To make sure that your electric home is cosy in winter and cool in summer you need to insulate and seal up gaps in your home. Our homes are traditionally seen as ‘leaky’ with gaps around doors, windows, floors and ceilings.
Here are a few steps to help seal up your home.
Borrow a thermal camera
Merri-bek libraries have thermal cameras that you can borrow. The thermal camera will show you the hot and cold spots in your home. This easy to use but sophisticated tool helps identify less obvious areas where your home may be leaking heat.
Block up draughts
Cold air often creeps in underneath doors or around windows, and it’s estimated that up to 25% of heat loss in winter is because of draughts.
You can buy low-cost, window and door weather-strips from a hardware store. The weather strips seal up gaps round the edges of doors and windows.
‘Snake’ draught stoppers are a budget and renter friendly way of keeping out cold air. You can even make one yourself using an old pool noodle, old clothes or other materials. They are also cheap to buy from local shops.
Heavy curtains will also help keep warm air inside your home. You can buy these from an op shop and hang them up with some O rings and a piece of dowl, even if you’re renting.
Insulate your home
Putting insulation in your home is the best way to keep heat inside during winter and the heat outside during winter. A well-insulated and well-designed home provides year-round comfort, cutting energy bills, and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
According to Sustainability Victoria a fully insulated home compared to a non-insulated home can reduce the cost of heating and cooling a home by around 40 to 50%.
Ceiling insulation is the best barrier against the outside weather. Insulation can also be placed under floors, between walls and the roof.
Financial support for people on a low income
For Merri-bek homeowners living on a low income, Council can upgrade your home to make it more comfortable by paying up to $2000 towards insulation and draught-proofing.
Visit the webpage, contact Katherine (Merri-bek’s Energy Officer) by email zerocarbon@merri-bek.vic.gov.au to find out more.
