Advertisement

Home Design Guides: Climate control

Heating tips and tricks

7 heating tips and tricks

House too cold? Wish your home would stay warm longer when you use a heater? Read our tips on how to improve the heating in your house.

9 cooling tips and tricks

9 cooling tips and tricks

Is your home too hot? Spending too much on air conditioning? Here are 9 simple tips to help you keep your home cooler when the mercury's up.

Calculate heating and cooling costs

How to calculate heating and cooling costs

Heating and cooling can be very expensive, and knowing what you're paying to use your heaters and air conditioners is a good way to rein in your usage. Here's how to calculate your costs.

What is passive design?

What is passive design?

Ever noticed that some houses are cooler or warmer than others without relying heavily on powered cooling or heating devices? This usually comes down to clever design...

6 common aircon problems

6 common aircon problems

Is your aircon dripping water? Not blowing cold air? Perhaps it's making funny noises or blowing out a bad smell? There are a few different things that can go wrong with an airconditioner. Find out how to deal with them.

Heater emergencies

5 big heater emergencies

Because of the fuels they use, problems with heaters have the potential to be quite serious. Find out how to deal with problems with your heater.

How to choose an air conditioner

Picking the right air conditioner for your home’s very important. The air conditioner you choose can either be an effective cooling solution, or a costly lesson in what not to do.

Types of air conditioners

Types of air conditioners

There are a surprising number of different types of airconditioners. Choosing the right one will make a big difference to how you cool your home.

Efficient air conditioning

Which cooling systems are most efficient?

If you need to artificially cool your home, it's well worth considering how much that'll cost, and what kinds of options you have. Air conditioners are effective, but they're also very energy hungry...

Central heating or space heating?

Central heating vs. space heating

Heating is generally dealt with in terms of either heating a building, or heating a small space. These two scenarios require very different approaches and technologies.

How to choose a heater

How to choose a heater

Different heaters suit different purposes - and vary widely in terms of cost, efficiency and effectiveness. Make sure you choose the right types for your home.

Types of heater

Types of heater

There are a great many different types of heater, all with different merits and shortcomings, and suitable scenarios in which they are the best possible choice.

Which heaters are most energy efficient?

There are many different types of heaters, and many different sorts of fuels you can use to heat your home. Find out how each compares in terms of energy efficiency and greenhouse gas emissions.

Why is ventilation important?

Why is ventilation important?

Because we don't directly 'see' ventilation, we don't often think about it - but well-planned ventilation's an absolutely vital part of a healthy house. Find out why...

Types of vents

Many different types of vents exist for many different purposes and parts of the home. Find out what types of vents exist, what purposes they serve.

What is climate control?

Good 'climate control' in a home goes a long way beyond heaters, fans and air conditioners. Find out more about what really goes into good climate control for houses.

Types of bathroom heaters

In cooler climates, you may need a heater that heats quickly and which isn't affected by the room's humidity.

What's a building envelope?

What's a building envelope?

If you're having a house designed for you, chances are that you've heard the phrase 'building envelope' being thrown around. Find out what this means, and why it's so important.

How to improve your home's insulation

Is your house not keeping out the neighbour's noisy parties? Perhaps you're intending on setting up a home theatre? Find out more about how to improve the soundproofing in your home with better insulation.

DIY vs. professional insulation

What sort of insulation can you install yourself - and when might you need to hire a professional do the job properly? Find out more about what's required to install different sorts of acoustic insulation.

Advertisement