Follow a sensible sequence for retrofitting your home – improve your energy efficiency by being smarter!
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So you want to have a home that works better?!! Good on you. A home that is warmer in winter, cooler in summer, uses a lot less energy so you have much lower energy bills and reduces your carbon footprint. Easy… right?!
Let’s face it – retrofitting your home can be a bit daunting, especially if you have no experience in this area, and are time poor as well.
We certainly had a “I don’t know where to start” moment when we moved into our home. We didn’t even know that the words to describe what we wanted was an “energy efficient” home. We just wanted a home that wasn’t freezing in winter, didn’t cook us in summer, didn’t cost the GDP of a small nation to run, or chuff out double the carbon emissions of an average home. We had no idea, so we spoke to “the experts” in the industry – builders, architects etc. But they couldn’t / wouldn’t help us. The builders told us it was winter, we lived in a cold place and to “Suck it up – princess!”. The architect wanted to extend the house. It was already huge. It didn’t need to be bigger. It just needed to be warmer.
We decided to test and let the data tell us what we needed to do. We built a heat chamber, hired a cool room, built a test house and bought one pack of each type of insulation. We ran 2 minute timing tests with each different kind of insulation and charted the heating / cooling performance curves of each type of insulation. That research took us 6 months. Once completed, we KNEW exactly what kind of insulation, what brand and what rating we were going to use, and also how to install it. That research taught us that there were types and brands of insulation that we would never use – with good empirical evidence!
Then we started testing draught-proofing products. A similar approach was undertaken and we made all the mistakes that everyone makes, like thinking that sticky seals in a door jam and door snakes were going to work. Sticky door seals don’t seal in the long term – they get crushed in the door and the self-adhesive glues give way when it gets hot. Door snakes are never in the right place (find out why).
Now, in over 20+ years we have tested more than 1,000 draught-proofing products; we test for extremes of temperatures, UV stability, longevity and sustainability. During our own home retrofit, we often found existing products did not work well, were of poor quality, too expensive or just plain wrong. For example, throwing out perfectly good windows that just happened to be single glazed, was not smart when secondary glazing would solve the problem.
So we developed some of our own solutions – later to become ecoMaster products. Our home was then re-rated from 1.5 (very generous) stars to 7.6 stars with zero energy cost and carbon emissions (It’s now rated 10 stars). Even with minimal heating, it is a cosy warm home during winter. Summers are cool with no need for air-conditioning, even when it is 46 degrees outside. Here is more information about our home.
As we got further into our retrofit, we started to understand the unique nature of what we had just achieved. We started to share that knowledge and established ecoMaster to support other homeowners more easily down the same path. Our objective was to provide honest advice and effective solutions to enable others to retrofit their homes as practically, cost effectively and pragmatically as possible.
So in a nutshell – this is what we learnt:
SEQUENCE IS IMPORTANT
There is a sensible sequence for retrofitting a home. Every home is different so the sequence may be slightly different for your home.
WARNING: If you burn gas in your home and there is an open flame, like in a wall furnace, then please get off gas first. These furnaces are now illegal to install because of the real and deadly risk of carbon monoxide poisoning.
ENERGY EFFICIENCY ASSESSMENTS
If, despite all your research, you would feel more confident with an experienced person helping you through the retrofit process, there are home energy efficiency assessors who have worked in this space for many, many years.
These dedicated and passionate folk are the backbone of this industry. If working your way through this sequence is a bit daunting, you can book one of these assessors to come to your home. They will provide tailored one-on-one advice on what you specifically need to do to retrofit your home for energy efficiency. Check this list of assessors.
There are also Scorecard Assessors (also known as RES Assessors) who can help you with a government assessment. Find out more about the Scorecard program here.
ARE YOU ON THE RIGHT ENERGY TARIFF?
Check the energy tariff you are on and shop around to make sure you are not happy ‘top dollar’ for your energy costs. Many (all?) energy retailers have increased their prices recently and you may not be on the most suitable tariff for your home usage.
If you need assistance understanding your energy tariff check here if you are from QLD, NSW, ACT, SA, and TAS. If you are from Victoria, check here.
1
DRAUGHT PROOF!
Draught proofing is the single most cost-effective thing you can do to your home to make it thermally energy efficient.
Australian homes are draughty – this is one of the reasons why we have really cold homes (glorified tents) that cannot stay warm after the heater has been turned off. We need to convert uncontrolled draughts into controllable ventilation.
Seal up all the holes and gaps. When it suits you open your windows and doors to ventilate your home.
Unfortunately, many people think effective weather sealing is putting ‘sticky stuff’ around doors and dropping a couple of door snakes against external doors. Many of us have tried these temporary measures. For the majority of us, they don’t work in the long term – find out why.
ecoMaster’s philosophy is to retrofit once with good quality products, so you never have to think about retrofitting again. Retrofitting does not need to become an annual sport!
Start with the biggest gaps first. Generally, this sequence will provide you with the greatest benefit for the lowest cost.
- Fireplaces
- Exhaust fans and vents
- Doors
- Windows
- Gaps and Cracks
The change in the comfort levels of your home after quality draught proofing components have been installed is just astonishing. The impact is immediate. We saved 50% of our heating bill in the first year – and I didn’t think our home was draughty! Here we explain why Draught Proofing should be the first step (TLDR: Best bang for buck).
Over 20 years of professional draught proofing installation and support for DIYers, our draught-proofing product range has been extensively tested and curated.
We have done extensive product and installation research, so you don’t have to. We have tested over 1,000 draught proofing products to find the very best of the best. Then those products are paired with step-by-step installation videos to help you achieve a great result. If you’re curious to read how and what we tested, and why we ended up creating doing what we do, you can read The Story of Draught Dodgers – A Tale of Ingenuity and Innovation here.
If you are not sure how to start, check our “Draught Proofing Information Hub”. It explains each step of the draught proofing journey in more detail.
If you feel you need a bit more hand-holding to get this first step done, have a look at “Find and Fix My Draughts.”
NOTE: Do not draught proof a room that uses a gas appliance. The risk of carbon monoxide poisoning, causing death, is real. real.
2
ROOF INSULATION / CEILING INSULATION
Ceiling insulation is a no brainer. For every $1,000 you spend on heating, $350 goes straight through an un-insulated ceiling. Many people have some insulation, but very few people know what level of cover they have and how well it is installed. Install high quality insulation that performs in summer and in winter.
We often think of insulation to help keep our winter warmth in, but it also repels soaring summer temperatures as well.
Whilst it might not be obvious, effective ceiling insulation requires that you have removed halogen downlights and replaced them with either surface mounted lighting or IC4 rated LED downlights which are energy efficient. If you do not have IC4 rated downlights, you will not be able to insulate over the top – meaning that the effectiveness of your ceiling insulation will be severely reduced. A 5% gap in ceiling insulation reduces its effectiveness by 50%.
Find out more about ceiling insulation here.
3
UNDERFLOOR INSULATION
Underfloor insulation is toasty! Anyone who has had their timber underfloor insulated properly, raves about the change in their home and how much more liveable it is. The official energy bill reduction figures, indicated that underfloor insulation can reduce your energy bills by up to 20%.
The main benefit of underfloor insulation is that it makes your home ~ warm ~ for your feet and for your children.
WITHOUT underfloor insulation your floorboards are the same temperature as outside. Chilly! (or Hot!).
WITH underfloor insulation, your floorboards are approaching the same temperature as inside your home. #cosy.
Find out everything you ever wanted to learn about underfloor insulation with timber floors here here.
Similarly, sub-floor insulation for steel joists makes a massive difference to the livability of your home. There is a different technique to installing under floor insulation with steel joists – find out all about it here.
4
WINDOW TREATMENTS
Window treatments range from effective window covers (sorry – verticals and Venetian blinds don’t cut it thermally) and pelmets are a great way to help retain your conditioned air.
An even bigger difference you can make is to have double glazing. Now, before you click away with cries of ‘I don’t have the money for that’, think about secondary glazing. Secondary glazing is about 1/3 to ½ the price of double glazing, looks beautiful and is just as effective as replacing all your windows with double glazing.
ecoGlaze is a secondary glazing system, Australian owned and manufactured product! All the benefits of double glazing, without the fancy price tag. It is now available as a DIY solution.
External shading is critical to the comfort and energy efficiency of your home. Avoiding sun strike from the early morning eastern sun to the north as well as from the blazing heat of summer of the western windows is a top priority. Arguably this should be done before anything else (it depends upon the amount of glazing and your geographic location).
5
WALL INSULATION
Wall insulation will complete the thermal efficiency puzzle of your home. It is much better for this to be done during construction, but if your home pre-dates the requirement for wall insulation, this can be done respectively in some homes. There are two ways to go with wall insulation. DIY or retrofit wall insulation being professional installed.
If you are keen on wall insulation, and would prefer a professional installation, contact us for a referral.
So, once you’ve tackled draught-proofing, ceiling and underfloor insulation and window treatments, your home should be feeling much more comfortable. It will also be MUCH more energy efficient.
Start Small: Cocoon One Room First
6
REVERSE CYCLE AIR CONDITIONING
Part of the #GettingOffGas good practices
Whilst there are many people who love their ducted gas heating, the chances are it is now becoming quite unaffordable. Switching to reverse cycle air conditioning (RCAC) is a smart move for both heating and cooling your home efficiently. It combines the best of both worlds, providing comfort in all seasons.
Modern RCAC units are highly efficient, which will save you money on your energy bills. It is dual purpose – heating in winter, cooling in summer – one system does it all. And it saves you money, eliminates the need for separate gas heating, reducing overall energy costs. In homes with dual fuels (gas and electricity), the standing charges are high and getting even higher, so it will save money in the longer run to get off gas and run an all electric home.
Find out more about RCAC here.
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APPLIANCES
When your appliances need replacement, select energy-efficient models and run them sensibly (i.e. only when full). How do you know they are energy efficient? Check this website www.energyrating.gov.au It will save you huge sums. Turn off all appliances at the powerpoint will then eliminate your ‘stand by’ power usage.
CONTROL YOUR BIGGEST ENERGY GUZZLER
Simple…. 40% to 60% of your energy consumption comes from heating and cooling your home. Retaining that ‘conditioned air’ will reduce your heating and cooling costs significantly.
How do you do that?
By improving the thermal performance of your home – draught-proofing, ceiling insulation, underfloor insulation, wall insulation, and window treatments.
Read also DIY Your Way to Lower Energy Bills: Uncover Surprising Savings.
COOKTOP
Part of the #GettingOffGas good practices
One of the final steps in Getting Off Gas is changing from a gas cooktop to an induction cooktop. This can be a significant stumbling block for many people who love to cook, so an ‘easy does it’ method is commended.
Think about obtaining a portable induction cook top. This allows the chef in your home to experience induction cooking without committing to an extensive kitchen renovation with a cooking medium they may feel is dubious.
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HOT WATER
Part of the #GettingOffGas good practices
Generating hot water in your home can be around 25% of your energy bill.
So installing your solar hot water system – either thermal solar or heat pump is an important step. Government rebates will play a part here, so do your research carefully.
Claiming a warranty for Government incentivised installations can be problematic if the installer has closed the business. Choosing a reliable, well established business will ensure hot water support for many years to come.
Nobody wants to find out their hot water supplier has gone broke while they are in a surprisingly cold shower in the middle of winter. Find out more here.
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SOLAR POWER AND BATTERIES
Part of the #GettingOffGas good practices
Once all that is done, install solar panels on your roof sufficient to cover your now significantly reduced energy needs. So your home can power you. Please think about whether you will want to run an electric vehicle when deciding on the size of your solar panels. Find out more about solar panels here.
Many people start their retrofit journey with a roof full of solar panels and then think about the rest of their home afterwards. You will need significantly less solar panels to power an energy-efficient home, so save those funds and invest in energy efficiency BEFORE energy generation.
Installing batteries will ensure that any overproduction from your solar panels will be used in your home before having to pull energy from the grid. Find out more about solar batteries here. That will future proof your home from huge power bills, so you can get on with your life, without worrying about the cost or consistency of power! Smart.
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ELECTRIC VEHICLES
Once you have the bug for this stuff, jumping into an electric vehicle would seem to be a logical step. If your solar panels generate enough power, you can charge your car during the day from your solar panels or overnight from your battery. Then drive around with zero carbon emissions and no fuel costs.
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NEXT STEPS?
Remember – it’s a journey. There is no need to rush it. Take one step at a time. ecoMaster is here to help you.
If DIY is your thing, you can discover energy efficient solutions that bring maximum thermal comfort to your home without draining your pockets! Shop for a wide range of excellent home retrofit solutions for greater thermal comfort at www.ecoMasterStore.com.au
To progress your journey towards an energy-efficient home that loves you all year round, give the team at ecoMaster a call on 1300 326 627 or contact us here.
