Find the right heater for the cool Mallorca winter

In addition: In contrast to Germany, many apartments on the island are poorly insulated or not insulated at all. Mallorcan wooden windows rarely close airtight. Only a few properties have central heating when you move in. Only gradually are heating elements offered in new buildings in the middle and upper price segment.

The heating period usually extends over almost six months from mid-November to April. The simplest and fastest option is electric heating. The device can be purchased at hardware or electronics stores. Plug in and it's getting warm. The heaters are available in the traditional version on rollers or in a more modern way for screwing to the wall. Depending on the size and performance, a free-standing device costs from 30 euros. This is cheap at first glance, but the devices are considered power guzzlers - in the long term, this variant will be expensive.

The gas and paraffin ovens are also portable. It is more expensive to buy than electric appliances, and there are also fuel costs. In addition, burning is not completely odorless. In terms of consumption, however, the stoves are cheaper.

Comfortable heat pump

The heat pump is one of the most common heating systems on the island. The bomba de calor works like an inverted refrigerator - it uses a refrigerant to extract heat from the interior and thereby cool the food. The warm air is practically wasted. With the heat pump, on the other hand, the heat is diverted in a targeted manner. The installation is usually in the floor, the comfort is great: the feet are warmed, the rising warm air heats the room evenly. The disadvantage is obvious: installing underfloor heating does not happen overnight. You have to calculate between 40 and 80 euros per square meter for the installation. Consumption is then comparatively low, but it takes a certain amount of time to warm up the room.

Air conditioning also in winter

The use of air conditioning is not quite as pleasant, but it is cheaper. Technical progress in recent years has ensured that power consumption has been drastically reduced. While electric heating and stoves get dusty in the summer, the air conditioning is used practically all year round. The devices themselves are available from 400 euros, but the installation should be carried out by a specialist. You have to reckon with around 900 euros per room.

The most modern solution against the cold is infrared heating. It shines on a surface, which is thereby heated. The floor, ceiling or walls thus function as heating elements. Once the walls have warmed up, the plug can be pulled. The equipment is expensive to purchase. Depending on the size and design of the panels, you have to reckon with 500 to 1,800 euros. Infrared heating is hardly sufficient for the whole apartment.

A pellet stove provides cozy warmth, which is also not one of the cheapest solutions. In contrast to the conventional fireplace, the stove has an automatic pellet feeder. The volume is not negligible, some devices hum loudly. The temperature can be set using a thermostat, but it doesn't work exactly like an air conditioning system. The oven itself costs between 800 and 4,000 euros, plus installation and maintenance costs. The pellets can be bought in hardware stores, and they are usually delivered to your home in pallets free of charge.

Regardless of the heating device, the humidity must not be neglected in winter. Houses and apartments on the island are prone to mold growth. Regular airing is a must, even if some of the precious heat escapes in the process. Alternatively, an electronic dehumidifier can be purchased. But that costs money and is noticeable on the electricity bill.