Cold snap leaves Aussies in hot water this winter

19 June 2018, Sydney, Australia – Australians’ bad heating habits could cause damage to not only their hip pocket this winter, new research by finder.com.au, the site that compares virtually everything reveals.

The survey of 2,033 respondents finds that one in four Aussies (28%) indulge in not only expensive but dangerous winter warming tactics, and if last weekend's cold snap is a forecast of what's in store, more and more Aussies might turn to these bad habits.

Over 1.7 million Aussies leave the heater on unsupervised - that is in a room they’re not currently using, which is not only a waste but can be a fire hazard.

The same number of Aussies admit to firing up multiple heaters at once - a habit likely to send energy bills soaring.

The third most popular and seemingly harmless heating habit Aussies are turning to is leaving their electric blanket on all night, with 1.5 million finding themselves enticed by a warm bed.

Although this can be tempting, leaving the electric blanket on overnight can lead to burns, dehydration, and even fires.

Graham Cooke, Energy Expert at finder.com.au says the cooler weather doesn’t mean Aussies need to forget about safety.

“Although we’ve been off to quite a warm start to the year, last weekend has shown that winter is definitely here, but that doesn’t mean we need to throw safety out the door.”

“Stepping into a warm house and better yet a warm bed might sound tempting but remember, electric blankets and heaters can be a fire hazard so you need to make sure you use them with caution and don’t leave them on when you’re not around.”

The survey also finds that 1.3 million Aussies leave the heater on when they’re not even at home, not only posing a greater fire hazard but also losing Aussies money in pointless heating.

“If you really can’t think of anything worse than walking into a cold house, use a timer function on your heater so that it turns on half an hours before you get home. Tech savvy users can also use an app called IFTTT and a universal remote device to automatically trigger their heating to turn on when they get a certain distance from home.”

A shocking 400,000 Aussies leave the electric blanket on when they’re not at home and although they are cheap to run than a heater, it is definitely more dangerous.

“Our research actually shows that the most effective and cheapest way to stay warm in winter is by using an electric blanket, which costs 16 times less than using a traditional electric heater. But remember, only turn it on when you’re using it.”

Over one third of Aussies (37%) just grin and bear it and don’t indulge in any indulgent habits to stay warm.

“Energy bills are expensive, so much so that keeping warm has become somewhat of a luxury for some, but there are ways to keep the cold at bay that won’t significantly damage your bank account.”

Men are more likely than women to deal with the cold temperatures, with 40% able to grin and bear in in comparison to 33% of women

Generation Z (18 to 23 year olds) are the most likely to jump in bed when faced with a cold snap, with 40% admitting to spending all day in bed on a cooler day in comparison to 19% of Gen Y, 11% of Gen X and 1% of Baby Boomers.

How to keep warm this winter

• Fill the gaps

A big reason why Aussie homes are cold is because they aren’t adequately insulated and draught proof, and often don’t have double glazing. Heat can escape through gaps around the window seal and underneath the door, no matter how small they may be. Grab yourself to gap filler and spend the weekend insulating your home, you’ll notice the difference almost immediately.

• Electric blanket

Finder.com.au research shows that the electric blanket is going to give you best bang for buck when it comes to winter heating, coming in at 16 times less expensive than your typical heater. Not only is it cheaper but the direct contact to heat can warm you up a lot quicker than relying on a heater to heat the whole room. You can even pick up an electric throw blanket from shops like Big W or Kmart so you’re not confined to your bed. But do remember to be safe and only use it for a few hours at a time.

• Add another layer

It’s probably the oldest tip in the book but many Aussies would still reach for the the full blast button on their heater before they’d reach for another layer of clothes. The more you layer up the more warm air is trapped between your clothes keeping you cosy without needing to fork out on electricity.

• Cook up a storm

Not only is a hearty winter casserole a great way to warm you up from the inside out, using your oven can double up as a heater. Once you’re finished cooking pop open the oven door to let the heat out and spread throughout the house. Not only can this do wonders if you live in a relatively small apartment, but who doesn’t love the smell of a home cooked meal?