Heat your home more efficiently

Posted by: admin in air-conditioning on Mar 12, 2009

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With winter approaching it is time to concentrate on keeping the heat in rather than out, here are some tips for you to keep your heating costs down.

Around half of household electricity use goes towards heating, but a lot of this heat is quickly lost through the ceiling and windows. A few simple measures will cut this heat loss and vastly improve your heating efficiency.

Reduce heat loss by 80-90% with ceiling insulation

Buy high-rated ceiling insulation and get it installed professionally with no gaps. You may be eligible for a rebate on ceiling insulation, see link below.
Use high-rated wall insulation if you're building or renovating.

Reduce heat loss by up to 40% with window dressing

Maximise heat retention with close-fitting lined curtains and blinds as well as pelmets.
Avoid loose woven fabrics and vertical blinds.

Draught-proof to save up to 20% on heating costs

Fit draught seals to the base of doors and weather strips to door jambs.
Seal windows, walls, ceiling, architraves and floorboards. Products that fix gaps and leaks can be found at your hardware store.
Use dampeners on open fire places when not in use.
Seal old style wall vents unless you're using unflued gas heaters.
Fit covers on exhaust fans which vent straight into the roof. These open when the fan is in use but stop draughts at other times.

Source: Sustainability Victoria