# Winter in Oria?



## Espana2016 (Feb 23, 2016)

Hello. I was wondering whether anyone knows what the winters are like in Oria (approx. 40km north of Albox). I've looked on 'historical temperatures' on the internet but that does not really give the whole picture.

You see, I've seen a rather attractive new-build villa there (on the internet) - single storey, three bedrooms, double glazing and a lot of beautiful tiling and a large open fireplace but no sign of radiators or any vestige of central heating. Whilst I've not yet investigated the property fully and by studying this site I'm much more aware of the potential pitfalls, it does look ideal for my idea of early retirement (I'm 55 and financially self-sufficient) and would be moving over to Spain permanently.

Would central heating be essential in winter up there? I like to be comfortable but not overly warm when indoors. There does not appear to be a gas supply, so I suppose it would be either bottled gas, oil or electric. I like the simplicity and minimum maintenance of electric (electric oil-filled radiators?), but have read on here that electricity is somewhat expensive in Spain.

Any ideas, thoughts or experience would be most welcome.

Geoffrey


----------



## Madliz (Feb 4, 2011)

Espana2016 said:


> Hello. I was wondering whether anyone knows what the winters are like in Oria (approx. 40km north of Albox). I've looked on 'historical temperatures' on the internet but that does not really give the whole picture.
> 
> You see, I've seen a rather attractive new-build villa there (on the internet) - single storey, three bedrooms, double glazing and a lot of beautiful tiling and a large open fireplace but no sign of radiators or any vestige of central heating. Whilst I've not yet investigated the property fully and by studying this site I'm much more aware of the potential pitfalls, it does look ideal for my idea of early retirement (I'm 55 and financially self-sufficient) and would be moving over to Spain permanently.
> 
> ...


I always use Weather Underground to research climate, as there's usually a little home weather station nearby. There seems to be one in Oria (though these things do go offline now and then) and it shows, currently, a high of 4º (feeling like 1º with windchill) and a low of 2ºC. 
Oria, Spain Forecast | Weather Underground
In temperatures like that I'd want some form of heating! I see that Oria is at an altitude of 1025m. That's higher than anywhere in England and almost the height of Snowden. It will get cold.

Later in the week the temperature will rise to 19º in the day and 7º at night, which sounds very pleasant for February.

Looking at last year:
ORIA_oeste Weather | Personal Weather Station: IANDALUC75 by Wunderground.com | Weather Underground
you can see a high of 41.7º and a low of -2.9ºC and if you scroll down you can see daily recordings for the year. 

Gas heaters are the most economical way to heat a room here, and gas canisters can usually be ordered by phone and delivered. Maybe the property has a fireplace, so you could use that. Electricity is expensive here, but a small oil-filled radiator can be a boon in a bedroom. 

It would be worth checking the energy certificate for the property you are interested in. Ratings of 'G' (on a scale of A - G) are most common here, alas. That means you struggle to keep the cold out in winter and the heat out in summer. Have a look at those summer temperatures and consider how you might sleep when outside it has only dropped to 26º. You may find keeping cool in summer more troublesome than keeping warm in winter.


----------



## Lynn R (Feb 21, 2014)

Espana2016 said:


> Would central heating be essential in winter up there? I like to be comfortable but not overly warm when indoors. There does not appear to be a gas supply, so I suppose it would be either bottled gas, oil or electric. I like the simplicity and minimum maintenance of electric (electric oil-filled radiators?), but have read on here that electricity is somewhat expensive in Spain.


I would forget electric radiators (oil filled or otherwise) if I were you. From personal experience they are useless at keeping anything other than a very small room warm, they are just not powerful enough - as well as, as you say, being expensive to run. We use a portable butane gas heater with 4.2kw output and that seems to spread the heat around the house quite well (our house is pretty much open plan downstairs and the staircase goes up from the sitting room, so it is quite a big space to heat). We keep the doors to the spare bedrooms closed and only heat those if someone is staying, that is where electric radiators sometimes come in useful. The Government controlled price of a bottle of butano is now €12.68 and for all our cooking and almost all our heating (we have an electric heater in one of the bathrooms too) we usually buy just 10 gas bottles per year. If the climate in Oria is colder in winter, you could well need more.

If you have an open fireplace and a chimney, I think I would investigate getting an inset woodburner. They give much higher output than either gas or electric heaters.

As the house you are interested in is single storey and has double glazing, it should be easier to heat in winter than mine is, but conversely I think it would be hotter in the summer - single storey houses always seem to be.


----------



## Espana2016 (Feb 23, 2016)

Thanks to you both, some really useful information there - I shall certainly study those weather charts!
Having once had a caravan in the UK, I had assumed gas bottles would be expensive but that sounds quite reasonable, due to the government control. A multi-fuel burner is also a good idea, thanks.


----------



## Lynn R (Feb 21, 2014)

Espana2016 said:


> Thanks to you both, some really useful information there - I shall certainly study those weather charts!
> Having once had a caravan in the UK, I had assumed gas bottles would be expensive but that sounds quite reasonable, due to the government control. A multi-fuel burner is also a good idea, thanks.


The price of bottled gas is now reviewed every two months. It has come down from €17.50 at the start of last year to the present €12.68.

Oops, I am misleading you there. The price went up to €13.10 in January - I must have missed the announcement as we were away on holiday then.
http://www.elmundo.es/economia/2016/01/18/569cbd64ca47414d548b4637.html


----------



## gus-lopez (Jan 4, 2010)

I'd be more concerned that the property was 110% legal around there. In fact whatever was said & produced I'd never be convinced about its legality.


----------



## carquinyoli (Jan 5, 2016)

Use this formula, not millimetric but it works well for temperatures: 

100 meters = 1 latitude = 0'65 ºC.
Oria gets 37 ºN latitude + 1000 meters = 47 ºN latitude

You will live 150 km south of Paris but with little precipitation and Mediterranean rainfall pattern, prevalent in autumn and naught in summer. You can get snow in winter. Paris 1700 sunshine hours year, Oria 2900 sunshine hours year. Colder at night , warmer during the day.


----------



## mickbcn (Feb 4, 2013)

Carquinyoli!!!


----------



## davexf (Jan 26, 2009)

Hola 
There is a very active Ex-pat association - Google AUAN Almanzora 

Davexf


----------

