Resources you can take home

Whether or not you are eligible for a loan, these resources may help you to use energy more efficiently, and the resultant energy savings are likely to bring benefits.

Home Energy Audit Toolkit

You may wish to talk to your local council about borrowing a Home Energy Audit Toolkit (HEAT). Many Tasmanian councils offer these on loan, free of charge. The Toolkit can help you assess your household energy use patterns and make changes to reduce energy use and save money. The kit contains tools to assess your energy use, including:

• An energy meter, which plugs into an ordinary three-pin plug and measures an appliance's energy consumption, when it's being used and when it's on standby.
• A stopwatch to measure flow rates in showers and sinks.
• A thermometer to measure temperatures in each room, in fridges and freezers, and of the hot water supply.
• Instructions on how to use the tools, and tips on how to take action once you have all the information.

To find your local council, visit this local government directory.

Tips and resources for reducing your energy use

• The ReCFIT website provides tips to make your home more energy efficient.
• The Australian Government website Energy Information and Services provides a broad range of information about saving energy, saving money and opportunities to access government rebates and other assistance.

Some questions to ask

Heating

• What sources of heating do you use already? What is your primary heater type?
• How much does it cost to heat your property annually?
• What insulation is already installed in your property?
• Do you have double glazed windows?

Hot water

• What type of hot water system do you currently have?
• How old is it?
• How much is it costing you to heat water annually?

Household appliances

• How old are your fridge, freezer, washing machine, clothes dryer, and dishwasher?
• What are the energy star ratings of your current appliances?
• Can you estimate how much it costs to run them?