Winter weather in uzumlu

[Yoshi]

Thank you Kawasakikid !

Your right I was a little confused but your mail has been very informative.
We are thinking of buying a new build which has been built using a Theramalite construction so hopefully has some insulation.
Can I ask you about the winter, is it as damp as we get in he Uk or as you get more sun does it feel warmer.
Thanks

[suehugh]

Although we are only intermittent visitors to Uzumlu, we have experienced the seasons there.
You will need the equivalent of UK central heating and a little more in the winter. Particularly if your in a modern build with marble floors and of open plan designresidents tend to have a variety of methods to keep warm. Wood burners, sobas, panel heaters', curtaining off areas, electric blankets on settees, oil fired heating.
All either expensive or labour intensive.
But it's worth it, as the daylight hours are generally brighter and warmer than the UK.

[Lotty]

All good advice here. Remind yourself that it's much worse in Siberia!

I think you would benefit from a couple of electric blankets too. Some people I know used to have them on the sofa while watching TV in the evening. Sounds cosy! Turkish people bring out their floor rugs in the winter too, that does make a difference. 

[kawasakikid]

In winter it does rain and rains quite hard. But the effect of this is to make everything a vivid green- sometimes I think I am in Austria and not Turkey. This rain falls as snow on the highest mountains   It is very unusual to have snow in Uzumlu though.  If it does, it never stays on the ground for more than a couple of hours, because of the warmish ambient temperature. We are still not that far from the Med!

The other thing I have noticed is after it has been cloudy and rained one day, the next usually will be cloudless.  Having the sun always makes you feel better and of course does wonders for your vitamin D levels. Even when it rains, it does not feel damp.  Strange but true.

I live in new build villa and even though insulated with breeze blocks, looking back I should done better.  That is the key; you must demand the highest level of insulation your budget can stand. In this regard, don't think Turkey, think UK. You need to keep the heat out and the warmth in.

Having your villa insulated to the highest standard means that heating it in winter becomes less of an issue.  Not only that, it will cost you less in fuel bills (and air conditioning in the summer).  I have open plan and a vaulted ceiling. Our only source of heat comes from a log burner. To improve it's efficiency, I will move it out of the fireplace into the room in the winter and put it back in the summer, like most of the local Turks do.  At first I thought this was crazy, but now I see it makes perfect sense as does what the last two posters have said.

Don't forget, you are guaranteed a long hot summer here and that makes up for the short winter season.

[Eric]

Hi Yoshi, Are you the person who looked around our house too?  If so, the house you are considering is the new one behind us and we watched it being built.  I can confirm that the house has NOT been built with thermalite blocks.  It has been built with the standard 'pot block' bricks, which have very little thermal properties, and then a layer of render over that. 

As to the winters here;  Uzumlu is a good 5 degrees cooler than Fethiye/Calis all year round and has a lot less humidity too.  We have lived here for 8 years and this last winter is the wettest and longest we have known, so is not really the norm.  Generally you can get days where it is sunny and around 21 - 22 degrees, but when the sun goes down it can fall to 5-6 degrees, and sometimes into minus figures but that is usually January.  The cold spell is usually a lot shorter than the UK.  The cold spells start December time and things usually start warming up again around March.  We have central heating, radiators run off a wood burning stove with a water jacket and it heats the house up quite nicely, maintaining a temperature throughout of 20-22 degrees.  We initially ran the heating off gas when we first moved here but the cost was horrendous.  We use around 3 tonne of wood in the winter but we run it to keep warm otherwise what is the point of having heating if you sit there with jumpers on trying to save money.  

The upshot is; Yes winters can be cold here but they are not as cold as the UK and for a far shorter period.  We get an abundance of sunny warmish days too and no snow!  There are very few houses here that are built with thermal bricks, the white ones around us are NOT built with them (we watched them being built)  Central heating is a must but I can't comment on the underfloor heating here as it is new to this part of Turkey and it depends how well it has been installed.  Gas heating is the most expensive, then electric and then the multifuels, which includes wood burners.

Good luck with your move.

[Yoshi]

Hello Eric,
Yes we were the ones that looked at your house ! and I have to say we liked it very much but decided on the new build.
You have put my mind at rest regarding the weather, after what I have read it sounded like the weather was up to 5 months of cold winter.
It's funny the building company have told us they were Thermalite and I have to say there were a few in the garden when we looked around.
As you know the house is near completion, with no wood burner so am considering putting one in he lounge to warm downstairs but need to look at a chimney or flue possibility.
We are used to under floor heating in the UK but not sure of its efficiency in Turkey.
It was nice to chat with you and Fiona when we came and should we end up in Uzumlu we will buy you a beer.
Take care and thanks again.
Sue

[Eric]

Hi Sue,

Looking forward to the beer. Good luck with your move.

Eric

[Scunner]

Hi Yoshi, Are you the person who looked around our house too?  If so, the house you are considering is the new one behind us and we watched it being built.  I can confirm that the house has NOT been built with thermalite blocks.  It has been built with the standard 'pot block' bricks, which have very little thermal properties, and then a layer of render over that.  ~ the white ones around us are NOT built with them (we watched them being built) 

It's funny the building company have told us they were Thermalite and I have to say there were a few in the garden when we looked around.
As you know the house is near completion, with no wood burner so am considering putting one in he lounge to warm downstairs but need to look at a chimney or flue possibility.

Oh the old "scatter a few thermalite blocks around the garden" trick. Welcome to Turkey.

Someone is lying to you - now it's either the builder or it's the people who watched them being built and saw what they used. Knowing Eric for over 10 years my 5 lira is on him being the one telling the truth.

You are looking to buy a property and live half way up a mountain - one of the paramount factors when choosing your home is what was used to build it - not what the agent/builder told you - what was actually used. Get a 20mm drill bit and stick a hole through an external wall before parting with a penny. You'll quickly know if they are terracotta pots as they collapse rather pathetically right before your eyes. If Eric is right walk away and tell the builder why - you are paying the price of a quality villa and actually receiving a cheap, nasty lookalike.

Having worked in property for many years I cannot let this pass without posting this. You have been given absolutely false information on a property you will need to spend maybe a 6 figure sterling sum on, and you find it "funny", and then find a way to combat the cold (by paying to have a wood burner put in).

If it is terracotta pots and not the Thermalite blocks the builder told you, you will pay for that misinformation each and every time you have to buy more logs and every time you get an electricity bill in. Yet you are happy to give him a life changing amount of money.

Words almost fail me but I mustered some and I will tell you this - if Eric is right, you'll probably have plenty of other cut corners to find once you move in.

If I have upset you, good. It means you know I am right. You wouldn't buy a second hand car in this way so why something that may cost you 20 times as much or more?

[Yoshi]

Thank you for that Scunner !
I am always happy to take advise from everyone willing to help otherwise I would not be on this forum.
We are an inteligent couple and would consider every angle before taking the plunge and parting with our money.
Nobody doubted what Eric said,  it was useful to have the information to enable us to look into this further.
As for upsetting me, it would take more than one individuals comments or opinion to do that.
I feel unfortunately, having only been a member for a short time, that although most people are really helpful with information there are others that have a need to try and belittle people. In my opinion there are better ways to make your point.

[Scunner]

I feel unfortunately, having only been a member for a short time, that although most people are really helpful with information there are others that have a need to try and belittle people. In my opinion there are better ways to make your point.

I assume from that part of your post that you feel I fall into the "try to belittle people" category. Let me clarify a few points here.

1. I set up this forum for people to exchange views and experiences, and for those who have been through processes to be able to attempt to prevent others falling into one of the many traps and tricks. It would be remiss of me to see you being (apparently) lied to and not said something.

2. You say the information from Eric will allow you to "look into this further". But actually, your reply to his information was to share your thoughts on other ways to heat the property. This is like having your coat stolen and being grateful for the opportunity to buy a warmer coat.

3. I know a million times more about buying property in Turkey than you and because of my experience tried to help you. From this point I genuinely wish you luck, but I'm out.