10 Telltale Signs Your Home Needs Retrofitting  

Caught up by the inconvenience of the incredible summer heat? There is a way out of this and it’s definitely within everyone’s reach. A comfortable home in the middle of a sweltering summer heat, or a biting winter cold is yours for the taking.  

The height of the summer is the ideal time to take a step back, and make a careful assessment of how your most expensive asset is doing in terms of protecting your family from the effects of ever-shifting weather conditions. Here are 10 clear signs that will tell you your home will benefit from an energy and thermal efficiency retrofit.   

1. Inconsistent Indoor Temperatures

Have you ever noticed how the temperature inside your house seems twice as hot as outside despite opening your windows? For those who own a two-storey house, do you find it hard to sleep at night in your upstairs bedroom due to extreme heat?  Do you end up moving your mattress downstairs to somewhere cooler? Is achieving a temperature balance between your home’s individual rooms proving to be hard work? If you answered ‘Yes’ to any of these questions, your home undoubtedly needs attention.

You may have had stellar insulation installation done in past years but it’s important to know that the quality and effectiveness of some insulation depreciates over time. Improve your insulation by replacing it with great quality, well-installed insulation is a great step forward.  ecoMaster has a wide array of products for each of your retrofitting projects, visit here to learn more.  

2. Constant Use of Air Conditioning

There’s nothing wrong with using air conditioning, and fans to drop the temperature in your home to a liveable level of comfort.  The issues, of course, are the mounting cost of running air con constantly, and how do you cope when there is a power outage? The problem lies in depending on air conditioning to make your home habitable on a daily basis. Heat build up in your home, despite the presence of air conditioning, is a sure sign your house needs a retrofit.

Retrofitting your home will not only enhance, and maintain the balance of your home’s temperature, but will also prolong the lifespan of your cooling appliances.

3. You Can’t Sleep at Night Because Your Bedroom is Too Hot

Extreme heat during night time has stolen more hours of sleep than insomnia ever has in some Australian households. If you’re one of the people who can’t sleep in monster heat, we urge you to stop counting sheep and start planning for retrofitting your home tonight.

4. Skyrocketing Energy Bills (much higher than your winter bill)

Mounting energy consumption can be the result of attempting to maintain a balanced temperature in your home. If you’re using too much power to keep your house cosy in winter and cool in summer, it’s about time to look at an energy efficiency retrofit of your home.

You will save on energy bills EVERY month after a quality retrofit of your home.  Your energy bills will be significantly lower, your home will be comfortable (possibly for the first time?) and you will be well on your way to future proofing your home.

5. Your Windows are a Major Contributor of Heat to Your Home – despite having window covers

Windows are your home’s natural sources of light.  However, they can also be the source of extreme heat into your home.  To minimise this, homeowners would commonly use window covers, drapes, blinds, or shades to control the amount of sunlight (and heat) that passes through. Even with doing this you may still find it difficult to maintain a comfortable temperature.  Often fashion has taken over function and an uncomfortable, but stylish, home is the result.

You don’t have to sacrifice form for function – it’s about understanding what works best in your situation.  Before you invest in serious sums to upgrade your window covers, some practical advice could save you thousands!  Two of the most expensive mistakes made in selecting materials for a home are the types of windows installed, and then the window covers chosen to try and fix that decision.  You may not have to replace windows to improve your situation, but you do need to understand which options will move you toward a comfortable home, cost-effectively.

6. The Western Part of your Home Gets Extremely Hot in the Afternoons

 For any house that faces west, the reality is that it will become VERY hot in the harsh afternoon summer sun. Homeowners who encounter this problem would know how it can become increasingly uncomfortable as the summer season progresses since not even top-notch window covers can manage the excessive penetration of sunlight.

Unless you consider moving to a more temperate region, or at least a home that is not western facing, exploring a variety of retrofit solutions stands as the most cost-effective option to counter this issue.

7. Indoor Walls Feel Warm, or Even Hot, to the Touch

Another thing that’s hampering your attempt at a comfortable home is the pent-up heat that’s trapped between the walls in your home. You can tell this when you can feel heat from your walls radiating into your home well into the night.  

Looking for the best way to insulate your existing brick or weatherboard walls?

8. Hot Breeze is Radiating in Different Parts of the House

Do you have a concrete paving right outside your door that often gets exposed to the sun? If so, you may also feel heat rising from this surface, usually during the afternoon.  Because of its thermal properties, concrete absorbs heat throughout the day which explains why there is an abundance of heat in this part of your home despite having installed shadings on your windows or door.

To counter this effect, there are myriad of alternatives to reduce the heat absorption and bounce effect of heat into your home.  

9. Insects and Rodents Manage to Get Inside Your Home

The presence of insects and/or rodents in your home is a tell-tale sign that your house has serious gaps and professional draught proofing is required.  If you are a DIYers, check out www.ecoMasterStore.com.au.  

10. Rays of Sunlight Seep Through The Corners of Your Doors and Windows

Take note that if you can see sunlight around your doors and windows it is a clear sign of unwanted gaps in your house needing professional draught proofing solutions.

So, how do I fix it?

If you have ticked off any or possibly all of the items on this list, know that you don’t have to put up with this any longer. If you’re serious about improving the thermal performance of your home and investing in your family’s comfort while making important energy savings in the process, the best step to start with an ecoHome energy efficiency retrofit plan.

By taking a targeted approach to improving the energy efficiency of your home, you can permanently reduce your energy consumption – making your home cooler in summer, warmer in winter, and significantly cutting your energy bills.

To know how you can begin your journey toward a more comfortable home regardless of seasons, contact ecoMaster today on 1300 326 627. Our team of experts will deliver tailored recommendations specifically for your home in a prioritised step-by-step plan that ensures your investment delivers the best possible outcome.

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