Heating a Batumi Apartment: What to Plan Before Renovating

In summer, it all seems straightforward. The apartment is bright, you can see the sea from the window, and there’s an air conditioner on the wall. Then November comes. The living room is warm, the bedroom is chilly with the door shut, and the bathroom tiles make you reach for your slippers.

It’s tempting to buy a portable heater and put the rest off until spring. If you’re still planning your renovation, you can make the apartment comfortable year-round from the start. The main options are an air conditioner, the gas heater commonly called a Karma in Georgia, underfloor heating and radiators.

Think About How You’ll Use the Apartment

If you only visit for a few days at a time, you’ll want to warm the rooms quickly when you arrive. If you live there year-round, you’ll want the bedrooms and bathroom to stay comfortable day after day.

The layout matters too. One unit may be enough for an open studio. The same amount of floor space divided into several rooms, including two separate bedrooms, is a different proposition.

Before buying equipment, check whether your apartment can be connected to gas and how much electrical load the supply can handle. Check the windows for draughts around the frames and signs of leaks. Find out whether the outside walls are insulated. The more heat the apartment loses, the more you’ll have to pay to keep it warm.

Floor area is a starting point. To size the equipment, a specialist needs to estimate how much heat the rooms lose through walls, windows and air exchange. If a neighbour is happy with a particular model, it’s worth a look. Ask for a calculation based on your own apartment before deciding.

Can an Air Conditioner Heat the Whole Apartment?

A reverse-cycle air conditioner cools a room in summer and heats it in cooler weather. In heating mode, it works as a heat pump, moving heat from outside into the room. It can therefore use less electricity than a conventional electric heater to deliver the same amount of heat. International Energy Agency guide to heat pumps.

The room size on a shop label is a rough guide. Check the unit’s heating capacity and the manufacturer’s specified operating conditions.

Think about where the warm air will go. If the unit is in the living room, a bedroom may stay cold with the door closed. Air blowing straight onto a bed or desk can also be uncomfortable even when the room is warm enough.

Choose the unit’s location alongside the furniture layout. Before the finishes go in, plan the pipe routes, power supply, drainage from the outdoor unit in heating mode and access for servicing. Once the ceiling is finished or a wardrobe is in place, running those connections can get more complicated.

Karma, a Familiar Gas Heater in Georgia

If you’ve looked at apartments in Georgia, you may have heard someone say, «It has heating. There’s a Karma.» KARMA is a brand name that’s also used informally for similar gas heaters made by other companies.

It’s a gas convector that warms the air in a room and works without a network of water pipes and radiators. If the apartment can be connected to gas, a convector is an option for a single room or an open-plan space.

An apartment with several bedrooms takes more planning. One heater in the hallway may leave some rooms colder than others when the doors are shut.

KARMA BETA models with a sealed combustion chamber draw combustion air from outdoors and vent exhaust gases back outside through the wall. Some versions, including the BETA Mechanic, can run without electricity. Check the documentation for the specific model. KARA BMETA 3 Mechanic specifications.

There’s more to choosing a spot than finding an empty wall. Before finishing the room, have a specialist confirm that a gas connection and a suitable flue are possible, and check clearances from windows, furniture and curtains. Have a qualified installer connect and test the heater.

When comparing options, factor in installation, servicing and gas consumption. Plan hot water and ventilation separately.

Can Underfloor Heating Warm the Whole Room?

Stepping out of the shower onto warm tiles can make a surprising difference. Underfloor heating is worth considering for the bathroom even if you heat the rest of the apartment another way.

Warm tiles underfoot and a comfortable room temperature are two different goals. For the floor to serve as the main heat source, its output has to cover the room’s heat loss. That can be difficult if the windows are large or there’s little clear floor area for heating elements.

Settle the furniture layout before installation. Whether heating elements can go under a wardrobe or bed depends on the system. Check the flooring as well. With laminate, vinyl and wood, the manufacturer’s temperature limits are especially important.

For electric underfloor heating, plan the power supply, thermostat, sensors and insulation. If you want to use it throughout the apartment as the main source of heat, estimate electricity use first. Electric heating embedded in a screed can be energy-intensive. A low installation price can still come with high winter bills. YourHome guide to heating and cooling.

Boilers, Radiators and Water-Based Underfloor Heating

Another option is to heat water and circulate it through radiators or pipes beneath the floor. A boiler, a heat pump or the building’s heating system can supply the heat.

When comparing costs, look at both the heat source and how it delivers heat to the rooms. The same radiators can run off different heat sources, with different running costs.

If you’re considering a gas boiler, find out whether it can be installed and connected in your building. A nearby pipe or a neighbour’s gas connection only tells you so much. The boiler needs a suitable location, a supply of combustion air and an exhaust route, and the connection needs to be agreed in advance.

With water-based underfloor heating, the pipes go in before the floor is finished. The manifold, which distributes water to the individual loops, needs space and access for servicing. If you’re using radiators and underfloor heating together, the system may need to supply each at a different water temperature.

Plan where the radiators will go too. A radiator can take up the best spot for a wardrobe, and a solid decorative cover can reduce the heat it delivers to the room.

A water-based system is worth comparing if you live in a multi-room apartment year-round. Base the decision on the heating requirements and a full estimate, including servicing.

Heating Options at a Glance

You can combine options. For example, you might heat the main rooms with air conditioners and warm the bathroom tiles with electric underfloor heating. Check what each system needs to do and whether the combination covers the whole apartment.

The Room Is Warm, but the Windows Are Still Wet

Warming the air can lower its relative humidity while leaving the same amount of moisture in the apartment. The moisture from showering, cooking and drying laundry still needs somewhere to go.

A typical split system mostly recirculates the air already in the room. Plan a supply of fresh air separately from heating, and consider how excess moisture will be removed.

If you see damp patches around a window or a wall gets wet after rain, find out where the water is coming from. Condensation and leaks call for different fixes. A more powerful heater alone may not address the cause. Addressing the source of the moisture is central to preventing mould. EPA guide to mould and moisture.

It’s easier to deal with a damp patch before renovation, when you can get to the affected area without disturbing new finishes.

How Much Will Heating Cost?

Floor area alone won’t tell you what your winter bill will be. The apartment’s condition, the weather, your preferred indoor temperature, equipment run time and energy rates all make a difference.

Compare the purchase price, the installation cost and the estimated running cost separately. For the running cost, ask what temperature was assumed, how many rooms were included and how long the system was expected to run.

The power rating on the label won’t tell you how much energy the equipment will use each month. A thermostat may switch the heating off once a room is warm, and an inverter air conditioner can adjust its output. A calculation that assumes full power around the clock can give you a misleading estimate.

What to Discuss With Your Contractor

Before approving the estimate, walk through the floor plan room by room. Where will the heat come from in the living room? Will the bedroom stay warm with the door closed? What’s planned for the bathroom? This can reveal gaps that are easy to miss when you’re looking at an equipment list.

Ask for the estimate to cover the pipes, cables, insulation, controls, testing and commissioning. Find out what will be checked before the pipes and cables are covered, and keep photos of where they run. You may need them later just to put up a shelf.

If you live abroad and visit for short stays, discuss how the apartment will be looked after while you’re away. Remote controls can be convenient. The equipment still needs servicing and the apartment needs occasional checks.

Contact A GROUP to Plan Your Heating Before Renovating

Discuss heating at the start of your renovation, while it’s still easy to choose equipment locations and route pipes and cables. Work those details into the interior design so the finished apartment is comfortable to live in. Apartment renovation in Batumi · Interior design.

If your apartment is already finished but feels cold or damp, a technical inspection can help identify what needs attention before you start any further work. Technical property inspection.

Get in touch with A GROUP before you renovate. We’ll discuss your apartment, how you plan to use it, and what to put in place for a comfortable winter in Batumi.