The French and heating
The French and heating
Did you know?
The French are skittish. A recent study conducted by the Opinion Way institute for www.monexpert-isolation.fr clearly demonstrates this. The French have a persistent feeling of cold!
In winter, more than half of all residents (56%) say they feel cold in their homes, even when they turn on the heating. This tendency is particularly prevalent among renters (68%), 18-35 year-olds (over 68%) and people from lower socio-professional backgrounds (64%).
Reflexes that don’t have to be #COP21!
Two reflexes predominate among those who are chilly: a majority of people (64%) prefer to consume in the English way and put on their sweaters, but (22%) turn up the heat!
Indeed, the English are known for their habit of heating less but covering up more. In France, it’s more of a T-Shirt option in the middle of winter… only 11% of those questioned said they caulked their windows. Cold draughts are welcome in French interiors. And yet, it’s a way of heating less at low cost.
It has to be said that the construction frenzy of the 70s also left too much room for poorly insulated homes, where heat is difficult to retain. This is one of the causes of the national energy bill: buildings are responsible for 30% of France’s electricity consumption. And we can’t stress this enough: the cheapest and most economical energy is the one we don’t use.
Are tenants forgotten when it comes to heat for all?
The situation is glaringly obvious among tenants: 68% of those questioned said they felt cold in winter. In fact, if you can’t do anything about your heating system, most of the time you just have to put up with it. This is exactly the observation that guided the development of Chemin’Arte: our decorative fireplaces and electric radiators can be easily installed on the wall or floor, and taken with you when you move house. They can just as easily be used to equip a complete home for homeowners, but can also be installed as a back-up in interiors or rooms that are too cold.
When it comes to energy consumption, beware: some auxiliary equipment, particularly fan-forced heaters, can consume a lot of energy: check the energy label when you buy your appliance: the closer to A you are, the less you spend!
Our decorative electric dry inertia radiators reduce consumption by 25%, and our prices remain very reasonable, as you’ll see from our distributors. Models with thermostats are also useful for regulating the temperature and keeping it constant. Don’t forget that the peak consumption of a radiator is highest when it is switched on. Our dry inertia radiators limit this effect.
Good insulation, good heating: 100% energy-saving!
The average French budget is 3000 euros when it comes to insulation, according to the Opinion Way study. 59% can spend more than 1000 euros. Senior citizens have the highest budget, with over 4000 Euros per household.
To help reduce the energy bills of the 50% of French housing stock built in the 1970s, as mentioned above, the French government has introduced a number of aids and measures in recent years. But despite their rather high budgets, the majority of French people are not spending any money on energy efficiency.
The Opinion Way study shows that the main reason is a lack of information. 58% of French people underestimate the amount of assistance available, and 42% feel they have little or no information about it. 34% of those surveyed also find the administrative procedures too complicated.
The winning duo for feeling good at home?
Don’t overheat, improve insulation or limit cold draughts at openings, carry out roofing work for homeowners, and choose the right equipment.
Our part is electric heating: gentle, pleasant, economical and decorative: find all our models of fireplaces and decorative electric radiators on the Chemin Arte website!
