Posted: 2024-07-03 18:49:09

Australian homes are notoriously cold in winter. Take a tour with an energy assessor to learn how a few tweaks can keep you warm, save money and reduce emissions.

Laine Taylor fell in love with the character of this 1880s miners' cottage, in the Victorian town of Ballarat, the first moment she saw it.

But she was under no illusions about the downsides of buying an old, cold house, in an old, cold town.

"Being such an old house and in such a cold climate, it's going to be really important, going forward, to do everything that I can to make it energy efficient."

She's part of a growing movement of Australians retrofitting older homes to make them more liveable and reduce emissions in our changing climate.

On the first day of taking ownership of the property, Laine organised for an energy consultant to assess the house to help her make it warmer and more efficient.

She's enlisted the help of Dale Boucher, an accredited energy assessor based in Ballarat. He's waging a war on draughts, one house at a time.

A middle-aged man with buzzed hair smiles slightly, wearing a bottle green collared jumper
Dale Boucher is an accredited energy assessor. His mission? Turning cold, draughty houses into warm, energy efficient homes.()

"Draughts are the enemy of a house in Ballarat," he says. "It is really important to seal those draughts."

Come with Dale as he gives Laine's new house a once over, or skip ahead to read his best tips and tricks.

The draught detective's first task is to go through the house analysing its thermal envelope, looking for places where heat is escaping.

To do that, he'll look inside the ceiling and walls and use a thermal imaging camera around the house.

In this house, leaks aren't hard to find. We're looking for the darker purple colours.

A hand holds a phone on its side, with the screen open on a camera app that shows red and purple shapes
Dale uses a thermal imaging camera to assess Laine's home.()
A woman holds a phone with thermal imaging app open up inside a kitchen with bright light coming from windows
It shows where heat and warm air is escaping, through uncovered windows and gaps.()
A middle-aged man in jumper points to ceiling while holding a phone with thermal imaging app towards ceiling, talking to woman
Dale gives Laine an overall assessment and talks her through some of the areas where she could improve her home's efficiency. ()

"You can see the dark colours of the windows compared to the light colour of the wall. [That shows] the window is the thermal weak point," Dale explains.

"I can see that there is no wall insulation, there's no under-floor insulation, there's limited insulation in the ceiling.

"There are lots of draughts throughout the house, and the glazing and the window coverings are really quite poor.

"This house will need quite a bit of work to really get it to be comfortable in winter, and then also to be comfortable in summer."

Despite its poor thermal performance, Dale says this house is actually pretty typical of the standard house in Victoria and across Australia.

A middle-aged man in a jumper gestures with his hands inside a house with blank walls
Dale says while it needs a bit of work to make it comfortable in the winter months, Laine's place is pretty typical of the standard Australian home.()

"Unfortunately, we have so much building stock, which is really low performing," he says.

"And it's going to take many, many years to get the existing housing stock up to a decent level."

But Laine isn't deterred. "I didn't really know what to expect," she says. 

"I think I was surprised that there was no insulation in the walls whatsoever. And it's a bit of a bummer that I can't get underneath the house.

"But there's so many other things that I can and will be doing."

Let's take a closer look at where the gaps are and what can be done.

Insulation

Insulation can make a huge difference to keeping a house comfortable — regulations over recent decades have put in stricter requirements for the level of insulation in newly built houses.

But older Australian houses typically have poor insulation.

An illustration shows the corner of a house with highlighting in roof, walls and floor. They are labelled
Dale says when it comes to insulation, it's important to ensure coverage in ceilings, walls and under floor. ()

Dale is pleasantly surprised to find adequate insulation in the roof, at the front of the house.

"We've got two layers of insulation. The house has got the original wool insulation, it's a loose blow-in product. This is compacted over time and not really effective," he says.

"But what the previous householders have done is they put a good cover of fibre polyester batts over the top."

It needs a little rearranging to ensure there are no gaps, but otherwise looks pretty good.

A person's legs can be seen standing on a ladder, with the rest of their body through a hole in the ceiling
The first item on Dale's checklist is to inspect insulation in the roof.()
A young woman with hand on hip looks up, towards the top of a ladder in the foreground
He tells Laine it's looking pretty good up here — but insulation elsewhere is a different story.()

Dale says even small gaps in ceiling insulation coverage can contribute to a huge loss in performance.

If your house has fairly low-rated ceiling insulation, Dale recommends putting a second layer over the top.

The rest of Laine's house is a different story.

The ceiling on the back half of the house has poor insulation, the walls have no insulation, and neither does the floor. 

"One option is to remove the weatherboards, insulate, put the weatherboards back and then paint," Dale says.

"You can cut the plaster out, insulate and then get the plasterboard put back up again.

"Or there is one organisation in Victoria that has blow-in insulation for walls and they can retrofit wall insulation in old houses."

Because Laine's house is set so close to the ground, there's no way of getting underneath — which means floor insulation will be difficult to remedy. 

Two people stand outside, next to a fence that connects to the side of a weatherboard house
Laine's home is set close to the ground, which makes it basically impossible to get underneath and address under-floor insulation.()

Windows

For Laine, that means working on her windows will be all the more important.

Windows are a huge source of heat loss, with most Australian houses only having single glazing.

Dale suggests retrofitting windows with double glazing, but because of its exxy price tag, it's not his highest recommendation.

A man and woman stand inside a house, seen through a window, he holds a hand up to the window
Dale says while glazing is highly effective, it's a costly option. But there are alternatives. ()

Instead, he tells his clients, including Laine, that they should invest in good-quality blinds.

"The best type of window covering today is a blind called the honeycomb blind … or they're also called cellular blinds," Dale says.

"The best thing about them is they're double layered, and they trap a layer of air there inside the blind."

Laine's house has plenty of large windows, letting in the freezing cold.

A man and woman stand in a kitchen in front of a sink, he extends a hand towards a window
Dale's rule of thumb is that any window covering is better than none. Laine will need to find a solution for her kitchen windows.()

"You can see with these windows in the kitchen, that there is no window covering whatsoever," Dale tells Laine.

"And so the heat loss coming out of these windows is going to be really high."

If you're renting or can't afford those options, there are some cheaper, less permanent hacks to keep windows warm — like bubble wrap.

"Bubble wrap on windows can really turn poor-performing windows into double glazing," Dale says.

"So there are simple things, even buying some second-hand window coverings or curtains can make a really, really big difference to heat loss through windows."

And sealing up draughts is something everyone can do, for very little cost or effort.

Draughts

While the thermal imaging camera is a high-tech method of finding leaks, Dale says another way is to use incense sticks.

"That will actually show in really draughty weather, whether you have draughts around the external doors and gaps in windows and wall vents," he says.

"So that can be another really simple thing that households can use."

"Seal up gaps in external doors or vents, and gaps around window architraves. That can be done quite cheaply."

A backyard is seen through a window with wooden muntins or dividers. In the backyard a tree is losing its leaves
Laine fell in love with the period features of her gorgeous home. But some of these come with extra challenges.()
An exit sign positioned in front of a glass panel above a door with two glass inset windows
Sealing up gaps around external doors is a top tip to eliminate draughts.()
A catflap installed in a door with glass panels, separated with wooden muntins or dividers
Keep draughts in mind when making modifications such as installing cat flaps.()

Dale recommends focusing on areas around window architraves, external doors, vents, kitchen cupboards, exhaust fans and chimneys.

Chimneys are another source of draughts that can be sealed up either permanently or temporarily.

"We can see that this fireplace is actually open and open fireplaces are a really large point of heat loss," Dale says.

A man crouches down in front of a fireplace, with a torch pointed up the chimney
Dale says sealing up unused chimneys can make a big difference.()

"Because an open fireplace is designed to draw heat, it's going to be sucking warmth out of your house and then out through the chimney.

"There are draught-proofing products such as a big piece of sponge foam that you can fit under here."

Heating and cooling

After Dale has mapped the thermal envelope of the house, he turns his attention to heating and cooling.

"In this room, we've got a reverse-cycle air conditioner and we've also got a gas heater," Dale explains.

“Previously in Victoria, gas was a very cheap way of heating. But now, reverse cycle air conditioning [can do that job for a third of the cost] compared to gas.

"So I'd be encouraging you to be using the reverse cycle air conditioner for heating and not using the gas."

A man climbs down a ladder inside a living room, with an air conditioner on the wall, gas heater on the floor
Dale recommends split system air conditioning over gas appliances for heating and cooling.()

The Victorian government also provides rebates to home owners to replace gas heaters with electric, which means Laine can replace the old gas heater with a second heat pump and put it in another part of the house.

Dale recommends multiple split-system air conditioners, rather than ducted heating.

"It will be very, very cheap to operate really, 20 to 30 cents an hour, so they're very efficient and that would be a much cheaper option than going with something like ducted heating," he says.

Another cheap and easy way for renters and owners to cut down on heating bills is to clean air conditioner filters.

A man holds a dusty filter from an air conditioner, seen above his head, with front panel open
Dale recommends cleaning air conditioner filters around four times a year.()

"Sometimes they get really, really clogged, and then it dramatically reduces the heat output of the air conditioner," Dale says.

"What you need to do is take these filters out probably three or four times a year, and take them to the laundry and just give them a really good wash and clean and get all that dirt off."

Hot water

Next up Dale turns his attention to the bathroom. He's not impressed with the charming rustic features that Laine fell in love with.

A close-up on a brass, vintage style shower head with greenish staining on the head
Laine fell in love with the character of her 1880s miners' cottage.()
A close-up on a cold tap shows brass fixtures with green and rust marks in places
These fixtures may not be the most efficient.()

"We've got a really old showerhead there and we'll measure how much water that showerhead uses, but I'm guessing it's going to be a really, really big water use," he says.

"Now that can be bad because you're going to use a lot more energy, heating water."

Outside is a gas hot water system, which Dale recommends eventually replacing with a heat pump hot water system.

"The cheapest form of heating [water] now is a heat pump hot water system and there are potentially three rebates you can get," he says.

"They start fairly cheaply, and then they get high end.

"That's something that you could maybe in the next couple of years look to change that gas system over to add a heat pump."

A man touches a pipe outside a house connected to a hot water system, a woman watches
Dale explains that insulating pipes and converting to a heat pump system could make a big difference. ()

But he also finds something a little easier to fix.

"The hot water pipes aren't insulated," Dale says.

"You're going to be losing a large amount of energy by having these uninsulated pipes.

"You can actually save about $150 a year by insulating the hot water pipes."

Hot water system insulation can be bought from your local hardware store and installation is a DIY job, according to Dale. 

Going electric

If Laine wants to convert her gas heating and hot water system, adding more electric appliances will require extra space on the switchboard.

"If we put another two air conditioners in, they will need two circuit breakers. And an induction cooktop needs a circuit breaker," Dale says.

"A solar photovoltaic (PV) system can have one to three circuit breakers. Batteries need circuit breakers."

A man gestures toward an open fuse box on the side of a house, as he speaks to a woman
Dale tells Laine there's plenty of space on her switchboard to add circuit breakers.()

But here Dale has some good news for Laine.

"You are lucky in that you do have a lot of space to put more circuit breakers in and you won't need to upgrade your switchboard," he says.

"That's because for some houses they have to spend $3,000 upgrading the switchboard."

Back in the kitchen, the news isn't so good.

Laine's house has a gas cooktop and gas oven, without a range hood.

A gas stove top is seen up against a wall. It is white with black trim
Laine's kitchen is a full gas set-up, with no rangehood to extract cooking fumes.()
A silver electric kettle is plugged into a wall outlet, sitting on a bench top in a kitchen
Dale recommends converting Laine's kitchen to all-electric appliances in the long-term.()
A woman wearing black skivvy under grey pinafore dress stands in a kitchen, looking to window
The kitchen can be an expensive area to upgrade. Laine has a lot to consider.()

"I'd be a little concerned about that because you're combusting gas inside the house and as you're burning, several different sorts of chemicals are being released into this room," Dale explains.

"That could be another consideration for going to something like an induction cooktop."

Replacing an oven and stove can get expensive and is not necessarily an option for renters, but there are workarounds.

"Some people have an air fryer for an oven, and a portable induction cooktop," Dale says.

For those with a gas cooktop and an electric oven, it's also possible to take the cooktop off, and retrofit it with an induction stove on top, rather than replacing the whole thing.

An illustration shows the corner of a kitchen with oven and windows highlighted in blue. Labels point to each area
In Laine's kitchen, Dale recommends converting her gas oven and cooktop to electric, and covering the windows with quality blinds. ()

Once all the fossil gas appliances have been replaced with electric ones, you can disconnect the gas altogether.

Gas companies charge a daily supply charge, so this can save hundreds of dollars a year.

There are a couple of options here: one is to permanently disconnect the gas by arranging to have the pipes and meter removed. Some companies charge customers huge fees for this service, sometimes over $1,000. 

A cheaper option is to cap the connection — meaning the infrastructure stays in place, but you no longer have to pay daily supply fees. It allows the next occupant the option to reconnect the gas in future. 

But the Australian Energy Regulator (AER) is concerned about the long-term safety impacts of capping, with gas still in the pipes.

The Victorian government recently introduced a cap on permanent disconnection fees, at $220 — a move the AER has supported as an "interim measure". Other states are yet to follow suit, but in NSW it's currently under review.

Solar panels

Then there's the measure that's most frequently associated with energy-efficient homes: solar panels.

That's going to be a little more complicated for Laine because her house has a heritage overlay.

Solar cells on a rooftop surrounded by trees  in Canberra.
Australia's energy market operator recently predicted almost 80 per cent of homes will be powered by rooftop solar by 2050.()

It will need to be approved by the local council, but should be OK as long as they can't be seen from the street, according to Dale.

Installing solar panels will allow Laine to offset heating and use of other appliances during the day, when the sun is shining.

Warmer houses for a cooler planet

While lots of people are retrofitting to save money and be more comfortable, for Laine the climate impact is her main motivation.

A young woman wearing black skivvy under grey pinafore dress stands in front of window with blinds
For Laine, the main motivator is reducing her emissions.()

"The most important thing about having my home energy efficient for me is just reducing my carbon emissions," she says.

"I've always wanted to have the smallest footprint possible. And now that I have my own house, I feel like I can make a bigger impact."

For most of Dale's clients, it's about keeping warm, but climate change is a big factor for him as well.

"Personally, I'm really passionate about climate change. And I really get a great deal of satisfaction out of helping households lower their footprints by reducing their greenhouse gas emissions, by generating renewable energy on their roof," he says.

Whatever people's motivations, there are big pay-offs for reducing the climate impact of our housing.

Residential buildings in Australia account for nearly a quarter of overall electricity use and more than 10 per cent of carbon emissions, and despite that, they do a far worse job than houses in colder countries at keeping us warm.

The World Health Organization recommends houses be kept at a minimum temperature of 18 degrees Celsius, but the Australian energy home rating assumes houses are heated to just 15C overnight.

RMIT's Nicola Willand, an architect whose research focuses on energy, health and equity in housing, says the Australian culture of putting up with cold indoor temperatures is slowly changing.

"We sort of cope with cold indoor temperatures, but just the cold air itself can exacerbate respiratory symptoms and increase the risk of mould and the spread of infection," she says.

"I think the change in attitude amongst the public is coming."

A young woman wearing black skivvy under grey pinafore dress clutches a mug with sunflower motif to her chin
Old Australian homes like Laine's can be freezing in the winter.()

Nicola believes addressing poor energy efficiency in homes can solve lots of problems at once.

"Importantly, insulation of homes — especially in a heating-dominated climate, as we've got in Victoria or Tasmania — reduces energy demand," she says.

"With reducing energy demand, comes reduced carbon emissions."

Dale's top tips for upgrading your home

An illustration shows a 3D floor plan with blue highlights, labels pointing to four sections
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