Here are some simple energy-saving measures to improve your comfort level in your home through the winter.
BEFORE YOU START
The Victorian Government has announced a NEW $250 Power Saving Bonus program for all Victorian households.
From 1 July 2022, you can access the new $250 program by visiting the Victorian Energy Compare website and submitting an application.
JOBS TO DO
- CLEAR GUTTERS
If you haven’t already, it’s a good time to clean your gutters and clear leaf debris.
With leaves still falling and rainy days it can lead to clogged gutters and slippery pathways. - CLEAN HEATER/SPLIT SYSTEMS
It’s time to clean your heater or split-system filters.
Check the instructions – generally they simply need to be removed and vacuumed.
This will help your heater run more efficiently and safely during the cold months. - CHECK ELECTRICAL LEADS + PLUGS
Check of all your electrical leads and plugs.
Replace any leads or plugs that are damaged as these have potential to start fires.
TIPS FOR YOUR HOME
| Remove portable cooling systems ducted through windows in summer, to make sure you can close the windows in winter | |
| Keep the curtains closed at night to help keep the heat inside. Open them when the sun is out, especially if the sun shines directly on the window, this can help heat your room. | |
| Thermal mass is the term used to describe the density of construction materials. Concrete, brick, and stone have a high thermal mass and soak up heat during the day and release it slowly at night. This helps to maintain a more even temperature inside the house and really works well when the sun heats it for free. | |
| Heating up the rooms you are using will reduce costs. Close doors to zone off rooms you are not using. | |
Set the heater thermostat at 18-20 degrees. Every degree higher will increase the cost of heading by about 10%. Check thermostat settings on hot water appliances. Sometimes the appliance has been set at maximum, which you may not require. Adjust to your own comfort levels. Just remember to protect your hot water from legionella, never lower the temperature to below 60 degrees Celsius. | |
| Install low flow shower heads in bathrooms to a WELS rated model that uses between six and nine litres per minute. There is a shower head replacement scheme available through the Victorian Energy Upgrade. | |
| Lighting usually makes up a smaller part of overall energy costs, but in some homes, particularly where there are many recessed halogen downlights, the cost could be much larger. Halogen and incandescent globes can be replaced with LED lights through the Victorian Energy Upgrades Scheme. | |
Heating with reverse cycle air conditioners in winter, the outside temperature in some areas can plunge to 0 degrees and below. Air conditioners have to deal with these freezing conditions. Reverse cycle air conditioner units have built-in functionality to deal with this called “defrost” mode. If your air conditioner doesn’t operate at the level of its usual performance or cools rather than heats, here is some advice:
The defrost function may take approximately 10-45 minutes depending on the model. The user manual may provide a more specific timeframe. |