Most apartments and homes in cities throughout Türkiye have access to natural gas, which means most will have radiators readily pumping heat throughout the home. While this system offers the ultimate in luxury as literally no effort is required beyond turning a nob, there are a number of considerations to keep in mind. Before the entrance of natural gas, the heating in most apartment buildings in cities such as Istanbul was provided by a huge coal-burning furnace that distributed the heat to radiators that are installed in each flat. It also used to be that the radiators all received and emanated the same amount of heat, which meant one couldn’t adjust the temperature in their own apartment. This is called a “merkezi,” which means central heating system. The downside to this system is the potential for becoming uncomfortably warm and not having the capacity to turn the heat down in any individual flat.
Since then, times have changed and not only has natural gas been introduced as the new central heating igniting agent, but individual flats are now mostly equipped with their own meters on their radiators, which let you adjust the heat. In this case, instead of paying a central fee, each flat has its own natural gas account, but once again in most cases, the heat should never be brought down to zero in its entirety as that affects the integrity of the heating of the entire building. If it seems complicated, well it kind of is and that is why it is important when renting a new flat in a city to discuss the heating in detail and to check whether a flat has its own meter or is involved in a central heating and billing scheme.
For those of us residing in summer holiday towns in winter, an inverted air conditioner, which provides cooling in the summer and heating in the winter is definitely the most convenient heating solution. However, in many cases, as the homes themselves were built with summer in mind, much of the heating provided by ACs can get lost by going up the open stairwells and seeping out through the terrace doors. In this case, one might need an extra spot heating system, which interestingly enough is now mainly referred to as UFO. Originally getting its name from a brand, the UFO label has stuck and while it originally referred to stand-up height-sized red coil heating systems, it has now become the go-to name for any sort of electrical plug-in heater. Prior to the UFO label, these heaters were called “elektrikli soba.” While they may rack up your electricity bill, most homes in Türkiye have an electric heater such as these that can heat up on the spot.
The soba is hands-down one of the most beloved and useful appliances there ever was here in Türkiye. A soba is a heating stove, where one can burn wood or coal in the lower part of the furnace, use the top section for cooking and the heat is emanated through galvanized metal pipes that run through the house. From cast iron to metal, there are a lot of varieties of “sobas” and one can adjust the pipes in the direction and at the length of their choosing. The only necessity for a soba is the all-important “soba hole,” which is the exit route for the pipes from the building and can be an issue of contention when renting a place. You see, if a soba hole does not previously exist in a place you want to rent, it is important to check with the landlord before drilling to make sure they are on board with having a hole in their walls or ceiling for the soba pipe. The pipes should be cleaned out regularly and at worst each winter season. The benefits of the soba are multifold as you can gather around it and experience the immensely comforting heat they successfully radiate as the warmth provided from a soba is unparalleled. Meanwhile, sobas also tend to serve as a perpetual tea stove as most homes tend to have a teapot sitting on top with constantly boiling water, which is also good for humidifying air. Similarly, the top of a soba can serve as a stove top for preparing meals and toasting bread, while an oven compartment if a soba has one is where one can bake bread or even make baked potatoes.
I am going to be honest with you, while there is great appeal in having a fireplace, they aren’t really the most efficient source of heating here in Türkiye. First of all, most fireplaces built in traditional homes in Türkiye were actually constructed with the intention of cooking food. This means that they are generally extremely large, low to the ground and at times even outdoors. In general, fireplaces in Türkiye are not intended as the sole means of heating a house. This means that you shouldn’t depend solely on a fireplace to provide a home’s entire heat and always have a backup as chances are the warmth provided will most likely be limited and thus not as cost-effective as other eating systems. However, as is the case with a soba, they do tend to provide the multiple functions of serving as a cooking vessel and heating agent.
As the winter months near, the hottest topic discussed in towns and villages throughout the country will be the price and type of wood on offer for the season. In general, a regional price is set for a ton of wood that can be delivered to your door precut or in huge logs, in which case cutting the wood down to soba-burning size can be a whole other chore or service provided. The price of wood can be nearly comparable to electricity prices, so don’t be misled to think burning a soba is cheaper, it's just warmer and so that is certainly the advantage.
While each region has its own different types of trees and wood, in general, “çam,” which is pine, will be less expensive and faster to burn, while variations such as “meşe,” which is oak, or “zeytin,” which is olive, will burn slower. Thus, one ideally might combine a few variations of different types of wood and may even add coal to the mix. For newbies seeking a wood delivery, just ask around, even your local market will most likely have leads on who has wood available these days. But for locals who officially reside in villages and towns, there is the opportunity of applying to the Ministry of Forestry to receive wood at a much more discounted price.
