The majority of UK residents heat their homes with a central heating system that consists of a boiler, and radiators installed throughout the home. Even in colder countries, this system is not always present. We’ll look at some of the interesting ways people keep warm around the globe.
You’d expect to find traditional heating in the majority of homes, given that Russia is known for its freezing temperatures. You will find this type of heating in urban areas, but most rural people still use ‘pechkas.’ It is an oven, but it is also used as a heater because it remains warm for hours after being used. In the cold Siberian winter, people sleep on them.
Iceland’s volcanic landscape is a great asset for geothermal power. The energy is harnessed by bringing heat and water from underground reservoirs up to the surface. Iceland is supplied with geothermal water via pipes, and even the pavements and parking lots are kept ice-free. Keep yourself warm with your own Crochet Blanket Kits from a site like Wool Couture.
The winters in Japan can be brutal, but homes do not have central heating. Also, they don’t invest in double-glazing or insulation very often! What do they do when temperatures can drop to a freezing -30 degrees? Kotatsu, a method that involves covering a low-level table with a blanket while placing a heater underneath it, is employed. Many people and their pets sleep under the kotatsu, which creates a cosy and warm atmosphere.
Netherlands – although most modern homes have central heating similar to that found in the UK, traditionally a Dutch foot oven was used. The Dutch foot stove was a wooden box that had an opening on one end and a slab of wood or holes on top. The slab would have hot coals or charcoal inside and your feet could rest on it. This sounds very pleasant, especially with a blanket covering the legs.
Greenland – The Inuit tribes built igloos. While most live in houses now, they still build them to shelter themselves on hunting trips. It was a dome made of ice and slush that acted as a barrier against the harsh climate. The snow also acted to insulate the body heat within the thick walls.
China’s ‘kang beds’ are what get the people warm in northeast China through the cold winter nights. The bed is made of clay bricks and has a space for a small fireplace underneath. The bricks radiate heat through the bed, and throughout the rest of the bedroom.
