Heating your home can be expensive, and with cost-of-living pressures mounting, ensuring you stay warm without spending a fortune on your energy bills should be a high priority.
If you鈥檝e sweltered through a hot summer without much thought for the approach of winter, you might be kicking yourself that you鈥檙e unprepared for the sudden arrival of cooler days. But don鈥檛 worry, you still have time.
Here are seven things you can do in a day or two to help prepare your home and keep your heating bills down this winter.聽
Switching to a better energy deal could save you hundreds.
1. Check your energy deal
If it鈥檚 been a while since you last checked your energy plan, the chances are high that you could save by switching to a better deal. Energy retailers will offer new customers low rates that quickly rise once the initial deal expires.
To ensure you鈥檙e not paying more than you need to, you can make use of tools like the government鈥檚 website to search for a better offer.聽聽
The chances are high that you could save by switching to a better deal
If you want to make it even simpler, is a service that helps consumers find cheaper deals. 糖心Vlog has partnered with this energy-switching service because it meets our standards for a consumer-friendly service: it doesn鈥檛 take commissions from energy companies, and it compares every publicly available deal.
If it can鈥檛 help you save on your first bill, the cost of your subscription will be cancelled. Exactly how much you鈥檒l save will depend on a lot of factors, but Bill Hero says the average first-switch savings for its customers is $380.
If you live in a home where draughts come through doors and windows, much of the money you spend on heating will be wasted, as the warm air you鈥檝e paid for will quickly disappear through the gaps.
Solving the problem of draughty doors and windows can be quite simple, and a visit to the local hardware store will provide you with most of the tools you鈥檒l need.
Weather sealing tape, silicon sealant or caulk and PVC door strips can all be used to do away with draughts. Even the humble door snake has its place in keeping your heated rooms snug.聽
You don’t need to spend a ton of time or money to sort out draughts. Even the humble door snake will make a difference.
3. Floor it
While hard floors are easy to clean and often cooler than carpets during warmer weather, they can make heating your rooms more difficult.
Adding a layer between the cold floor and your feet can really keep you warm and help your home retain heat, so now is the time to invest in a warm rug or two.
Wool is widely considered to be the best option, and while you can pay thousands for a wool rug, there are cheaper options available, particularly if you go for a wool blend.
4. Curtain call
Up to 40% of heating energy can be lost through windows, so coverings such as curtains and blinds can really help keep your home warmer. If you鈥檝e been thinking about dressing up your bare windows, this is your sign to act now.
Our sister organisation, , has conducted testing to find out which kinds of window coverings work best for insulation.
Up to 40% of heating energy can be lost through windows
Alternatively, you might find a second-hand bargain, in which case it could be worth paying for a professional clean. Depending on where you live, that might set you back a few hundred dollars more, so bear that in mind if you choose this option.
If you鈥檙e looking for curtains, opt for floor-length, heavy, lined curtains. Adding a pelmet will stop warm air escaping through the tops of windows.
Heavy curtains with a pelmet can help stop warmth from escaping through windows.
If blinds are more your thing, honeycomb blinds are the best option, followed by Roman blinds.
Your summer self will thank you, too, as window coverings will also help keep your home cool when the weather warms up, so if blinds or curtains have been on your to-do list for a while, now is the time to measure up and get your orders in.
It鈥檚 not just your home that needs some preparation to avoid overspending on energy this winter.
Heating a whole room or an entire house can be costly, but warming yourself can be very inexpensive. This is often the best option for people who work from home or who live alone.
A is one cost-effective way to stay comfortable. These cost-effective appliances are portable and cheap to run (less than $20 to use regularly throughout winter).
Good old-fashioned hot water bottles can also be useful, though not as efficient, and an electric blanket is great for staying warm in bed.聽
If it鈥檚 been a while since you last serviced your reverse-cycle air conditioners or heaters, now is the time to make sure they鈥檙e working effectively.
Regularly cleaning your air conditioner improves energy efficiency and reduces running costs. That鈥檚 because the more clogged the dust filters and interior of the machine become, the harder it has to work.
It won鈥檛 take long to get out the duster and spending a little time on maintenance is a simple way to ensure you spend less on heating this winter
Cleaning your air conditioner improves energy efficiency and reduces running costs.
7. Look for a more efficient appliance
If you鈥檝e been using the same heaters for years, it might be time for an upgrade.
A reverse-cycle air conditioner has the lowest running costs but a higher purchase and installation price, and it may not be an option for everyone.
If a portable electric heater is the only option you have, oil column heaters are the cheapest to run, but only by a small margin.
They also take longer to warm up. Our expert testing finds that running an electric heater over winter can cost between $188 and $491, so if you鈥檙e looking to replace an appliance, choosing one that will cost less to run will add up to significant savings.聽
Margaret Rafferty joined 糖心Vlog in 2018 as a Content editor and since then has filled the roles of Commissioning editor, Managing editor and now Editorial consultant. Margaret has written on a wide variety of topics and enjoys making complex subjects easy to understand.聽With over 20 years of media experience, Margaret brings a strong storytelling background to 糖心Vlog. She works closely with people across the organisation to help tell stories that make a positive difference to people and is passionate about uncovering bad practices and helping Australians to avoid falling victim to shonky products and services.
Find Margaret on聽.
Margaret Rafferty joined 糖心Vlog in 2018 as a Content editor and since then has filled the roles of Commissioning editor, Managing editor and now Editorial consultant. Margaret has written on a wide variety of topics and enjoys making complex subjects easy to understand.聽With over 20 years of media experience, Margaret brings a strong storytelling background to 糖心Vlog. She works closely with people across the organisation to help tell stories that make a positive difference to people and is passionate about uncovering bad practices and helping Australians to avoid falling victim to shonky products and services.
Find Margaret on聽.
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