Heating in Turkish homes: individual boiler, central, underfloor and air conditioning

In a country where winter reaches most cities, heating becomes part of the buying decision. The type of system determines your comfort in winter, your bill, and how you manage the flat if it stands empty for months.

Individual gas boiler (Kombi)

• The most common in modern flats.
• Full control: you switch it on and off and set the temperature yourself, and some can be controlled from your phone.
• A bill in your name based on your own consumption.
• Servicing: once a year, before winter.

Central heating (Merkezi)

• One boiler for the whole building.
• Cost: split between the flats; in many buildings, heat cost allocators on the radiators measure each flat’s consumption.
• Control: less than with an individual boiler, and the management usually sets the operating hours.
• What to ask: how the cost is split, and the average winter cost.

Underfloor heating (Yerden Isıtma)

• Evenly spread heat that is comfortable, with no radiators.
• Slower to heat up, so it suits continuous use.
• Repairs are harder if a leak appears under the floor.

Heat-pump air conditioners

• A help on mild days and in small spaces.
• For cooling in summer too.
• Electricity is the cost.

Traditional stoves

Some rural and older homes have wood- or coal-burning stoves. They need care and ventilation, and are gradually being replaced in the cities.

Heating and the bill

• Insulation matters more than the type of boiler in lowering the bill. See the guide to winter and heating in Trabzon.
• The energy performance certificate of the building indicates its efficiency.
• Orientation and sunlight reduce the need for heating. See the guide to view, orientation and sunlight.

An empty flat in winter

• Individual boiler: on a low temperature or frost-protection mode.
• Central: keeps running according to the building’s system, and you may pay your share even if the flat is empty, depending on how the cost is split.
• Regular visits. See the guide to managing a property remotely.

Questions before you buy

1. What type of heating is it?
2. How old is the boiler? When was it last serviced?
3. How much were the previous winter bills?
4. With central heating: how is the cost split?
5. Is the building insulated?

In short

An individual boiler for control and flexibility, central heating for convenience in large, well-managed buildings, underfloor heating for evenly spread comfort. Good insulation saves more than any system. Always ask about past bills. On handover, go through the new flat handover checklist.

Contact us and we will help you choose a warm flat with reasonable bills.