Half of Greek households are unable to keep their homes warm enough

The increase in energy prices has led a large number of Greeks to change their consumer behavior regarding energy consumption for heating. It is either decreasing or coming from a different source than in the past and is often less efficient.

Although the energy poverty plaguing Greek households could be alleviated through home energy upgrade programs and some changes, such as more subsidies to the energy vulnerable, this has not been achieved, resulting in another winter just around the corner , for the Greeks to look for solutions and ways to heat their homes.

Research

In fact, according to a pan-European consumer survey in which EKPOIZO from Greece participated, one in two households has cut back on food expenses in order to pay for electricity and heating costs in the last 12 months.

Also, about one in five spend on medicine, four in five have cut back on electrical appliances and lighting, one in two on hot water use, three in four on home heating, four in five households have cut back on entertainment and three in five five the movements.

The average total energy cost per year is around 1,900 euros with energy costs being influenced by the size of the house, the type of heating system and the characteristics of the households.

According to the available data, approximately 56% of households in our country heat their homes using central heating systems, where heating oil (41.1%) and natural gas (14.5%) dominate.

The remaining households mainly use air conditioning systems (13.9%), individual heating with natural gas (12.3%) and electrical appliances (4.6%).

However, almost nine out of ten of those with heating oil central heating and 80% of those with natural gas central heating also use additional heating systems, mainly air conditioners (46.09%) and electrical appliances (25.58%). However, there is also a percentage of the order of 2.5% who state that they do not heat their residence at all.

Big increases

The rally in oil and gas prices over the past two years has left half of households unable to keep their homes adequately warm with 20% admitting to late bill payments and 5% to having had a power cut-off or natural gas cut-off in the last 12 months.

Also disappointing is that about a third of households report health problems related to insufficient heating and the presence of high humidity at home (36.15%) and about 80% of households have reduced the use of electricity, more than 75 % heating use and about 50% hot water use to be able to pay the bills in the last 12 months.

About 20% of households operate the heating system for less than 2 hours a day or not at all and 35% from 2 to 4 hours a day. As a result, more than half of households report an indoor temperature lower than the World Health Organization (WHO) recommended room temperature, i.e. between 18°C-21°C.