Sustainable living in the home

A lot of electric home appliances are more energy efficient than gas appliances. Home appliances and equipment (including kitchen and laundry) use an average of 25% of household energy.

More than 1/3 of houses in Hornsby already have solar to help power their homes, when thinking about installing solar and batteries consider your future electrification goals such as an electric vehicle, heat pump hot water or induction cooktop.

Read these Electrification Resources from Rewiring Australia and this Asthma and indoor gas appliances fact sheet from Doctors for the Environment.

Keep your home comfortable by installing ceiling, underfloor and wall insulation, in that order. The average home loses about 25-30% of warmth in winter and gains warmth in summer through the ceiling (Source: Insulation | YourHome).

Watch EnergyWise Hornsby - insulation and sealing video.

Read the energy fact sheet on insulation(PDF, 253KB).

Seal cracks around windows and doors and use door ‘snakes’. Air leaks can cause 15−25% of winter heat loss in buildings (Source: Ventilation and airtightness | YourHome).

Watch home hacks from Hornsby Shire locals Love your home – Cosy hacks for cracks and gaps

Watch EnergyWise Hornsby - insulation and sealing video

Read the energy fact sheets on sealed doors(PDF, 213KB) and block draughts(PDF, 110KB).

Reverse cycle air conditioners are up to four times more energy efficient than other heaters. Heating and cooling together use the largest amount of energy in the average Australian home, accounting for around 40% of household energy use. (Source: Heating and cooling | YourHome)

Heat pump and solar hot water systems are cheap to run and are more efficient than other hot water heaters. Almost a quarter of the average household’s energy is used to heat water for the bathroom, kitchen and laundry. (Source: Hot water systems | YourHome)

Watch EnergyWise Hornsby – heating and cooling video and EnergyWise Hornsby – hot water video.

Hang heavyweight, tight-fitting curtains from closed pelmets to reduce heat loss. Keep your home cooler in summer by shading north and west facing windows with native vegetation or awnings. Up to 40% of a home’s heating energy can be lost and up to 87% of its heat gained through windows. (Source: Glazing | YourHome)

Borrow a Save Power Kit or Thermal Camera from your local library.

Save power kit – Contains a Power-Mate Lite energy meter. The meter measures how much power appliances use. You can use this information to create a plan to reduce your energy bill.

Thermal camera – A thermal camera uses infrared light to detect variations of heat energy, such as air draughts, poor insulation, and leaks. You can use this information to create a plan to address issues before they become more serious.

These devices can be reserved and collected from any branch. Items must be borrowed on an adults' card.

Energy Made Easy is an Australian Government service that lets you compare the different energy companies and choose the best plan for you.

Watch EnergyWise Hornsby – understand energy bills video and EnergyWise Hornsby - standby power

Check these NSW Government links for saving money, understanding your energy bill, and getting loans and discounts:

• Simple tips to save energy and money | NSW Climate and Energy Action
• Tips for renters | NSW Climate and Energy Action
• What's in your energy bill | NSW Climate and Energy Action
• Types of energy customers and energy plans | NSW Climate and Energy Action
• Energy charges and fees | NSW Climate and Energy Action
• Energy meters | NSW Climate and Energy Action
• Home Energy Saver | NSW Climate and Energy Action - Loans and Discounts

• Check for leaking taps. One leaking tap can waste up to 200 litres a day
• Install a water efficient showerhead or fit a flow-restricting valve. Showers can now use as little as 6-7 litres per minute instead of the old shower heads that used 22 litres per minute
• Turn your single-flush toilet into a dual-flush toilet or install a displacement device in the cistern (tank) of single-flush toilets
• Take shorter showers by using a timer
• Turn off the tap when brushing your teeth and use a plug in the basin when shaving
• Before you go to bed, check your water metre reading then make sure no one uses any water overnight. If the reading is higher in the morning, you have a leak
• Install water efficient taps or tap aerators to cut water usage.

Read more about saving water in the bathroom.

• Choose a dishwasher with a 6-star WELS rating for a lower water bill
• Dishwashers connected to cold water are usually more efficient than those connected to hot water systems
• Use a bowl of water to rinse vegetables and other food items instead of running the tap
• Install water efficient taps or tap aerators to cut water usage.

Read more about saving water in the kitchen.

• Choose washing machines with a 6 star WELS rating
• Front-loading washing machines generally require less water than top-loading machines
• Only put on full loads
• Install water efficient taps or tap aerators to cut water usage

• Choose native plants, which require less water.
• Group plants with similar watering needs together.
• Adjust your watering patterns to weather conditions and plant needs.
• Wash your car on the lawn and water the grass at the same time.
• Use a bucket for washing and rinsing your car, rather than leaving the hose running which can waste 20 litres of water a minute.
• Use a rake or broom to clean paths and driveways rather than a hose.
• Install a greywater system(PDF, 555KB) to reuse your laundry water in the garden.
• Install a water tank for your garden. Rainwater can be used to water your garden, wash clothes and flush toilets. It can also be used to supplement the mains water supply, as long as you have approval from Sydney Water.

• The average backyard pool can lose up to 50,000 litres of water a year through evaporation. Installing a cover on pools and spas reduces this water loss
• Ask your local nursery for advice on plants to screen the pool or spa and further reduce water loss
• Install a shade cloth over the area to reduce evaporation
• Consider replacing a sand filter with a cartridge filter, which requires less backwashing
• Install an automatic pool cleaner to further reduce the need to backwash.