53 percent of Turks take no energy efficiency steps to reduce winter bills: Survey

ISTANBUL

A photo taken on January 1, 2016 shows rooftops covered with snow after a snowfall at the old city of Istanbul on January 1, 2016. AFP Photo

With snow and low temperatures hitting many parts of Turkey, a new survey conducted by energy efficiency conglomerate Honeywell shows that many Turkish homeowners are not using the right technologies to make their heating cheaper and easier. 

The survey of homeowners in İzmir, Istanbul and Ankara shows that some 53 percent do not take any steps to reduce the cost of their heating schedules. However, some 25 percent do not heat their homes to a comfortable temperature during the winter – with most of those (63 percent) saying this is because they are worried about high heating bills. 

Despite the high cost of energy, only 15 percent of survey respondents use a thermostat to automatically maintain a comfortable temperature in their homes – surprising given that 70 percent of thermostat users credit the technology with lowering their energy bills by an average of 19 percent. The survey also found that 35 percent simply leave their boiler on at a low temperature to keep warm – a strategy that can end up costing more.

“For many people, keeping their homes comfortable and managing energy bills are competing priorities, and their personal comfort is losing out, particularly during winter,” stated Orhan Geniş, Honeywell’s president for Turkey and Central Asia, in a company press release.

“But while homeowners are concerned about the high cost associated with heating their homes, many don’t use the technologies and best practices available to help them more effectively keep their homes comfortable while also better controlling costs,” Geniş added.

On average, heating constitutes 16 percent of the total cost of running a household in Turkey, according to Honeywell’s survey. 

Respondents’ heating costs during winter average 268 Turkish Liras per month - a substantial amount that equates to more than one-fifth of Turkey’s minimum wage of 1,300 liras. 

More than half (52 percent) of those surveyed consider their gas bills to be “high” or “very high” during the winter months.