That's because Australian homes are closer to tents than insulated eco-buildings. As winter sets in, and temperatures plummet, it can sometimes feel as cold inside as it does outside. The reason for this is the poor thermal performance of houses in Australia.
Your house is supposed to be a warm and comfortable place – especially in winter. But unfortunately, that is not the case for many Australian homes: The walls are thin, the windows leak, and more often than not, there is no insulation in the walls.
Australian houses are often poorly insulated because the climate is warm and humid year-round, so there is less of a need for insulation. In addition, many Australian homes are built with brick exteriors, which don't provide good insulation.
The single-brick walls in Victorian houses allow 11 times as much heat to escape as a properly insulated modern wall. They're often cracked, because they're not supported by foundations but stand on a few inches of rubble.
But in Australia, we like the fresh air, we like the breeze,” says Marshall. That warm-weather mentality – and the design features Australians embrace, like open-plan layouts and large shuttered windows to encourage cross-ventilation – works against us in winter. “The most vulnerable part of your house are windows.”
Cold air inflames lungs and inhibits circulation, increasing the risk of respiratory conditions, such as asthma attacks or symptoms, worsening of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and infection.
Long-range forecast overview
June to August maximum temperatures are likely to very likely (60% to greater than 80% chance) to be warmer than median for virtually all of Australia.
Insulating your loft is simple and the most effective way to save money on heating bills. It's a simple DIY job that most people could do. Loft insulation is effective for decades so it is a very worthwhile investment. If access is easy and your joists are regular, you can use rolls of mineral wool insulation.
The reasons your house is cold even with the heat on could be because of poor insulation, your furnace not working properly, rooms with high ceilings, or your heating system doesn't cover the whole house. Each of these issues can prevent your home from properly heating.
To warm the legs, Victorian women wore long stockings made of cotton or even silk, and sometimes multiple pairs. On top came wool pantalets, worn by tying at the waist, and on top of that a wool chemise (similar to what we would call a full slip today), plus a corset.
Which country has the best insulation? Norway with 0.9 °C and Germany with 1 °C are the countries with the lowest home temperature losses.
Despite only dealing with probabilities, scientists predict without a determined effort to reduce emissions, the globe will likely experience 4 degrees of warming by 2100. “That makes large parts of Australia and other continents uninhabitable,” Prof Flannery warns.
Set your thermostat
Keep the internal temperature of your heating set to between 18°C and 20°C. Every degree you increase your heating can add up to 10% on your energy use. Set your thermostat to warm your house for times you need it. Turn it off overnight and when you're away from home.
Most of Australia sits too far north to see warm fronts moving through. If we compare ourselves with the Northern Hemisphere we have more in common with most of southern Europe and northern Africa which also miss out on warm fronts.
This is remarkable since the average conditions the seasonal outlook is compared with are for 1981–2018. Over the last few decades Australia has warmed significantly making cooler than average conditions more unusual. The rainfall outlook is for widespread wetter-than-average conditions this winter.
Your house could be cold due to an old air filter, a faulty furnace, improper insulation, or leaky ductwork. The simple fixes, like replacing an air filter, are relatively easy to complete. However, if the heater itself needs repairs, it's best to call in a professional to take a look and determine the problem.
People wore layered clothing made of wool, flannel, or fur. Typical winter outerwear included hooded capes, great coats, scarves, cloaks, shawls, scarves, muffs, gloves, mittens, thick socks, stockings, long wraps, caps, hats, and ear mufs.
While coal-filled and ash-filled bed warmers were very popular, there was always the potential risk of fire. A safer and more portable option was the hot-water bed warmer or hot-water bottle. A classic for centuries, the hot-water bottle is a simple and effective way to keep warm at night.
Perhaps their greatest innovation was the hypocaust – an early form of central heating. A fire blazing in a furnace heated warm air which moved around the building through spaces under the floors and between walls.
Australia could be set for an increasingly hot and dry coming months with a major government department making a bold prediction.
The Bureau of Meteorology has released its long-range forecast for autumn 2023 and it indicates coming months are likely to be drier and warmer than usual across most of Australia.
By 2050, there will be 20 per cent less rainfall during spring in Melbourne. This means more severe conditions in the lead up to the summer bushfire season. The millennium drought and heat stress have accelerated the decline of the city's current tree population.