Simple heating hacks for your home
Effective heating hacks for your home
As we shiver through one of the coldest starts to winter and with no end in sight to rising electricity and gas prices in Victorian households, there are many simple, yet effective ways to retain the heat in your home - without ramping up the temperature dial!
The cost of comfort
As you cradle a warm cup of tea, or snuggle into your electric blanket this winter, you’re probably not really surprised to read that on average, Victorian households can spend up to $800 a year or a third of their energy bill on heating. So it pays to be aware of the alternatives, and attentive in keeping the heat inside our homes!
Find leaks!
Ever felt a cool breeze beneath your feet or when standing near a door or window? One of the most effective and low-cost ways to save on heating is draught proofing. In fact, according to Sustainability Victoria, up to 25 per cent of winter heat loss from existing houses is caused by air leakage, with nine out of then homes in Victoria have unwanted draughts.
Seal and save.
In the industry, this is known as infiltration, and at Henley, we have conducted a lot of research into it, and all of our homes come with more effective infiltration than most comparable builds in Victoria. From sealing up gaps around windows and skirting boards to sealing exhaust fans and evaporative cooling units, draught-proofing will make your house more comfortable, and reduce energy bills.
Double your performance.
It is estimated that 50-70% of heating is lost through single glazed windows, so while your view might be worth it, your power bill might not be. We like to leverage what nature and innovation provide to drive your ongoing energy costs down with our built-in sustainability recommendations for double glazing. Double glazing means there are two layers of glass on windows and doors, which have a space between them, offering better insulation properties – resulting in another type of double… a win win! Double glazing is also a really effective noise barrier, so it’ll be nice and quiet too! Add quality window coverings for better thermal performance on windows and doors and sleep tight knowing you’ll sleep with cheaper climate control and wake up more comfortable!
Zone in on climate control
While many houses feature open plan living, most create zones such as a living zone, bedroom zone and entertaining zone. To fine tune your energy consumption, make sure your heating the zone where you’re spending the most time, and either turn off heating in other zones, or put them to a lower, more cost-effective setting. Sustainability Victoria recommends you set the temperature for living zones between 18* and 20*, so while it’s tempting to make it a balmy 28* and ditch the scarf and jumper, your wallet will appreciate your functional fashion efforts.
