Switching Central Heating On and Off in a Condominium

In a condominium, switching central heating on and off does not depend on individual preference but on the limits set by Presidential Decree 74/2013 according to the municipality's climate zone. The decree establishes, for each of the six zones (from A to F), a period of the year during which the system may run and a maximum number of daily hours. On particularly cold days the mayor may grant exemptions. The condominium manager implements the owners' meeting decisions while respecting these limits.

Why heating periods exist

Presidential Decree 74/2013 governs the operation, running, control and maintenance of buildings' thermal systems. One of its aims is to contain energy consumption and emissions by standardising nationwide the time windows during which heating may stay on. The logic is climate based: where winters are harsher the period is longer and the permitted hours are greater, while in mild climates the period is shorter.

Each municipality is assigned to a climate zone based on degree days, an index that measures the severity of the winter climate. The classification runs from zone A, the warmest, to zone F, the coldest, where no limit on either period or hours applies. Knowing your municipality's zone is the first step in understanding when the system may be switched on.

Periods and hours by climate zone

Presidential Decree 74/2013 sets, for zones A to E, a start date and an end date for the switch-on period and a cap on daily hours. In short, moving from the warmest zone to the coldest, the permitted period lengthens and the hours increase:

• Zone A: the shortest period of the year and few permitted daily hours
• Zone B: a slightly longer period and more hours than zone A
• Zone C: an intermediate window, with an earlier start than the warmer zones
• Zone D: a wide period and a high hourly allowance
• Zone E: one of the longest periods and very extended hours
• Zone F: no limit on either period or daily hours

Daily hours may be spread across one or two time bands, usually one in the morning and one in the evening, as established by local regulations and the owners' meeting decisions. The limit concerns hours of actual operation, not the exact schedule, which remains an internal management choice for the condominium.

Mayoral exemptions

Presidential Decree 74/2013 allows mayors to extend, by their own reasoned measure, the switch-on periods and hours in the event of particular weather conditions, such as early or late cold spells. The exemption applies to the municipal territory and should be checked on the municipality's website or public register. A manager who receives complaints from owners about the cold must verify whether an exemption has been issued before authorising switch-on outside the ordinary limits.

Without an exemption, keeping the system running beyond the limits exposes the condominium to administrative penalties. That is why promptly informing owners of the switch-on and shut-off dates is an integral part of good management.

The manager's role

Under Article 1130 of the Italian Civil Code, the manager oversees compliance with the regulations and the maintenance of common parts, including the central thermal system listed in Article 1117. It is the manager's task to instruct the maintenance provider or the responsible third party to switch on within the legal terms, to verify that the system complies with the required checks, and to inform owners of the seasonal calendar.

The owners' meeting may decide how to distribute hours within the permitted limit, for example concentrating operation during the bands of greatest occupancy. It cannot, however, exceed the caps set by Presidential Decree 74/2013, which are mandatory unless a municipal measure applies. Resolutions concerning the ordinary running of the system fall among the management acts that the administrator carries out.

Indoor temperature and control

Beyond the periods, the rules also set maximum limits for the average indoor temperature, with a tolerance. The aim is to avoid overheating homes and wasting energy. Thermostatic valves and heat metering systems, now compulsory in central systems, allow the comfort of individual flats to be regulated and the cost to be allocated by actual consumption, in line with the UNI 10200 standard.

Proper regulation reduces both complaints and consumption: an efficient boiler, calibrated valves and working meters are the basis for staying within the limits without sacrificing comfort.

How to organise the heating season

Before the season begins it is advisable to schedule the system check, verify that valves and meters work, update the system logbook and inform owners in writing of the expected switch-on and shut-off dates. At the close of the season, consumption is recorded for cost allocation and the interventions needed for the following year are noted.

With AmministraPro the manager can schedule the deadlines linked to the thermal system, store the logbook and control reports, and send communications about switch-on dates to all owners in a few steps. The maintenance and communication features are described on the /funzioni page, while plans for firms of every size are listed on /prezzi.