Heat Your Home for Less

Victorian households spend the most amount of their household running costs on heating and water heating. Use these tips to reduce the energy costs of heating your home.

 

Create a “warm room”

• Focus your efforts on heating one room rather than your whole home, this room should be practical to heat and accessible to household members
• Use warm furnishings like rugs on hard floors to create additional warmth
• If you do not have double-glazed windows, you can make makeshift double-glazed windows by attaching plastic wrap or bubble wrap over the windows as an added layer 

 

Use your windows wisely:

• Utilise the sun’s heat. On a sunny day, keep window coverings open to allow sunlight in and close these during the night to keep warm air in the room
• Heavy window furnishings like curtains can create additional warmth in your home
• Fix or replace your windows to keep out drafts and keep warm air in 

 

Consider what heating system to use

• Using your ceiling fan on reverse pulls warm air down 
• An efficient heating system is worth investing in. Some systems may have higher upfront costs but lower ongoing costs, whereas others may be cheaper to buy but expensive to run
• Consider the space you are heating - if you want to heat your whole home you will need a much different system to just heating one room
• Using a small individual portable heater in one room can be cheaper than using central heating or large systems 
• Ensure your heating system is cleaned regularly to increase efficiency 
• If using an air conditioner, aim for an 8-degree difference between outside and inside temp 
• Only heat required areas for as long as you need 

 

Warm up your body temperature

• Use heated blankets to warm your bed before you get in, but be sure to use these safely
• Warm clothing, socks, beanies, and scarves are an effective way to stay extra warm
• Hot water bottles and microwavable heat packs are gentle and convenient ways to warm your body 
• Stay hydrated, becoming dehydrated can make you feel cold 
• Warm your body from the inside, consuming warm food and drinks can help in making you feel warm 
• Invest in warm bedding that will retain heat and warm you up at night 

 

Home upgrades to keep warm:

• Install solar energy to reduce energy costs year-round 
• Invest in ceiling fans to use in the heat and cold 
• Insulation will not only keep your home warm in winter but also cool in summer. Ensure that you have adequate and appropriate insulation 
• Heating and cooling systems can be an effective way to cool your home; having a system that is appropriate for your home and has high energy efficiency will reduce energy costs 

 

Appliances: 

• Reduce your hot water use by taking shorter showers and not letting water run to save water and associated heating costs 
• Use your washing machine on a cold setting to reduce energy use
• Small appliances use less energy, cooking with a pressure cooker or slow cooker uses less energy than an oven 

 

For more information on reducing your energy use, have a look at these resources:

https://www.yourhome.gov.au/energy

https://www.energy.gov.au/

https://www.sustainability.vic.gov.au/energy-efficiency-and-reducing-emissions/save-energy-in-the-home