Low cost and energy efficient ways to keep your home warm and knock down skyrocketing power bills

With winter in full swing and electricity bills already skyrocketing, it can be difficult to keep warm on a budget.

But according to experts, there’s a whole host of ways to stay toasty without breaking the bank.

Home energy advisor and author of the My Efficient Electric Home Handbook, Tim Forcey said there were several little-known, cost-effective ways to warm up a home, whether it’s for a tenant needing a temporary solution or an owner looking for a long-term fix.

Choose the cheapest way to heat

“The cheapest way to heat by far is a reverse-cycle air conditioner. It’s one-third the cost of gas and one-fifth the cost of an electric heater,” Mr Forcey said.

“People find it surprising because they don’t understand how air conditioning works.

“It’s the cheapest way to heat in winter by a big margin.”

Kel Lupis, director of home energy efficiency and sustainability consultancy Sustainability Certified also suggests relying on a reverse-cycle system.

“Reverse-cycle air conditioners are generally accepted as the most efficient appliances for heating individual rooms and shared spaces in homes,” he said.

“Improving the thermal shell of your house will help to keep the inside temperature stable but having efficient heating and cooling appliances will also keep costs down.”

Clean your filters

Mr Forcey suggests a DIY method for ensuring a home’s air conditioner is working to its maximum potential, by cleaning the filters.

“If they’re a renter and they’ve just moved in, they have no idea of the history of the air conditioner.”

He advises popping open the panel on the split system and checking out just how filthy the filter might be.

“Heat the person, not the room”

Mr Lupis recommends using a throw or other methods to keep warm, focusing on warming the person rather than the space they’re in.

“The humble electric blanket is an energy-efficient alternative to turning on the heater in the bedrooms,” he said.

Draftproof your home

“Homes are very leaky,” Mr Forcey explains.

“Have a look at various ways to draft proof. They can be DIY and renters can do it in ways landlords won’t notice or can be reversed.”

Tenants can find a range of videos online suggesting ways to draft-proof a home, such as temporarily blocking up a chimney.

Bubble wrap your windows

While double-glazed windows offer great thermal comfort, they’re not easily available in homes, especially for those renting.

“You can bubble wrap your windows and get thermal performance almost as good as double glazing, while still letting light in,” Mr Forcey said.

Roof space insulation

Insulation in the roof space is another great way to ensure a home is staying warm without blowing out electricity bills.

“Roof insulation slows the movement of warm air through the shell of a house and is one of the best value upgrades if your current insulation is not a good match for the area in which you live,” said Mr Lupis.

Mr Forcey suggests checking the roof space to ensure that there is insulation and that it’s in its proper place.

“Not every dwelling has it and it may be that there is insulation, but it’s been all strewn around because someone’s gone up there to do something.”

“It’s a fairly cheap thing to put the insulation back where it’s meant to be, whether you do it DIY or get a professional in,” he said.

“It doesn’t take too many gaps before the effectiveness of the whole thing is destroyed.”

This story was originally published on view.com.au.