Maintenance
Beware of lead paint when renovating
Everyone knows about asbestos, but it’s surprising how few people realise how much of a risk lead paint can be – and just how common it is in older Australian homes.
How to fix a leaking tap
Most of the time, if a tap in your home is leaky, dripping or hard to close it's the result of a broken washer. While it's possible that your leaking tap's a 'washerless' tap (i.e. one with a ball, cartridge or ceramic disc mechanism - see the 'Types of taps' article linked below), it's a lot less likely that these taps will be leaking like this. You can usually tell if you have a ceramic disc type tap because it'll only need a quarter or half turn to fully open the tap.
Learn more about
Demand response and load shedding
Depending on where you live and what electrical hardware you have, your local power authority may be able to control your lighting or appliances to prevent blackouts.
Energy ratings and labels for TVs
Because of the vast differences in power consumption between different display technologies, TVs now come with energy star ratings. Learn how to read the labels, and what to look for.
Water meters
Find out what the law says about the installation and operation of water meters, how they work, and what you can and can't do with them.