As Brisbane’s beautiful, balmy summer mornings start to fade, you might find yourself pulling out more of your winter woolies, stocking up on fuzzy socks, and dragging out the old electric blanket.

And if the season six premiere of Game of Thrones has not already made you shiver like a mouse in a lion cage, Brisbane’s first cold snap definitely will! With temperatures predicted to drop as low as 8°C this winter, chances are you’re already thinking about how you will heat your home. Here are our top tips for preparing yourself for the cold:

1. Invest in a good reverse cycle air conditioning system

If you don’t already have an efficient air conditioning system, now is the time to get one! Reverse cycle air conditioners can both cool and warm your home. And with the simple flick of a button you can easily switch between the two settings.

2. Get your ducts in a row

With air conditioning ducts often hidden out of plain sight it can be common for many home owners to simply forget they are there. But your ducts play a big role in heating your home, so it’s important to regularly check them for damage and to make sure they are working efficiently. Tightly sealed and insulated air conditioning ducts can reduce your energy bills and save you a lot of money.

3. Seal your windows

There is nothing worse than listening to the wind howl through your house all night. Unless of course it’s winter and the air is freezing! There are many ways to insulate your windows including rubber sealing strips that you peel off and stick over the gaps in your window frame, layered curtains, fabric ‘draft snakes’ or air stoppers, and heavy blinds or cellular shades.

4. Heating system maintenance

Whether you have a fireplace, an air conditioning system, or a plug-in portable heater, it’s important to regularly perform a routine maintenance check of your heating systems. Before things get ugly, and you’re curled up in a ball wishing you had sorted things out sooner, you should give your repair man a call and make sure that everything is working as it should.

5. Check your water heater

No one likes cold showers, especially when it’s 6 am, freezing cold, and you only have 20 minutes to get ready for work. If your water heater is getting old and it takes forever for your water to heat up, now is the time to consider upgrading your system.

Are you looking to install an efficient air conditioning system that is optimised for winter? Enquire online now, or call us on 07 3342 4316 to find out how Star can help you!