Autumn is here and winter is well on its way here in Australia. Despite popular belief, we do get rather chilly down under. With temperatures dropping, we thought we would relay our tips and tricks for keeping your home nice and warm.

Warm – Design & Construction

The following tips relate to the design and construction of your home. Always remember, the lasting solutions are always embedded in the foundations of the structure.

1. Insulation: Always invest in proper insulation as any home that does have good insulation uses 45% less energy to keep warm (and cool). While the insulation way be costly to begin with, it will pay for itself over time.
2. Underfloor Heating: Underfloor heating distribute heat evenly around each room that is it installed in. It is 24% more effective than a traditional heater or radiator. While again expensive to install, the running costs is a great value for money, meaning it will also pay for itself in heating savings after some time.
3. Window & Glazing: If you are building your home or have the opportunity to rearrange the glazing in your home, keep in mind the idea of north and southern windows. UV rays will get into the house during the morning through the north, and will continue to warm the space in the afternoon from the south.

Warm – Post Construction Tips & Tricks

We now move onto the tips and tricks for warming your home after the construction period:

1. Leaks & Draughts: Locate any leaks or draughts (change of air currents) inside your home and seal them up. These generally show up around doors and windows, but can also be found around in-walls and piping.
2. Rugs: It seems super simple but trust us, by putting a rug between your feet and the floor (if you don’t have underfloor heating) you are ensuring that you will be nice and toasty.
3. Curtains & Sunlight: Further to the glazing note above, make sure you open your curtains to the north in the morning. In the afternoon, close your north facing curtains and open your south. When the sun has gone down, close ALL of your curtains. This will help trap the heat inside.
4. Circulation & Closure: Close all rooms that aren’t in use. Always. Theres not need to waste the energy and heat in these zones. While it may be tempting to move your furniture close to the heat source, don’t. You need to allow for the circulation of the heat, rather than stopping it before it can really penetrate the area.

If you need a little extra help designing your home to be warm in the winter months, get in contact with us today. Don’t forget to check our our past blogs here, as we have lots of handy and insightful tips!