Just when you stop worrying about the size of your winter heating bill, it’s time to crank up the aircon! Such is life in Australia, but it doesn’t have to be all bad news.
New technologies and designs are making it much cheaper and easier to cool an Aussie home in summer.
Prospective buyers are increasingly putting a higher value on homes that have been environmentally designed to minimise energy consumption to keep a property warm in winter and cool in summer.
Achieving a green-friendly home is not mission impossible. Even basic, easy changes can make a world of difference. Below are some ideas and observations to get you inspired about how to make your home more environmentally sustainable.
Old aircon
If you reel in shock at the size of your summer power bills, then it’s probably time to update to a new aircon. The old models suck the power from the grid remorselessly. A new unit should pay for itself in no time.
Cool room
New, ducted air conditioning units will allow you to cool rooms individually. So, don’t waste money and power by cooling unoccupied rooms. And remember, always check windows are shut before turning on your air-conditioning.
Thanks, fans
There’s an almost limitless choice of ceiling fans. They can reduce a room’s temperature by around 3C and cost only 2c an hour to run. Most models have winter and summer settings – one to push down hot air to warm the room and the other to force hot air to the ceiling. Running fans and air conditioning together can make your aircon do less work.
Shady move
Indoor heat can be reduced by installing awnings over windows, improving insulation and even planting trees to throw shade over a home. Drawing interior curtains and blinds are a good idea on days when the thermometer goes over 40C.
Passive design
Keep windows on the west side of your home to a minimum. Ideally, most will face north to capture the light through the day. Strategically-placed louvres windows will cross-ventilate to reduce indoor temperatures. They’re especially effective when a cool change comes through.