How to Reduce Your Gas Bill Over Winter

Gas is one of the bigger running costs in an Australian home over winter, and most of it goes to heating, hot water and cooking. When the temperature drops, your gas heater works harder and your bill climbs with it.

You have more control over that cost than it might seem. This guide covers how to reduce your gas bill in stages and save money on your heating bill, starting with free changes that take a few minutes, then moving to one-off improvements that keep paying off every winter.

Set Your Heating to Work Smarter

Heating uses more gas than anything else in most homes, so this is the first place to look if you want to save money on your heating bill. Heating and cooling make up around 40% of energy use in the average Australian home, according to the Government’s YourHome guide.

Set your thermostat between 18 and 20 degrees in winter. Every degree above that range adds 5 to 10% to your heating costs, so moving the dial from 20 to 23 can lift your heating bill by as much as 30%.

Other ways to get more from your heater:

• Heat only the rooms you use. Close doors to unused rooms and use zoned ducted heating if you have it.
• Turn the heating off overnight and when you leave the house. Warm bedding does the work at night.
• Service your gas heater every couple of years so it runs efficiently and safely.
• If your heater is old and struggling to hold temperature, an efficient replacement will lower your running costs.

Stop Paying to Heat Air That Escapes

A warm room only stays warm if the heat stays inside. Gaps around doors, windows, skirting boards, vents and floorboards let warm air out and pull cold air in, which forces your heater to run longer.

Sealing those gaps can reduce heat loss by 15 to 25%, based on CSIRO research published by energy.gov.au. You can handle the basics yourself:

• Fit door snakes or draught seals to the base of external doors
• Use weather strips around window frames
• Seal gaps around skirting boards and architraves with a gap filler rod

For a result that covers the whole house, professional draught sealing reaches the gaps that are easy to miss. Rapid Insulation offers a window and door draught sealing service that seals your home thoroughly, so you are not chasing cold spots each winter.

Build Small Habits That Add Up

On their own, these changes may seem small, but over a full winter they make a visible difference to your gas use.

• Take shorter showers. Gas hot water is a large part of most winter bills.
• Wash clothes in cold water where you can.
• Put lids on your pots and match the pot to the burner size when cooking on gas.
• Open curtains on sunny days to let warmth in, then close them at night to keep it.
• Switch exhaust fans off once the bathroom or kitchen has cleared, so they stop pulling out heated air.

Understand Your Bill and Compare Providers

Once the easy wins are in place, check what you are paying for the gas itself. A gas bill has two parts: a daily supply charge for staying connected, and a usage charge for the gas you burn, measured in megajoules.

Compare your current rates against other offers using a free government comparison site. If you are in Victoria, use Victorian Energy Compare. In New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania or the ACT, use Energy Made Easy. Both check every retailer’s plans in your area in about 10 to 15 minutes, and often find households a few hundred dollars a year.

A few things to check before you switch:

• Whether a discount applies to your whole bill or only the usage charge
• Any conditions attached, such as paying on time or using direct debit
• Exit fees on your current plan

Your retailer also has to flag a cheaper plan of their own on your bill. In Victoria, this appears as a Best Offer notice, and in the other states as a better offer message. It only covers your current retailer, so it is worth comparing others.

Invest in Insulation for Lasting Savings

Habits and settings help right now. The home itself is where the long-term savings sit, because insulation cuts the amount of heat your gas heater has to keep replacing.

Insulating the roof, walls and floor can save more than 50% on your heating and cooling costs, according to energy.gov.au. A large share of a home’s heat escapes through the ceiling, which makes ceiling insulation the single most effective upgrade for most homes. Wall insulation adds a further layer, holding warmth in through the colder months and keeping heat out over summer.

If you are in Victoria, the Victorian Energy Upgrades program can heavily discount the cost of ceiling insulation for eligible homes. We cover how it works, who qualifies and how much you can save in our guide to discounted ceiling insulation in Melbourne.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I know if my home needs draught sealing or insulation?

Common signs are draughts you can feel near doors and windows, rooms that never seem to hold heat, and a home built before insulation was standard. A free assessment shows you where warm air is escaping and what will make the most difference.

What temperature should I set my gas heater to in winter?

Between 18 and 20 degrees. Each degree higher adds 5 to 10% to your heating costs.

Does insulation really lower my gas bill?

Yes. Insulation reduces how much heat escapes, so your heater runs less to hold the same temperature. Roof, wall and floor insulation together can cut heating and cooling costs by more than half, one of the surest ways to save money on your heating bill.

Is there a rebate to help with insulation?

In Victoria, the Victorian Energy Upgrades program offers discounted ceiling insulation for eligible homes.

Ready to Cut Your Winter Gas Bill?

Adjusting your heating and sealing draughts will help straight away. For savings that last every winter, insulation pays for itself and is the surest way to reduce your gas bill year after year.

Book a free, no-obligation assessment with Rapid Insulation. We will check your home, explain your options and give you a clear figure for the cost and the saving.

Rapid Insulation services Melbourne’s Eastern Suburbs and Sydney. Learn more about our ceiling insulation, wall insulation and draught sealing services.