Gozo's limestone houses and apartment buildings are designed to shelter us from the hot summer sun so you may be surprised by how little airconditioning you truly need in the summer. The flip side of this, though, is that you will want to make your home warmer with a little heat in the "winter" months. This article discusses the practicalities of heating and cooling your Gozitan home.

Our sunny summers mean that you will want to make sure that the home you choose features a breezy and shaded design. Most houses and apartments here are ingeniously designed to keep cool. Make sure that your apartment or house does not have too many windows that will receive direct sunlight. A shaded courtyard will provide a lovely spot to sit outside in the summer and will also act as a chimney to draw hot air out of your home in the evening.

Another plus when you are buying or renting are window screens. There aren't too many flies and mosquitoes in Gozo because of the lack of standing water but there will be times when you will be glad you have screens. In handcrafts shops you will see door curtains in various colors that look like fishing nets. These are hung over doorways to permit ventilation but to discourage flies and they work quite well. Fans are sold everywhere and most rental accommodations have at least one floor fan per bedroom.

If you decide that you want an airconditioner it is possible to buy the electrical ones we are used to in North America. Another more economical choice is to get a gas-powered air conditioner (these can be had for approximately Lm250 installed). Liquid petroleum gas canisters are sold door-to-door every two weeks by Enemalta (you can also get refills at various depots). This is the same gas that will fuel your gas kitchen range if you have one, and also a BBQ. Deposit on a canister is Lm8 each, and the gas itself is a deal at Lm2.50 per refill.

In the wintertime, evening low temperatures can reach 45 F (7 C) and so some heat is in order. Electrical heaters are widely available and are good but the electricity can add up and become expensive.

For a more economical heating option, the Gozitans themselves use gas heaters that are fueled with liquid petroleum gas (the same gas that fuels the kitchen ranges and air conditioners). These heaters are safe and easy to use once you get used to them. A canister of gas will run your heater in the evenings for one to two weeks depending on how much you use it. The heaters themselves are available for Lm35 to Lm45.

If you are used to centrally-heated buildings, a few little extras will make you feel more comfortable in your Gozitan home in December and January: good slippers, warm pyjamas, some fleecy layers of clothing for around the house, and perhaps a hot water bottle or an electric blanket to make your bed nice and cosy.