How to electrify Your Home and Go fully Electric
8 mins
May 2026
Overview
Every home is unique - different layouts, ages, materials, and challenges. That’s why a home assessment is a great place to start if you’re starting the journey to electrifying your home. Understanding how your home works is key to making the right upgrades, in the right order.
In this episode, we walk you through how to assess your home for electrification. You’ll learn what “retrofit” really means, the role of insulation and window coverings, and the smartest order to electrify, so you can learn from someone who’s gone through it all.
We’ll also show you how to choose the most efficient electric appliances, how to safely draught proof your home after removing gas, and simple, low cost improvements - especially helpful for renters - like portable induction cooktops, weather strips, heavy curtains and heated throws.
If you’re ready to start your journey toward a fully electric, more comfortable, and more affordable home, this episode is a great place to get started.
Watch
Read
0:00
That first assessment my home was only 2.9 stars out of 10, couldn't live with that and now it's a 10-star home and it is a different house to live in.
0:13
Hello, I'm Sarah Aubrey from Electrify This.
0:16
Welcome to How to electrify your home and go fully electric.
0:20
I'll be sharing what I've learnt from my own electrification journey to help make yours simpler and easier.
0:26
Every home is different, different layouts, different ages.
0:29
This house is over 100 years old.
0:31
Different issues and different opportunities.
0:34
You'll learn how to choose the most energy efficient appliances, safely draught proof your home after removing gas, and even simple low cost tips for renters like portable induction stoves, weather strips using heavy curtains and heated throws.
0:48
So let's get started on your journey to going fully electric.
0:54
First things first, get an assessment done.
0:56
This will really, really help you.
0:58
And some councils actually offer discounts or even free assessments and they'll basically create a list of short- and long-term plans for the home.
1:06
I don't want you to feel like you have to do everything at once.
1:08
You don't.
1:09
I was a mad woman and did.
1:10
But you don't have to do that, take your time.
1:13
You can even replace things as they die.
1:15
The next thing you need to do is decide what order to do things.
1:19
I left for example doing my roof insulation till last because I didn't want people messing up my insulation.
1:24
It might be as money comes in.
1:25
So you might want to do cheap things like draught proofing first because you can do that yourself.
1:30
But you can't do that until you get rid of gas from the inside of your home.
1:33
So if you still have a gas stove or a gas heater you will need to replace them first.
1:38
Then you can go nuts with a corking gun.
1:41
Draught proofing is something that you can do yourself, So I've got two different types here.
1:45
The black flexible caulking I used on the vent.
1:47
This is also one that goes on white but dries clear, which is perfect for doing long skirting boards.
1:52
There's a giant gap here and it's full of black caulking now.
1:55
Weather strips, that's something really small and cheap you can do even if you're a renter.
2:00
I recommend putting a brush on the inside of the door and a weather strip on the outside of the door.
2:04
You just need that on your external doors and it makes a huge, huge difference.
2:09
Windows are basically a big hole in your wall, so in winter all your lovely heat is going out those windows.
2:15
You know what's amazing?
2:15
Heavy curtains with a palmette are nearly as effective as double glazing.
2:20
So you don't have to go out and spend a fortune.
2:22
You can even buy them second hand.
2:24
That's a big one and a really good hot tip.
2:26
Next thing, go and look up the term retrofit.
2:29
All of this stuff is basically making an existing home more energy efficient.
2:34
The retrofit will open up an entire world for you.
2:38
It will show you all about insulation, draught proofing, and then of course talk about replacing appliances.
2:44
And if you are going to replace some of those appliances, research and look for the most energy efficient ones.
2:50
energyrating.gov.au, that's a government website, will actually show you what an appliance will cost to run over a 10 year period.
2:57
That's really useful because sometimes the most expensive appliances are not the cheapest to run.
3:03
Few things you can do as a renter.
3:05
The only gas in the house is a gas stove.
3:07
You can decide not to use that and be paying that fee every day.
3:10
You can just get portable induction stoves.
3:12
A lot of people put a nice thick chopping board on top and then put their stove on top and it just plugs into a regular powerpoint.
3:18
You can do draught proofing yourself in a rental.
3:20
You can put a weather strip in in a rental.
3:22
That's not going to cause no harm no foul, but it will make a big difference to your property.
3:27
And a cheap way of staying warm if you are a renter is just use the heated throw.
3:31
I use one, it's absolutely fantastic.
3:33
It only uses about 80 watts and now you're just heating the person, not the room.
3:38
Once you've replaced all your gas appliances, you're going to want to get rid of gas.
3:41
You can abolish it and some good news if you live in New South Wales.
3:45
Previously you would have been slugged over $1300 to abolish gas from your home, but as of the 1st of July 2026, that fee is going to be reduced to only $250.
3:56
We are catching up with Victoria, which is fantastic news.
3:59
After doing the right thing, you're not going to be slugged with a horrible fee at the end of it.
4:03
And do always remember, check in your state if there are any grants or subsidies because they do exist in every single state.
4:10
There's lots and lots of help that you can get replacing some of those energy hungry goods in your home.
4:16
Lastly, you might be thinking hang on, all of this is going to cost a lot of money, but did you know energy efficient homes attract a much higher sales price?
4:24
Nationally, energy efficient houses sell for 14.5% more, which is approximately $118,000 more money and units 12% more, which is $75,000 more.
4:37
So it's definitely, definitely worth doing things to your home.
4:40
You get the benefits right now with lower bills, but it means in the future if you sell your property, you're going to make a lot more money.
4:46
And it is the number one search term that people look for when they're buying a home.
4:50
And I know all of this can sound quite confusing and overwhelming, but you know what?
4:54
I reckon the best way to do it is to show you what I did.
4:57
I think it's time for a montage.
4:59
First thing I decided to replace was the range hood.
5:02
It was from 1997, inducted to the top of the cupboard, which helped absolutely no one.
5:05
Then induction stove.
5:07
Next we replaced our very inefficient ducted air.
5:10
It was 15 years old, didn't work properly, and yes, it did look like a giant lunar landscape on the front yard.
5:15
We got rid of it. We also had to patch up these vents.
5:19
We put in these individual wall splits in each room, under floor insulation made a massive difference to our home and you can still see all your joists and bearers for a test inspection.
5:30
Next was solar.
5:31
That was very easy.
5:33
One of my favourite things I installed is just the simplest, a ceiling fan in the bedroom.
5:37
So great, so efficient.
5:39
Next we looked at our window coverings because it's a big hole in your thermal envelope.
5:43
This didn't even have a blind on it.
5:44
Next we blocked up our fireplaces.
5:46
This is just furniture foam.
5:48
Cut it to size, trap it up there, good to go.
5:50
Last gas appliance to get rid of was the hot water and installed a fabulous and very efficient hot water heat pump.
5:56
I also installed a 24-kWh battery and bumped that up to 48 kilowatt hours with a cheaper home battery subsidy.
6:03
EV charger.
6:05
This is my electricity board.
6:06
We actually need to replace this.
6:08
Check out how bad it was before.
6:09
That was an unexpected expense.
6:11
Roof insulation.
6:13
Check it out.
6:13
There's a little goat path that we put in so tradies can do any electrical work.
6:18
If you have a skylight, you can see our skylight there.
6:21
Make sure it's insulated because otherwise it's a big cold chimney in your home.
6:26
So that's how I electrified my house.
6:28
But of course every home is different.
6:30
When I got my home first assessed, it was 2.9 stars out of 10.
6:34
That's pretty bad.
6:34
The average Australian home is only three stars out of 10.
6:37
But after everything I did, after only a few months, I got it reassessed because I couldn't live with that.
6:41
And it's now a 10-star home and it's a completely different house to live in.
6:45
It's so comfortable in winter, it's no longer freezing.
6:49
You love it, don't you Bindi?
6:50
And when we got rid of gas from the inside of the house, the air quality improved immediately.
6:55
So I recommended to absolutely everyone, if you can afford to get off gas, electrify your home, make it more energy efficient, you won't regret it, will you Bindi?
7:05
Here are three key takeaways to remember as your journey begins to a fully electric energy efficient home.
7:11
Number one, I really recommend getting a home assessment done.
7:15
I used it as my bible and my checklist.
7:18
It's really, really helpful number 2 If you're going to draught proof your home, remember you have to remove gas from the inside of your house first.
7:25
And number 3 don't feel like you have to do everything all at once.
7:29
Do it as finances allow.
7:31
But if you are replacing appliances in your home, remember they have to go hand in hand with insulation.
7:36
They both work together.
7:38
It's essential to do both.
7:39
So whether you own or rent, electrifying your home is possible.
7:43
Step by step, appliance by appliance, upgrade by upgrade.
7:47
And the best part?
7:48
Every improvement you make adds comfort, reduces bills, and moves you one step closer to a cleaner, fully electric home.
7:57
See you next time.
8:00
Don't forget to check out our other videos in this How to Electrify series to help you on your journey.
8:05
If you'd like more information or handy resources on electrification, visit goodenergy.ausgrid.com.au
That first assessment my home was only 2.9 stars out of 10, couldn't live with that and now it's a 10-star home and it is a different house to live in.
0:13
Hello, I'm Sarah Aubrey from Electrify This.
0:16
Welcome to How to electrify your home and go fully electric.
0:20
I'll be sharing what I've learnt from my own electrification journey to help make yours simpler and easier.
0:26
Every home is different, different layouts, different ages.
0:29
This house is over 100 years old.
0:31
Different issues and different opportunities.
0:34
You'll learn how to choose the most energy efficient appliances, safely draught proof your home after removing gas, and even simple low cost tips for renters like portable induction stoves, weather strips using heavy curtains and heated throws.
0:48
So let's get started on your journey to going fully electric.
0:54
First things first, get an assessment done.
0:56
This will really, really help you.
0:58
And some councils actually offer discounts or even free assessments and they'll basically create a list of short- and long-term plans for the home.
1:06
I don't want you to feel like you have to do everything at once.
1:08
You don't.
1:09
I was a mad woman and did.
1:10
But you don't have to do that, take your time.
1:13
You can even replace things as they die.
1:15
The next thing you need to do is decide what order to do things.
1:19
I left for example doing my roof insulation till last because I didn't want people messing up my insulation.
1:24
It might be as money comes in.
1:25
So you might want to do cheap things like draught proofing first because you can do that yourself.
1:30
But you can't do that until you get rid of gas from the inside of your home.
1:33
So if you still have a gas stove or a gas heater you will need to replace them first.
1:38
Then you can go nuts with a corking gun.
1:41
Draught proofing is something that you can do yourself, So I've got two different types here.
1:45
The black flexible caulking I used on the vent.
1:47
This is also one that goes on white but dries clear, which is perfect for doing long skirting boards.
1:52
There's a giant gap here and it's full of black caulking now.
1:55
Weather strips, that's something really small and cheap you can do even if you're a renter.
2:00
I recommend putting a brush on the inside of the door and a weather strip on the outside of the door.
2:04
You just need that on your external doors and it makes a huge, huge difference.
2:09
Windows are basically a big hole in your wall, so in winter all your lovely heat is going out those windows.
2:15
You know what's amazing?
2:15
Heavy curtains with a palmette are nearly as effective as double glazing.
2:20
So you don't have to go out and spend a fortune.
2:22
You can even buy them second hand.
2:24
That's a big one and a really good hot tip.
2:26
Next thing, go and look up the term retrofit.
2:29
All of this stuff is basically making an existing home more energy efficient.
2:34
The retrofit will open up an entire world for you.
2:38
It will show you all about insulation, draught proofing, and then of course talk about replacing appliances.
2:44
And if you are going to replace some of those appliances, research and look for the most energy efficient ones.
2:50
energyrating.gov.au, that's a government website, will actually show you what an appliance will cost to run over a 10 year period.
2:57
That's really useful because sometimes the most expensive appliances are not the cheapest to run.
3:03
Few things you can do as a renter.
3:05
The only gas in the house is a gas stove.
3:07
You can decide not to use that and be paying that fee every day.
3:10
You can just get portable induction stoves.
3:12
A lot of people put a nice thick chopping board on top and then put their stove on top and it just plugs into a regular powerpoint.
3:18
You can do draught proofing yourself in a rental.
3:20
You can put a weather strip in in a rental.
3:22
That's not going to cause no harm no foul, but it will make a big difference to your property.
3:27
And a cheap way of staying warm if you are a renter is just use the heated throw.
3:31
I use one, it's absolutely fantastic.
3:33
It only uses about 80 watts and now you're just heating the person, not the room.
3:38
Once you've replaced all your gas appliances, you're going to want to get rid of gas.
3:41
You can abolish it and some good news if you live in New South Wales.
3:45
Previously you would have been slugged over $1300 to abolish gas from your home, but as of the 1st of July 2026, that fee is going to be reduced to only $250.
3:56
We are catching up with Victoria, which is fantastic news.
3:59
After doing the right thing, you're not going to be slugged with a horrible fee at the end of it.
4:03
And do always remember, check in your state if there are any grants or subsidies because they do exist in every single state.
4:10
There's lots and lots of help that you can get replacing some of those energy hungry goods in your home.
4:16
Lastly, you might be thinking hang on, all of this is going to cost a lot of money, but did you know energy efficient homes attract a much higher sales price?
4:24
Nationally, energy efficient houses sell for 14.5% more, which is approximately $118,000 more money and units 12% more, which is $75,000 more.
4:37
So it's definitely, definitely worth doing things to your home.
4:40
You get the benefits right now with lower bills, but it means in the future if you sell your property, you're going to make a lot more money.
4:46
And it is the number one search term that people look for when they're buying a home.
4:50
And I know all of this can sound quite confusing and overwhelming, but you know what?
4:54
I reckon the best way to do it is to show you what I did.
4:57
I think it's time for a montage.
4:59
First thing I decided to replace was the range hood.
5:02
It was from 1997, inducted to the top of the cupboard, which helped absolutely no one.
5:05
Then induction stove.
5:07
Next we replaced our very inefficient ducted air.
5:10
It was 15 years old, didn't work properly, and yes, it did look like a giant lunar landscape on the front yard.
5:15
We got rid of it. We also had to patch up these vents.
5:19
We put in these individual wall splits in each room, under floor insulation made a massive difference to our home and you can still see all your joists and bearers for a test inspection.
5:30
Next was solar.
5:31
That was very easy.
5:33
One of my favourite things I installed is just the simplest, a ceiling fan in the bedroom.
5:37
So great, so efficient.
5:39
Next we looked at our window coverings because it's a big hole in your thermal envelope.
5:43
This didn't even have a blind on it.
5:44
Next we blocked up our fireplaces.
5:46
This is just furniture foam.
5:48
Cut it to size, trap it up there, good to go.
5:50
Last gas appliance to get rid of was the hot water and installed a fabulous and very efficient hot water heat pump.
5:56
I also installed a 24-kWh battery and bumped that up to 48 kilowatt hours with a cheaper home battery subsidy.
6:03
EV charger.
6:05
This is my electricity board.
6:06
We actually need to replace this.
6:08
Check out how bad it was before.
6:09
That was an unexpected expense.
6:11
Roof insulation.
6:13
Check it out.
6:13
There's a little goat path that we put in so tradies can do any electrical work.
6:18
If you have a skylight, you can see our skylight there.
6:21
Make sure it's insulated because otherwise it's a big cold chimney in your home.
6:26
So that's how I electrified my house.
6:28
But of course every home is different.
6:30
When I got my home first assessed, it was 2.9 stars out of 10.
6:34
That's pretty bad.
6:34
The average Australian home is only three stars out of 10.
6:37
But after everything I did, after only a few months, I got it reassessed because I couldn't live with that.
6:41
And it's now a 10-star home and it's a completely different house to live in.
6:45
It's so comfortable in winter, it's no longer freezing.
6:49
You love it, don't you Bindi?
6:50
And when we got rid of gas from the inside of the house, the air quality improved immediately.
6:55
So I recommended to absolutely everyone, if you can afford to get off gas, electrify your home, make it more energy efficient, you won't regret it, will you Bindi?
7:05
Here are three key takeaways to remember as your journey begins to a fully electric energy efficient home.
7:11
Number one, I really recommend getting a home assessment done.
7:15
I used it as my bible and my checklist.
7:18
It's really, really helpful number 2 If you're going to draught proof your home, remember you have to remove gas from the inside of your house first.
7:25
And number 3 don't feel like you have to do everything all at once.
7:29
Do it as finances allow.
7:31
But if you are replacing appliances in your home, remember they have to go hand in hand with insulation.
7:36
They both work together.
7:38
It's essential to do both.
7:39
So whether you own or rent, electrifying your home is possible.
7:43
Step by step, appliance by appliance, upgrade by upgrade.
7:47
And the best part?
7:48
Every improvement you make adds comfort, reduces bills, and moves you one step closer to a cleaner, fully electric home.
7:57
See you next time.
8:00
Don't forget to check out our other videos in this How to Electrify series to help you on your journey.
8:05
If you'd like more information or handy resources on electrification, visit goodenergy.ausgrid.com.au