June has been the hottest month since there are records in Spain, according to the State Meteorology Agency (Aemet). Insuffolble days and suffocating nights have justified the purchase of a team that cools or refresh the house. There are different alternatives to lower degrees, but one has shot: roof fans. In the last three years, the category has experienced an increase of more than 50% in sales in the Centers of Leroy Merlin Spain, «reflection of an increasing interest in air conditioning solutions that combine efficiency, aesthetics and functionality,» says Gisele Fonseca, director of decoration of the French multinational in Spain. Also in Create, home design appliances brand, they have noticed the change: «In recent years we have observed a constant increase in interest in this air conditioning system. It occupies a very relevant percentage in the total weight of sales between the months of May and August,» says Luis Monserrate, CEO of the company. The second -hand market is not alien to the Bum. «The week of June 16 the searches for air conditioning products were shot, the fan being the element most wanted by the Spaniards. We have detected in the last week an increase of up to 91% in fans and 17.7% in roof fans,» they say in Milanuncios, platform specialized in the second -hand market. The increasingly high temperatures and the fear of an electricity alternative or air conditioning complement, since it has lower energy consumption. «Consumers are increasingly opting for more energy efficient solutions, more friendly to their pocket,» says Monserrate. In addition, he adds, «they have less impact on people's health, since they do not cause drastic temperature changes and avoid colds.» According to a study by CREATE on consumption and air conditioning habits in summer, 60% of respondents say they bet on ceiling ventilation because they are a more sustainable and environmental option with the environment. It should not forget the price of these devices. Together with standing fans, tower or evaporative air conditioners, they are one of the most economical options: there are models for less than 100 euros. «They usually range between 35 and 200 euros depending on the characteristics of the product,» says Monserrate. Design and aesthetics also play an important role. This category not only grows in volume, but also in relevance within the home, especially in bedrooms and halls, although they can be installed in kitchens, bathrooms and covered terraces. «In bedrooms it is better to be silent, with warm light and timer and in the halls a decorative design will be ideal, with large blades, with or without light,» they recommend in Create. The perception of the consumer has changed radically and the ceiling fan has ceased to be a basic air conditioning option and very focused on the house of the beach. «It has ceased to be a typical product of holiday housing to become a usual solution in floors of interior cities,» they say in Leroy Merlin, where the most expensive model for sale is worth 999 euros. Now, the evolution in the design makes them versatile and appropriate devices also for avant -garde housing, low roofs or false ceilings. The new models of fans integrate LED light, which allows replacing a traditional lamp without losing functionality or aesthetics. There are designs without blades, with retractable blades that are hidden when they are not in use, of the ceiling type, plans and compact for low roofs … the upper ranges have a timer and remote control. And with a direct current (DC), which are characterized by “by a quieter, light and durable operation, in addition to reducing energy consumption by up to 70% compared to traditional motors,” according to Fonseca. They can also have reversible summer/winter function: it invests the direction of rotation of the blades to adapt to each station helping to dissipate hot air in summer and distribute the heat of the heating in winter, which favors energy saving. Classicot to combat the suffocating heat is the air conditioning apparatus, although this category has also experienced an evolution with respect to the old equipment. «Current models offer more benefits such as compact designs, air purification through plasma filters that eliminate dust particles, remote control, low noise level and technical service and guarantee after installation,» they point out in the Department of Services for the Energy of Homseerve, a company specialized in repairs and household maintenance. They are also characterized by greater energy efficiency (A ++ and A +++ labels). «Inverter technology consumes less since it allows to better regulate the temperature. Some models incorporate presence detectors to generate savings and optimize consumption,» they add in the company. The best -selling system remains the 1×1 split (an interior and an exterior unit), “although the 2×1 and Multisplit systems have won prominence in homes with several rooms,” emphasizes Harry Hospitalier, director of Technical Markets at Leroy Merlin Spain. It is the favorite because it is the most economical. The cost ranges from 500 euros for the most basic models up to 1,500 euros for which they incorporate greater technology, with the basic installation included.
Subsoil temperature
When it comes to new construction housing or that are rehabilitated, the decision is very different. It is usually chosen for air conditioning, aerothermia or even geothermal. The latter is a way to lower the energy consumption of buildings drastically. «It can reduce up to 75% energy consumption compared to traditional systems, since it takes advantage of the constant temperature of the subsoil. This translates into lower invoices and lower environmental impact,» says Juan de Isabel, one of the directors of the Veolia Geothermia company. Air conditioning geothermia works taking advantage of the fact that temperature under earth (between 10 and 15 degrees at certain depths) remains constant all year. The system uses buried pipes on the ground that absorb the heat of homes in summer and deposit it on Earth. From Veolia they explain that it works as a conventional air conditioning but, instead of releasing heat to the outer air, it deposits it on the ground, which makes it more efficient and respectful of the environment. In winter, the process works backwards: it extracts the heat from the earth to heat the households. Geothermia, which can be installed both in single -family and in new construction flats buildings, is a system that can work with different methods of distribution of cold and heat in homes. «The most recommended option is the radiant soil, which consists of a network of tubes installed under the ground that distribute the temperature evenly throughout the house,» says Isabel. «The cost will be determined by the needs of the project, since with geothermia it is possible to replace the air conditioning, heating and even heating of swimming pools, which implies that all possible savings must be contemplated to study the amortization of the project,» they say in Veolia.