Chile Calefonts and Heaters

Keeping Warm in Chile Weather

It's chili! One of the biggest misconceptions I had before coming was that it is a generally warm country. True, the dessert (the driest in the world) is warm, but La Serena and down can get very cold in the winter.

Something that makes the weather exponentially is the lack of central heating in Chilean homes. I quickly had to adjust to wearing socks and shoes and sometimes an overcoat in the house.

Sometimes Chileans put estufas (heaters) in their bedrooms to keep them warm through the night. It can be dangerous, however, to keep the heater running throughout the whole night.

Chileans also use things called calefonts to heat the water. Calefonts heat the water through a lighted pilot system that turns on when the hot water is turned on. Look for a "sello verde" or green stamp that means that the calefont has been recently checked out an is in good condition.

Make sure you know how to turn on the calefont. Turn off the calefont when it is not in use to not waste gas.

Buy warm socks to wear around the house and while you are sleeping at night. Fuzzy socks are what got me through the winter.

Know that it will get better. In central Chile, the weather starts to get warmer in late October or early November.

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