bright open plan living/dining with white walls and a skylight

Heat your new rural home efficiently

Heat proof your home this winter

Winter took a while to kick into full force but it’s definitely here now! Here are some tips on how to heat proof your home this winter!

  1. This one may seem a little obvious but check your home for drafts. The easiest way to do this is with a stick of incense. Go around to all the windows in your home and places where plumbing and wiring go through walls. If the smoke from the incense begins to drift horizontally you have a draft.
  2. You’d be surprised as to how much heat can escape under a door. If you don’t already try implementing door sweeps which can be found from your local hardware store.
  3. Close the curtains! At night heat can escape through the windows, closing the curtains or shutting the blinds helps to prevent this.
  4. Ensure you have sufficient insulation and window treatments when building your home. This can make a huge difference in summer and winter.
  5. Close off any unused rooms to conserve the heat in the main living areas.
  6. Consider carpet in the bedroom, this will help prevent heat loss through the floor.
  7. Let it shine! To make the most natural sunlight it’s a great idea to open up your blinds and curtains during the day, especially North facing (for the morning sun) and West facing (for the afternoon sun).
  8. Focus on people, not your house! It sounds straightforward, but often it’s easier to warm yourself rather than your whole house. A warm pair of Ugg boots and a snug jumper could save you hundreds in heating and energy bills!
  9. Reverse your ceiling fans. By reversing your fan blades to rotate clockwise you draw down the risen heat from the ceiling and prevent it from dissipating through the roof or walls.
  10. Pour yourself a cup of tea and relax!
bright open plan living/dining with white walls and a skylight

You may also like

outdoor view of a rural building company home at sunset

Plants that repel mosquitoes

In summer we Aussies are renowned for our barbecues, especially with Australia Day coming up! Unfortunately, this outside tradition comes with a downside of flies and mosquitoes. Here are some plants that repel mosquitoes (or so we've been told!) 1. Lemongrass- Apparently they don't like the citrus scent! As an added ...

9 Top Bathroom Trends of 2019

Stay up-to-date with the most modern designs We’ve seen many innovative and bold bathroom trends this year, with some here to stay and others being merely a fad. With the industry constantly changing, The Rural Building Company prides itself on staying up-to-date with the most modern, value-adding designs, whilst ...

living room with raked ceilings

How to keep your country home cool

It's been a hot summer so far! We know the power bill can take a beating with the airconditioner or fans on all the time so here are some other tips to help keep your home country cool! 1. Keep curtains or blinds closed in the middle of the day to ...