these provisions in case of exceptional events, such as particularly cold temperatures or, conversely, a sudden rise in the mercury column. The maximum temperature that can be set for heating is 19°C, with a tolerance of ± 2°C. Again, individual municipalities may make exceptional exceptions.

The six climate zones of Italy

We now turn to the 6 climate zones into which Italy is divided, based on the average temperatures recorded in the various cities and provinces taken into consideration. It is important to identify which zone you fall into so that you know exactly what dates to turn heaters on and off and how many hours per day you can use the heaters. Here is the breakdown.

• Climate zone A: Linosa, Lampedusa and Porto Empedocle;
• Climate zone B: provinces of Agrigento, Catania, Messina, Palermo, Syracuse, Trapani, Crotone and Reggio Calabria;
• Climate zone C: provinces of Bari, Brindisi, Lecce, Taranto, Benevento, Salerno, Naples, Caserta, Catanzaro, Cosenza, Sassari, Oristano, Cagliari, Imperia, Latina and Ragusa;
• Climate zone D: provinces of Ancona, Ascoli Piceno, Macerata, Pesaro, Massa and Carrara, Livorno, Grosseto, Lucca, Florence, Pistoia, Pisa, Prato, Siena, Teramo, Pescara, Chieti, Genoa, La Spezia, Savona, Rome, Viterbo, Avellino, Caltanissetta, Foggia, Forlì-Cesena, Isernia, Matera, Nuoro, Terni, and Vibo Valentia;
• Climate zone E: provinces of Alessandria, Aosta, Asti, Biella, Novara, Turin, Verbania, Vercelli, Bergamo, Brescia, Como, Cremona, Lodi, Lecco, Milan, Varese, Sondrio, Pavia, Bologna, Ferrara, Piacenza, Modena, Parma, Ravenna, Rimini, Reggio Emilia, Gorizia, Pordenone, Trieste, Udine, Treviso, Venice, Verona, Vicenza, Padua, Rovigo, Rieti, Frosinone, Bolzano, Campobasso, Enna, L’Aquila, Perugia, Potenza, and Arezzo;
• Climate zone F: provinces of Cuneo, Belluno, and Trento.

Switch-on dates for heating 2024

Finally, let’s find out what are the heating on and off dates for 2024, broken down according to the climate zone you live in.

• Climate zone A: heating can be turned on from December 1, 2024 to March 15, 2025, for a maximum of 6 hours per day;
• Climate zone B: heating can be turned on from December 1, 2024 to March 31, 2025, for a maximum of 8 hours per day;
• Climate zone C: heating can be turned on from November 15, 2024 to March 31, 2025, for a maximum of 10 hours per day;
• Climate zone D: heating can be turned on from November 1, 2024 to April 15, 2025, for a maximum of 12 hours per day;
• Climate zone E: heating can be turned on from October 15, 2024 to April 15, 2025, for a maximum of 14 hours per day;
• Climate zone F: no limitations are provided.