When buying a new home in Melbourne you need to consider more than just the air conditioning if you want to keep it cool every summer without crippling power bills blowing your budget.
Many modern Melbourne houses and apartments aren’t built to keep the heat out, they’re designed with floor to ceiling windows and glass doors for attracting abundant natural light. The light is welcomed, but unless the windows and doors are double glazed they will also invite the full force of the summer sun into your home.
Properties with verandahs, generous eaves, roller shutters or window awnings are going to help keep the direct sun off your doors and windows, keeping your house cooler and lessening your reliance on air conditioning.
Deciduous trees on the north or west side will also keep homes cooler than those with no surrounding greenery. And in winter, when you want to invite sunshine into your home, deciduous trees will facilitate that.
Interior window dressings make a substantial difference, so homes with block-out curtains or blinds and even plantation shutters will get a big tick for their insulation properties.
And speaking of insulation, a building inspection should identify if the property has both ceiling and wall insulation – an absolute must if you are planning on living in the property long term.
The most cost-effective way to reduce your use of a/c is to keep all glass doors and windows closed and well covered while the summer sun is out. Also consider installing roller blinds within the window cavities where you already have curtains or plantation shutters – creating a ‘double-glazed’ effect with a pair of window dressings.
Those simple measures will keep your house cooler and your energy bills lower. With mortgage interest rates rising again, every penny saved on energy costs will help!
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By Wendy Chamberlain
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