Winter Sucks Money Up The Chimney

broken wood stove
If, like me, you own a character home, it’ll have some unused and outdated features which need dragging into this century.

In this article, we’ll be looking at ways to deal with chimneys, because with the cost of energy these days, nobody needs a gaping hole in their house.

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Smart Energy Needs Smarter Customers

Recently the Smart Energy Council held a conference in Adelaide and by all accounts it was a roaring success, much like the battery incentive that’s currently driving the whole solar industry.

When the SEC said they were looking for industry experts to offer some insight, I figured they’d emailed me by mistake, but I went along anyway with some images to riff off of and enough notes to wing it for 15 minutes of fame.

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How To Slam The Door On Winter With DIY Glazing

French doors might be fashionable, but along with glass sliding doors they’re an open invitation for winter to walk right into your house. Here’s how to seal them up and refuse to let cold weather in when it comes knocking.

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How To Stop Winter From Breaking In Through The Window

Seeing your curtains sway gently in response to the afternoon breeze is a romantic word picture, like watching the house breathe. Until I tell you there’s a storm outside, and the windows are shut. The horrifying reality is that the cold wind is inside the house with you.

Here’s some simple fixes I’m making this winter to stop the chill from breaking in via poorly-insulated windows.

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Phase Shift: On Standby

A man switching off a switch

There’s a certain kind of energy advice that just won’t die. You’ve probably heard it:

Switch off appliances at the wall. Phantom loads are stealing your electricity!

That made sense twenty years ago. Back when power bricks got properly hot. Back when standby meant drawing tens of watts. These days? Not so much.

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How To Winter-Proof Your House If Your Builder Didn’t Bother

Thermal images of house insulation

As the cold finally kicks in across southern Australia, minds turn to warmth versus wallet.

Staying warm doesn’t mean bankrolling your electricity retailer. Applying a few helpful hacks and habits can make a real tangible difference.

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Reverse Cycle Not Keeping You Warm? Here’s What To Do.

Winter is here, and nobody is more aware of that than Australians with a struggling reverse cycle air conditioner (RVAC). If your system isn’t keeping you warm, here’s what to do to get it humming.

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Phase Shift: I’ve Seen The Future, And It’s… Simple Timers

An app for charging EVsIn a world full of ‘smart’ energy tech, AI-driven optimisation, and dashboards that would make a Qantas cockpit blush, I’ve come to a confronting conclusion: the future isn’t clever. It’s just… timers.

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Solar Analytics Users Plagued By Dropouts

telecommunication signal strength graph

Solar Analytics has long offered some of the best energy monitoring software on the market, but some customers recently have been plagued by dropouts and poor customer support. We’ve investigated to see what’s going on.

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Surviving 43°C: A Quick Fix for Struggling Air Conditioners

heatwave air conditioning
I know it sounds like clickbait, but honestly, there is one simple trick that will help your refrigerative air conditioner cope with very hot days.

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