You've got a rangehood in your kitchen

Make sure to regularly maintain your rangehood by cleaning its filters. The only thing left is for a HomeFit Assessor to verify that the rangehood expels the air outside of your house, rather than into the roof

You don't have an extractor fan

You don't have an extractor fan in each of your bathrooms which is a HomeFit requirement. Bathroom fans are one of the best ways to keep your house dry and warm. See the supplier directory in the report section for a list of installers.

Your floor insulation could be improved

You don't have floor insulation that meets HomeFit standards. Ask an insulation supplier to install a minimum R1.3 insulation in your underfloor space. See the supplier directory in the report section for a list of installers.

You don't have good quality curtains in your house.

Curtains are the unsung heroes of modern, warm, energy-efficient homes. By “good” we mean at least two layers, full length to the floor, and/or closed at the top (by a pelmet, the ceiling, or tight-fitting track). The thickness of the material is not as important as the number of layers, as it’s the air that’s trapped between the layers that gives the curtains the insulation ability.

Good curtains trap cold air behind them meaning less likelihood of warm air escaping, hitting the cold glass, and dropping back into the room as a cold draught (a "reverse chimney" effect).

For those areas where full-length curtains are inconvenient or just not possible (above heaters or kitchen benches for instance), we recommend Roman or Pleated (sometimes called cellular) blinds. These should still be tight fitting on the side and against the sill and have at least two layers of blind material. Venetian blinds or shutters are ineffective at keeping in warmth (and therefore don’t pass HomeFit®), but have their uses in managing overheating (in summer), glare and privacy.

For more information, see the Eco Design Advisor Curtains factsheet.

Your home may be draughty

Check out the range of cheap and effective fixes for window and door gaps at your local DIY store. Some companies offer more technical services such as window tightening or building maintenance and repairs. A supplier directory is provided in the report section.

Your house has a high quality heating source

Your house has a high quality heating source.

Why having energy efficient hot water is important

There are many different water heating systems, and we’ve covered a few of these here. All systems and pipework should be insulated where possible. For more information on choosing a hot water system, see the Gen Less website.

Showers are one of the biggest users of hot water in a home. Making them water efficient pays dividends not only on your water usage, but on energy as well. Low flow shower heads can be easily installed, and even cheaper flow restrictors are available from hardware stores – just be sure to install them on mains pressure systems only, as they can damage a low-pressure cylinder.

It looks like your home has a water efficient shower

If you are still worried about water usage, try limiting shower times – a simple shower timer can be useful. For more information see this Gen Less advice on hot water.

Your house might not have energy efficient lighting

Consider upgrading your lights with compact fluorescent or LED bulbs as they provide very good value for money, especially in areas of the home where the lighting is used a lot such as the living room and kitchen.

You may have downlights that require a gap in the insulation. These will need to be upgraded to meet the HomeFit standard (see an installer or electrician). 

You've got a smoke alarm on each floor

It is good that you have a smoke alarm on each floor of your home. You'll also need to have one inside or within 3m of each bedroom. Make sure that they are photoelectric smoke alarms, if not, considering upgrading them.

You have enough smoke alarms near to or within bedrooms

It is good that you have a smoke alarm inside or within 3m of each bedroom. Make sure you've got one on each floor of your home, and that they are photoelectric smoke alarms. If not, considering upgrading them.