My home is uncomfortable

too hot - too cold - draughty

Most Australian houses are not built for our weather conditions. The average home is likely to get too hot in summer and too cold and draughty in winter. 
The most common reason homes get hot/cold or feel draughty, is poor performance of the “building shell” (see more about the building shell below). 

Depending on your budget for upgrades, a Home Energy Assessment or Residential Efficiency Scorecard Assessment will help you work out why your home is uncomfortable and identify cost effective changes and upgrades to fix the problem.

What is the building shell...?

The building shell is the outside of your home – the floors, walls, roof, doors and windows.

The ideal home would have a building shell that is well insulated and free of gaps.

Improving your building shell is one of the most cost-effective ways to stay more comfortable at home, as well as saving you money on your energy bills.

Insulation

Insulation is any material that slows down the movement of heat into or out of your home.

​If you think of your home as like an esky, the building shell is the sides, top and bottom of the esky. The better insulated the esky, the longer it will keep your food and drinks cool.

Victorian houses that are more than 10 years old will likely have little or no insulation.

 Gaps and Draughts

Gaps result in draughts. Having a gap free home means that wherever there is a break in the building shell e.g. a window, a door, holes for plumbing, joins between floor and wall etc, that gap is sealed properly.

If gaps are not sealed, air can move freely in and out of the building and you cannot maintain the indoor temperature.

​Taking the esky analogy again, if you leave the lid of the esky open – the food and drink inside will not stay cool. If you have gaps around every door and window, your house will get hot in summer and cold in winter.