Bonny’s home electrification journey
Bonny has taken her electrification journey one step at a time. She started by upgrading the energy efficiency of her home, then upgraded old gas appliances to electric one at a time. Now her home is more comfortable for her family, and she has made savings on her energy bills.
Bonny’s home electrification journey didn’t happen overnight, but each step of the way has made a noticeable difference to the comfort of her home.
Taking it one step at a time has allowed Bonny and her family to replace old appliances at a time that suits them.
Now, the whole family are enjoying the all-electric lifestyle, even it if means the kids spend too long in the shower!
The challenge
“When my husband and I bought our house 10 years ago, it was already 40 years old. We knew that most of the old gas appliances were close to end of life and would need to be upgraded soon,” Bonny says.
“A few years ago, there was a particular winter where our energy bill quadrupled after turning on our old gas heater for a week. It was such a bill shock that we decided to turn it off and survive the winter with jumpers and blankets.
“Another big reality check for us was the 2019 bushfires. We woke up one morning and the house was full of smoke that had leaked in through gaps in the windows and doors.
The action
“Before doing any upgrades, we got a free home energy assessment through the Sustainable Home Advice Program.
“Because our home energy rating was zero stars, their advice was to start by improving the energy efficiency of the house, rather than upgrade any appliances.
“We draught proofed the whole house, added insulation to the roof and walls, and upgraded all of the windows to double glazing.
“New electric appliances are not cheap, so we decided to upgrade each appliance when the time was right, rather than all at once.
The benefit
“Upgrading the energy efficiency of the house saved us money on our energy bill without having to replace any appliances.
“We now have a 4-star energy rating, and it has made a noticeable difference to the comfort of the house. I can be in a t-shirt in winter and not have to put the heating on at all.
“We also noticed a big difference in our bill once we upgraded our cooktop to induction and abolished our gas connection entirely. The induction is much more efficient, boils water faster and uses less energy for the same amount of heat.
“The only issue we’ve had is with our new hot water, I now can’t get the kids out of the shower!
“One of our final steps will be to install reverse cycle ducted heating and cooling. We are using the Sustainable Household Scheme to help us manage the upfront cost of this new system.”
What's next?
You choose.
Acknowledgement of Country
We acknowledge the Ngunnawal people as traditional custodians of the ACT and recognise any other people or families with connection to the lands of the ACT and region. We acknowledge and respect their continuing culture and the contribution they make to the life of this city and this region.