Auburngrad82
11/26/2016 12:26 EST
My wife and I are looking at some of the online property listings around Coimbra and one thing I've noticed is other than a few houses with radiators I don't see a method of either heating or cooling the houses. I understand lows in the winter can get down into the 40s and highs in the summer can get into the 80s. How are houses heated or cooled in Portugal?
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craigandmicki
11/26/2016 14:02 EST
About how homes are heated and cooled in Portugal....if no fireplace, heat is lots of sweaters; if no air conditioner, nudity works well. Sorry, but not far from the truth. Summers are fine as we open all windows and let the breeze cool us. Winter, portable gas heaters and fireplaces are key.
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OldPro
11/26/2016 14:20 EST
It is not uncommon in many of the countries around the Med to not have any kind of heating or cooling other than fireplaces and open windows/doors in summer.
I did live in an apartment in Greece that had central heating and air conditioning but that was not the norm. Others thought it an unnecessary luxury.
Another factor you may encounter along a similar line is how water is heated. Many places rely on solar panels to heat water and when the sun doesn't shine, guess what! Fortunately, those days are not that common for most of the year.
Watch for installations like this with the solar panel and the hot water tank on the roof.
http://images.nationalgeographic.com/wpf/media-live/photos/000/175/cache/solar-water-heater_17509_600x450.jpg
When in Rome, you do as the Romans do.
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10abuse
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CascaisPortugal
11/26/2016 14:32 EST
You just wear an extra sweater in the house ha ha
Serously, that's what was done before...now you have different options..electric, woodburners, and central heating in the newer properties.
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Auburngrad82
11/26/2016 15:12 EST
How are allergies? One of the reasons we need somewhat controlled air sources is my wife is pretty allergic to everything. Maybe we need to stick with new homes that may have central air?
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PresentMonkey
11/27/2016 05:53 EST
Auburngrad,
I too have issues with my breathing. We rented an apartment here for a month while we looked for a permanent rental. It was in a building about 50 years old and did not have any heat or air. There was a strong smell and some mold on the windowsills and inside. luckily we arrived when we were able to leave the windows open for ventilation. We did find a newer apartment (15) years old and it has water heated radiators in every room. We know a family here that explained the houses are build to keep the cool in during the summer. Look for refurbished and see what type of heating it has. You might end up with a wood stove, electric heat or pellet stove. During the summer we will need fans. It will be rare to find air conditioning. Check for mold and make sure you have windows for ventilation. The area across the river called Quinta das Lagrimas is quieter, flatter and a bit newer than in other areas of Coimbra. Good Luck
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Yummmmmyme
11/27/2016 18:41 EST
I only read present monkey's post which is excellent advice, and I just wanted to add that I was recently told that many ex-pats buy dehumidifies because of the damp/mold. Apparently it's one of those things that's just going to be necessary for some. It may be an option (in addition to a newer building) that you may need to look at. I'm in a remodeled building in the historic center of Cascais. I'm very sensitive to the smell of mold and don't see any in the windows but the apt, beautiful and new as it seems, feels humid inside. When I do laundry and have to dry it inside it can take 4-5 days to dry unless I can open the windows. At home in seattle where it's wet all the time, my things were dry overnight. Just my experience here, for what it's worth.
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Yummmmmyme
11/27/2016 18:48 EST
I've also lived in 4 different places here so far. None of them had any solar power. Most of the older places have a decent-sized gas tank inside and when the kitchen water goes cold, you know it's time to replace it. Some of the newer places have A/C and heating, but it's the type that's attached up high on the walls and blows down so you have to be careful where you place your bed so you're not directly under it. It also depends on how much you want to/can pay. A lot of the places that were €750-1100 didn't have a "central" heater, but places above that price often did. Most of the dozens of places I looked at had a word-burning fireplace for heat. So you really have to shop around but you can find it. :)
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PresentMonkey
11/28/2016 05:13 EST
Yumm has a great point about drying clothes. Most apartments, homes etc do not have clothes dryers. Hanging your clothes outside all year long is how things are done here. Because the weather is very nice it is possible to use the outside air and they have hangers made for hanging off your balcony rail or out your window. If it rains one day, there will be sun tomorrow. If it is cloudy in the morning, there will be sun in the afternoon.
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londonfolk19
11/28/2016 10:34 EST
Hi We are a family of 2 adults and 2 teenagers, and we will be visiting Cascais next week as we need International schools for the kids. Can you recommed andy good Real Estate agents that you have used who are decent and have good access to properties. We are looking to spend about 2500 a month and so hope to get something decent.
Also would love any tips on which areas are good and why. Thanks
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craigandmicki
11/28/2016 11:59 EST
Realtors question from "londonfolks19": At your price point be very certain to work with a licensed realtor....and MANY are not. You will find the highest level of service and best selection of properties from Elsa at MAP / Martina Lennon Realty or Auk at Rose Realty. For short term stays while you look around, try MAP or Nicola Duarte at Portugal Portfolio. All of these resources will appear in a google search and all have websites.
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OldPro
11/28/2016 14:07 EST
Yummmmmmyme, the key to humidity and mold is air circulation.
Humidity and mold are found all around the Med. It's just a fact of life. However, it doesn't mean you can't mitigate the effect.
For example, I lived at one time in a semi-basement apartment with an identical apartment next door to me.
In the spring when the tenants next door moved out, their apartment had walls covered in mold! Mine had none. So what was the difference?
Well, they had the radiator heat cranked up and spent the day inside wearing shorts and t-shirts with all windows closed to keep the heat up. They also followed the UK norm of closing all room doors and isolating the rooms from one another.
I left all windows open 24/7 and wore long pants and long sleeves and only ever closed the bathroom door when I was in that room. It's as simple as that. The only mold I got was on a leather jacket in a closet that I failed to leave slightly open. If the air can circulate, you don't get the mold.
If there was a few really cold or rainy days then obviously I had to close the windows but I opened them again once the worst weather had past. This is after all an area with little really cold weather we are talking about. It's just a question of learning how to adapt.
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Palo1955
12/5/2016 09:21 EST
Alot of people use electric oil filled space heaters. More expensive flats like ours have heating/ac units in each room with one heat pump hanging on the outside wall. We are near Marque De Pombal Lisbon.
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brascanada
4/5/2017 15:36 EST
How difficult (other than the cost) is it to retrofit a property with adequate AC and heating? I was checking some construction stores and saw those walls units that cool AND heat, and the cost of the unit was surprisingly low (in generic terms).
Just trying to understand why people would not upgrade the homes they own. Rentals, of course, depend on the landlord...
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tommaria
4/6/2017 10:53 EST
We also want to inquire on that subject too, since we get a lot of humidity & dampness due to us not being at our home for most of the year. Have to find out when we go there again this summer, I know the feeling of many people not upgrading to keep their homes more comfortable. good luck to you too!
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