heating

There are some great rebates and incentives available from your local, state and federal government to help you reduce your energy and water use.

Check out these sites to see what you are eligible for.

Your ducted heating vents may look like well-sealed units but lift a lid and you may be surprised to to find that not all is as it appears.

When you turn your heater on, warm air rushes through the ducts into your house but also draws freezing cold air in from the underfloor space though the gaps around the duct. (quack quack). This doesn’t make for really energy efficient heating.

Grab the caulking gun and seal the gap so you can heat your house without cooling it at the same time.

Trickiness Rating: EASY.

Windows are the weakesk link (thermally speaking) in the average house. They cause more heat gain and loss than any other area of your home  - even when they're closed.

To stop this you have to insulate them - double glazing, heavy curtains or some form of secondary glazing that traps a layer of still air.  In this GIY project we insulate a timber sash window with a plastic film called Clear Comfort (this is an Australian product but there are a wide range of similar and cheaper products available in the US).

It is affordable (between $5 and 12/m² depending on the brand), easy to install and really makes a difference.

Trickiness rating: EASY

Wall vents are basically holes in your walls. Some look quite decorative, others, just holey. This episode will show you how to do a quick fix for a classic Canberra wall vent.

To draft proof your home to keep the warmth  in your house in  winter - block them up. This temporary fix can be removed when Summer hits and you need to vent all the hot air from the house.  If you have air conditioning, leave the vents blocked up ... I think!

(Don't you love the voice of confidence and authority)

Trickiness rating: Easy