“We do not use any heating“, confess with BBC Mica Fifield, who lives in Lancashire, England. He and his wife don’t know exactly because of the rising gas and electricity prices. how much does it cost to install a heater And they don’t have the luxury of learning.
Here, every night with the radiator on It can cost around 4,8792 euros. This means that this habit will cost you 131.7384 Euros per month. It’s a cost that more and more homes can’t afford.
Fear of not turning on the radiator or wasting energy is more than a matter of convenience. For Fifield, who suffers from Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, which causes him chronic pain, some of life’s most basic activities have been suspended. Use of the furnace has been discontinued, and taking his motorcycle for therapeutic pool sessions is a cause for concern.
He does not want pity, he declares to the British media, “She wants to raise awareness about chronic pain and how living in a cold home can worsen the situation.”
The shadow of energy poverty hangs over more homes every year
It is assumed that 36 million people in Europe (about 8% of the population) could not keep their homes warm enough in 2020. in the United States, 16 percent of the country suffers from poverty energetic. In our country, There are more than 3.5 million people Those who cannot reach the temperature between 18 and 22 degrees It is recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) in a home in winter.
this European Energy Poverty Observatory (EPOV, for English abbreviation) identifies 4 indicators for this problem: insufficient warmth in the house, delay in paying bills, excessively low energy consumption or disproportionate expenditure on energy supply at the income level.
one in 2020 10.9% of the Spanish population could not keep their homes warm enough during the winter 9.6% experienced delays in paying their home’s electricity bills. Both indicators have grown 3.3 points and 3 points respectively compared to 2019.
While some of the increase can be attributed to pandemic lockdowns, the numbers show that the shadow of energy poverty hangs over more and more homes each year.
According to the report Indicators of Energy Poverty in Spain in 2021 There were 6.7 million people from Comillas Pontifical University unable to properly heat their homes in 2021, 1.6 million more than in 2020, accounting for 14.3% of all homes in the country.
The study also highlights the increase. Number of homes suffering from hidden energy poverty, when their energy expenditure falls by more than half of what is necessary for their needs because they cannot afford that expense. While this situation affected 25.2% of households in 2019, it increased to 31.2% in 2021.
It is possible to think that. high gas and electricity prices May 2022 trigger energy poverty in Spain. more than 17%, respect investment.
this social support heat between 25 and 123.94 euros. together with the concept of electrical social bondthis measure aims to enable vulnerable consumers to face the energy cost for heating, domestic hot water or cooking.
By X-ray prepared by the Red Cross in our countryEnergy poverty predominantly affects women (68%), It has a very high incidence (48.9%) in homes with children under the age of 16. It also targets single-parent families (14.4%) and extended families (15.3%).
Health suffers from living in a cold house
Although in France the woolen sweater has become a symbol of energy saving after the Minister of Economy will comment “Already
You will see me with a high collar, not a tie”, not being able to find money to warm up is far from tidying up.
As the humanitarian organization has emphasized, the direct consequences of energy poverty affect people’s health. “Living in a house with low temperature or humidity for a long time is associated with the development of physical and mental illnesses.Also in indirect aspects such as absenteeism, well-being or educational performance.
Some studies have revealed that cold homes even have deadly consequences for their residents.
Cold can contract blood vessels that raise blood pressure. It can also thicken the blood, which can cause clotting. More body heat is lost, so the heart has to work harder.This creates an extra strain for people with existing heart conditions. Thus, low temperatures increased risk of stroke.
A study published in the journal in 2016 European Journal of Epidemiology It calculates that for every 2.9 degrees Celsius drop in temperature over 24 hours, the pulses increase by 11% and increase at a greater rate. for those at risk.
this data suggests that exposure to cold increases the incidence and severity of respiratory tract infections. this damp and mildewMore often Inadequately heated homes irritate the lungs and can aggravate conditions such as asthma. Especially in children.
I know Has detected an association between cooler weather and an increase in hospitalizations for dementia. Growing up in a cold home affects babies the most. influences weight gain and susceptibility to disease. The effects on mental health appear to be significant in most cases. reviewed studies energy poverty and health.
” cold can also compensate for chronic pathologiestypically respiratory failure, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and heart failure” sure a verne Fernando Rodríguez Artalejo is Professor of Public Health at the Autonomous University of Madrid.
A study published in 2003 Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health found It causes more deaths in cold, temperate regions, and “the indoor thermal efficiency tends to be low. Therefore, these countries have a harder time keeping their homes warm when winter comes.”
This situation is particularly Portugal and Spain topped the list of extreme winter deathsSweden, Norway and Finland are at the bottom.
“High seasonal mortality in Southern and Western Europe can be reduced by better cold protection indoors, The research concludes “increasing public spending on health care and improving socioeconomic conditions resulting in a more equitable distribution of income”.
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