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France and Belgium also have electric heating in most houses, and electric heating always runs on 240V. It really works just fine.
by seszett 7y ago
France and Belgium also have electric heating in most houses, and electric heating always runs on 240V. It really works just fine.
- ptaipale 7y agoDirect electric heating typically runs on 240 V, but at least in Northern Europe (Finland, Sweden) electric heating is often a central heating via hot water circulation. Here it used to be common that there's a rather large water tank (1 cubic meter or even more) that is heated up during night time when electricity was cheaper, and then gives out the warmth during day. This is no longer a feasible use case because night time usage of electricity has gone up and night electricity is not cheaper. Heat pumps (operating with drilled wells going 100 m deep) have become more common. The pumps take 400V 3-phase.
- Yaggo 7y agoAir-to-air heat pumps are really common. No new houses are built relying on direct (resistive) heating, at least they have water circulation under floor so you can later upgrade to alternative heat sources.
- ptaipale 7y agoExactly. Circulation under floor is good for heat pumps with drilled wells as heat source; there the water is not that hot (often around 40 degrees C after pump.)
- kabes 7y agoDon't know about France, but in Belgium almost every house is gas or oil heating. Although water/Air heat pump is getting more popular for new buildings.
- Tharkun 7y agoBelgium does, in fact, not have electric heating in most houses. The most popular heate sources are gas and oil (diesel, often incorrectly referred to as mazout). Electricity is very expensive in Belgium. Air source electric heat pumps are on the rise, but it'll be decades before they catch up to gas.