Insulate, draughtproof and save energy in your home

Insulation and draughtproofing are often the most cost-effective and impactful ways to improve the efficiency of your home.

Insulate and draughtproof with Solar Savers

We have partnered with Solar Savers, a council-backed initiative that has already done the hard work when looking for insulation and draughtproofing suppliers. View the estimated prices or watch the Solar Savers webinar on webinar on insulation and draught proofing.

If you would like to get a better understanding of your home’s energy efficiency or to get an idea of where to get the most savings, Solar Savers also can provide a home energy assessment, a comprehensive evaluation of a home’s energy efficiency and sustainability.

Register through the Yarra Solar Savers page and receive quotes from trusted, accredited service providers.

Borrow an energy efficiency kit

Energy efficiency kits are available to borrow from our libraries. The kits contain tools and information to help you learn about your home's energy efficiency, save energy, reduce emissions and save money.

In each kit you will find:

• A Power-Mate™ Lite Energy Monitor to measure how much electrical power is being used by an appliance
• An Energy Saving Thermometer to check if the temperature of your rooms, fridge and freezer are set to the most energy efficient ranges
• A Non-contact Thermometer measuring the temperature of an object or surface using an infrared sensor
• A Water Flow Measuring Cup to calculate flow rate and help save water

A Thermal Imaging Camera is also available to borrow separately. This easy to use tool helps identify areas where your home may be leaking heat.

Borrow an energy efficiency kit or thermal imaging camera from your nearest Yarra library.

Yarra Council subsidies

The Yarra Home Energy Upgrades program provides subsidies up to $3,000 to eligible Yarra concession card holders, including for insulation and draughtproofing.

Victorian government energy efficiency rebates and energy concessions

There are a wide range of energy concessions, rebates and other government financial support available if you need help paying your energy bills, particularly for people living on low incomes.

The Victorian Government’s Energy Upgrades scheme can provide discounts on a number of upgrades designed to reduce energy use, including in-home energy display, efficient shower heads, draughtproofing and home energy assessments.

The Victorian Energy Compare website can help you find the cheapest electricity deal. Look for a 100% GreenPower plan to reduce your carbon emissions when you switch.

Use less energy and save

Whether you're a homeowner or a renter, live in a house or an apartment, are a resident or business owner, saving energy is something we all can do to respond to the climate emergency while saving on our energy bills. There are many things you can do to save energy that don't cost anything:

• Turn off appliances at the switch when you're not using them.
• Turn off lights and heaters when you're not using the room.
• Keep your thermostat set at 26 degrees or higher in summer and 18-20 degrees in winter. Every degree can add 10% to your heating costs in winter. Heating costs can make up as much as 30-40% of your energy bill
• Switch to LED light globes. You could save 80% on your lighting costs
• Wash clothes in cold water and hang them up to dry.
• Only run your washing machine and dishwasher when they're full.
• Set your fridge at 4-5 degrees, and your freezer at minus 15 to minus 18 degrees.
• If you have a second fridge or freezer, switch it off when you don’t need it.
• Use fans instead of air conditioning when practical.
• Use curtains or blinds to keep the indoor temperature comfortable. In the summer use external blinds or shading, like a potted tree, to keep the sun from entering through windows.
• Close doors to avoid heating and cooling rooms that are not in use.
• Seal up any gaps around doors and windows, to keep the indoor temperature comfortable. Up to 25% of winter heat loss is due to draughts.
• Only boil the kettle with as much water as you need.
• Use a smaller appliance where possible. For example the microwave uses less energy than the oven.

Improve your home's energy efficiency

To save even more, consider improving your home's energy efficiency:

• Insulate your ceiling. Ceiling insulation can save you up to 20% on heating and cooling costs. Starting in early 2026, discounts on ceiling insulation will be available to eligible households through the Victorian Energy Upgrades program.
• For even better thermal comfort, insulate your walls and floors as well. Fully insulating your home can reduce your heating and cooling costs by 50%.
• Windows can be a source of significant heat loss during winter. If you are replacing your windows, consider double glazing. There are also less expensive glazing films available that can be installed and removed easily and can be as effective in reducing winter heat loss as double glazing.
• Improve your window treatments. Close-fitting curtains or blinds, especially honeycomb blinds, combined with pelmets covering the top of the window, can help reduce winter heat loss.
• External awnings or blinds significantly reduce heat gain during summer.

You can find more information on saving energy from Sustainability Victoria.

Visit Green it Yourself for tutorials and information on simple DIY ways to improve energy efficiency and save energy around your home.