Heat your home efficiently

Last updated: 22 May 2025
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In Victoria, heating systems are essential for keeping your home comfortable and your family healthy on the coldest days, but passive techniques such as draught proofing, insulation and window treatments significantly reduce the energy required to keep a house warm.

Optimising the thermal performance of your home through these passive techniques will greatly reduce your reliance on active heating systems, helping to reduce costs and to ensure your home is more resilient to extreme temperatures. CSIRO data on NatHERS star ratings indicate that around two-thirds of homes in Victoria rate 2 stars or below, meaning there is significant scope for thermal performance upgrades.

The Victorian Healthy Homes Program demonstrated that a relatively minor upgrade (which could include insulation, draught sealing, window coverings and servicing or replacement of old heaters) had wide-ranging benefits over the winter period. The average cost of the upgrades was $2,809. The indoor temperature in the upgraded houses was significantly increased, while gas use was significantly reduced, and householders reported greater warmth and a reduction in condensation. Importantly, householders' quality of life improved and their healthcare costs were reduced by $887 over the winter period.

Making changes to heat your home more efficiently can:

  • lower your heating costs by up to 50%
  • create a consistent comfortable temperature in your home
  • lower your greenhouse gas emissions.

This guide to heating your home efficiently looks at thermal performance improvements that help keep the heat in, and provides tips to ensure your heating system is operating efficiently.

Minimise heat loss from your home

The ability to minimise heat loss from your home over winter and reduce your energy consumption and costs is dependent on your home’s thermal performance. Taking steps to improve its thermal envelope – ceiling, walls, windows and floors - will ensure you stay warmer for longer and ensure your heating system is able to operate efficiently.

Use your heating system efficiently

Making improvements to the thermal performance of your home by sealing draughts and installing or improving insulation can help to keep your home more comfortable and minimise the need to use heating on all but the coldest days. It will also help to ensure your heating system operates more efficiently.

When using your heater, the following tips will ensure you are operating it efficiently and help to reduce energy costs further.