Double Down On Double Glazing
Welcome to Australia. The Lucky Country!
Or is it?
Australia’s sweeping landscapes, turquoise oceans, and unique wildlife make it an amazing place to live, but the steadily rising cost of living, and consequent rise in energy bills we’re seeing, means Australian’s disposable income is increasingly tied up with bills rather than the leisure activities that enable us to enjoy this sunburnt country.
Newspapers and television news over the summer were dominated by more stories of heat-related power outages and the rising cost of fueling the much-needed air conditioning which is seemingly the only thing that makes home life bearable in Australia’s hottest months.
According to one major newspaper, in Victoria alone families are now spending up to one dollar out of every seven dollars of their disposable income on their power bills. To counter this, and perhaps shift the perception of the energy crisis Australia is currently experiencing, residents are bombarded with ‘deals’ and ‘promotions’ from the big energy companies, trying to convince us that they are giving us more bang for our energy buck.
But we’re not. Far from it. And here’s why.
A report lead by Australian Power Project founder Nathan Vass, found that while Victorians are the lowest users of power thanks to a long-term commitment to using gas for cooking and hot water, Victorian householders are subjected to some of the worst power deals nationally.
Some Victorian households are paying up to $1,000 more a year than those in other states!
Which begs the question: “are spurious ‘power deals’ really the answer to our nationwide energy crisis, or are there other things we can do to improve the sustainability of our homes, and consequently the sustainability of the country we love”?
Living in a sustainable way isn’t simply about reducing how much you shell out to energy companies. It’s about creating a home that is optimised for Australia’s changeable climatic conditions, from the plus-40 degree days of summer to the depths of winter.
If your home has ageing, leaky windows, they could be responsible for up to 40 per cent of the heat gained by your home in summer, and the thermal energy lost by your home in winter.
Installing uPVC double glazed energy efficient windows and doors provides an unmatched improvement in your home’s energy performance rating. This represents real savings – both in power bills and for the environment we’re working to protect.
On the face of it, the initial financial outlay to double glaze your home may appear unattractive when compared to the major power companies’ promises of the ‘best ever energy deals’. But the long term cost savings your household can achieve by installing double glazed windows and doors – up to 40 per cent of your heating and cooling costs – make double glazing a smarter long-term energy saving solution.
And aren’t long-term solutions what sustainable living is all about?