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How to Make Your House More Energy Efficient

Are you one of the many Australian homeowners looking to make your home more energy efficient? Well, look no further! We’re providing our top tips to not only help you save money but also help your home become more environmentally friendly. 

Think Solar 

Living in Australia means we’re blessed with a sunny climate, making solar a great energy alternative for Australian homeowners. According to Solaray.com.au, the average New South Wales resident could save up to $400 per kW of solar installed. To put it into perspective, on adverage if a house installs a 8kW solar system they could save a staggering $3,400 per year. In regards to return on investment, homeowners should see a return within the first 3 to 5 years. 

Invest in Insulation 

For those that may not be too familiar with the fundamentals, insulation essentially is a material placed in the exterior of your home that acts as a barrier to prevent the flow of heat, keeping your house cooler in the Winter, and warmer in the Summer.  While this is not a new or revolutionary way of increasing efficiency, it still rings very true. On average approximately one-third of the cost of cooling or heating a home is lost through the walls, making poor insulation a costly encumbrance. In terms of the cost attached to an insulating a home, it on average costs between $1,400 to $4,000 depending on the size of the building.

Don’t Forget Windows

Just like insulation, windows are an important aspect of your home’s barrier which is key to the flow of heat in and out of your home. For instance, did you know that approximately 40% of a home’s heat can be lost through improper windows, whilst on the other hand approximately 87% of a home’s heat can be retained if proper windows are installed. When researching what windows are right for you, a helpful online resource is The Window Energy Rating Scheme  (WERS) which is independently operated by the Australian Window Association. When researching Windows through WERS each window model is rated on a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being a “perfect” score and “1” being very poor. When budgeting new windows for your home, you can expect to pay on average $650 per window. 

Your Water System

According to the Australian government’s website, “water heating is the second largest segment of household energy use ranging from 15% – 27%”, therefore it’s important to make sure your heating system is up to date to ensure you’re not paying more than you should. If you want to see how your current system ranks you should research you unit through energyrating.com.gov.au to see if it’s worthwhile upgrading. 

Around your home

Finally, making your home more energy efficient doesn’t solely reside on the infrastructure of the house – sometimes what’s inside is often overlooked. A good rule of thumb when assessing whether you should upgrade your appliances is by their age. If the likes of your fridge, dishwater or oven are more than 10 years old, it’s likely that they are not running as efficiently as they could be. If you quickly want to check how your appliances rank you can find the ratings of most models on energyrating.com.gov.au.

Good Habits 

The good news is our last tip doesn’t cost anything at all! If we sound like your Mother you’re probably right! Good household habits won’t just be kinder to your pocket; they’ll be good for Mother nature also. 

  • Hang your clothes out to dry instead of a dryer. 
  • Wash clothes in cold water. 
  • Switch to LED light bulbs. 
  • Turn off lights when you leave a room. 
  • Take shorter showers and limit baths. 

“Aren’t you just a bit curious what your
place could be worth today?”