Cool in summer and
warm in winter. This is the traditional narrative that revolves around
trulli.
In reality, nowadays, in an intervention of recovery and renovation of a trullo - while working in full respect of tradition - is necessary, or at least increasingly required, a choice aimed at achieving contemporary standards of livability.
And heating, you know, is one of the first needs to be met. Many people wonder, however, what is the best solution - more effective and at the same time more convenient - to adopt in a trullo.
We asked Francesco Serra, owner of Edilserra, a company that has been working professionally for over 40 years in the field of construction and renovation of trulli, for advice on what is the best way to heat a trullo.
"There is no doubt in my mind that the most effective way to heat a trullo is with an underfloor heating system. Underfloor heating consists of a coil of tubes in which water flows at a temperature of about 30°-40° (normal radiators have a temperature of 70°-80°) These tubes are connected to the boiler that heats the fluid. The attic in the innermost part, in contact with the structure, houses an insulator that does not allow the passage of heat to the lower floor but only to the environment to be heated.”
The advantages are many and of a different nature.
- First of all, it is clear that an underfloor heating system is the only one that does not require the encumbrance of heating elements and has architectural flexibility that allows it to be installed even in environments with irregular geometric shapes such as a trullo. The traditional structure of trulli is not affected in any way, leaving intact the original surface of the internal relatives. The spaces thus result to be cleaner and wider.
- Secondly, the underfloor heating system ensures a homogeneous regulation of heat, facing the rising damp: you can choose - during installation - which areas to heat more, increasing the density of the coils to be placed under the floor.
- It is economically more advantageous: in the face of greater initial investment, underfloor heating leads to energy savings quantifiable in the order of 25% per year.
- It can be converted into a cooling system: with the introduction of cold water (even only 15-17 ° C) instead of hot water, you get the result of cooling the environment without the disadvantageous energy consumption related to air conditioners. This also avoids the additional expense of buying air conditioners.
- It improves the energy class of the trullo, which increases the value of the property; it also lengthens the maintenance time, since it is no longer necessary to paint the walls every 2-3 years to eliminate the classic black whiskers that form on the radiators.
- Last but not least, underfloor heating is the optimal solution for those who suffer from allergies: not moving air reduces the spread of mold and dust."
Word of Francesco Serra.