Preparing your home for summer
Published 8 December 2023
Nine out of ten homes in Victoria have unwanted draughts, which often leads to using air conditioning and pushing up the price of your energy bills. Here are some simple tips to make your home feel more comfortable, lower your energy bills and reduce your greenhouse gas emissions this summer.
Many temperature records have been broken this year, and the trend is continuing with the Bureau of Meteorology predicting Victoria will experience a hotter than average summer this year. Heatwaves can be dangerous to our health and wellbeing, particularly older people, infants, and young children. These simple tips can help keep your home cool and protect those you love.
- Stay informed - there will be warnings on the television, radio, social media and the Bureau of Meteorology website of a heat wave event. http://www.bom.gov.au/
- Check your fans or air conditioning – make sure these are in good working order and organise for your air conditioner to be serviced and the filters to be cleaned. Buy a standing fan you can plug in. Moving air, even a little, can make a big difference.
- Seal up gaps in your home – place 'snake’ draught stoppers at the bottom of doors. These are a budget friendly way of keeping out hot air. Watch these draught proofing videos for more tips.
- Install blinds or heavy curtains over your windows. A lot of heat comes through glass.
- Place external shading on the hottest parts of the home. Shade cloth, plants or external blinds on west and north-facing walls can prevent the home heating up.
- Get to know you neighbours! If you don’t already know your neighbours this is a good time to introduce yourself and find out whether they might need a little help in case of a heatwave.
For more information visit: Survive the heat – Better Health Channel.