IT may have been late but winter has arrived and keeping our homes warm without breaking the bank has become a priority for many.
According to Andrew Smith of the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority stopping draughts and improving insulation will make the biggest difference to warmth in the home over winter.
“One of the cheapest things you can do is fix any draughts in your house,” Smith says. “Classic draught spots include badly fitting doors and windows, holes in walls or floors for plumbing pipes or electrical ducts, and extractor fans where the vents don’t close when the fan isn’t being used.”
Smith says there are several ways draughts can be fixed such as draught strips, using expanding foam to fill holes, and fixing an external flap vent to extractor fans.
Thicker curtains are another good way to keep warm air in.
“An easy fix for thin existing curtains is to buy a cheap set of ready-made curtains the size you need, and hang them behind your existing curtains on the same rail.”
He says curtains should be closed just before dark and doors shut to keep heat in.
There are many other simple energy-saving actions that can be taken and when added together they can make a big difference. Using cold water instead of warm for laundry can save between $50 to $75 a year off your power bill, using the clothes line instead of the dryer can save around $200 a year, and using the heated towel rail for four hours a day typically saves between $85 and $170 per year.
You can cut the cost of using appliances by switching them off at the wall instead of leaving them on standby and checking your fridge door seals.
It’s also easy to save money on lighting by replacing your four most used light bulbs with energy efficient ones, and of course turning lights off when you’re not using them.
Saving on hot water costs can be made by wrapping hot water cylinders, checking your hot water temperature – it should be at 55 degrees C -  and installing an efficient shower head.
Smith says a really good investment for the comfort and health of your family is installing or adding to ceiling and under floor insulation.
“Better insulation makes your home easier and cheaper to heat. Chances are you will qualify for an EECA grant to help you out, and it might include adding a clean efficient modern heater to your house too,” Smith says.