There's no point denying it any further - we're now definitely in Autumn and heading towards a cold Winter with dustings of snow already hitting the ground recently.
Heating homes accounts for over 70% of some household energy consumption. So reducing this figure, while keeping homes warm, not only cuts energy bills, but helps reduce carbon emissions. This Issue a few timely tips to keep your toes and fingers warm and the power bills cooled down.It's also worth looking at what your local state government may offer in rebates to meet energy costs. In NSW residents may qualify for a number of rebates and discounts. There's information for pensioners, families to help you and other offers to help improve the energy efficiency of your home. To find out more, visit: energysaver.nsw.gov.au/households/rebates-and-discounts
1. Use your curtains or blinds
Heat from the sun is free so let's not waste it. Open your curtains to let the sunlight in during the day and take that chill edge off the air within. When it gets dark, shut your curtains or blinds, which act as another layer of insulation and keep warmth in your rooms. You should also make sure you don’t have any leaks or gaps so that the warm air can stay in and the cold air stays out – this also helps to reduce condensation.
2. Use timers on your central heating
Turning the heating on a little earlier, such as half an hour before you get up in the morning, but at a lower temperature is cheaper than turning it on just as you need it at a higher temperature. This is because these heat up at a constant speed whether you set your thermostat to 20°C or 25°C. When the room is warm turn it off. Unless it's bitterly cold your heated rooms will maintain this heat level for a few hours. There's no point to leaving your heating on low all day as then you’re just paying for heat when you don’t need it.
3. Turn down the dial
While on central or radiant heating, you probably don't need it up as high as you think. The World Health Organisation previously recommended a minimum temperature of 21°C in the living room, but Public Health England, where they definitely get a decent fall of snow each Winter, has revised this to 18°C in 2014. Research shows that turning your thermostat down by 1°C could cut your heating bill by up to 10%. So keep the dial at 18°C, save money and avoid the negative impacts of a cold home. It may feel a bit like an English Summer to begin with ..... but it's certainly just as comfortable as being outdoors in our own early Spring.
4. Maximise your insulation
When it comes to heat, around 25% is lost through the roof. This can be easily reduced by installing 25cm of insulation throughout your ceilings. It’s also worth seeing what’s going on in your walls, as around a third of the heat in an uninsulated home is lost this way. Cavity wall insulation could save up to $300 or more a year in heating bills. If you plan to install insulation yourself, be sure you can do it safely. If you are unsure about any aspect of the job, contact a professional. Insulation, and installation also needs to adhere to Building Codes of Australia regulations and relevant Australian standards.
When choosing insulation, the most important factor is the R-value, which measures a material’s capacity to resist heat flow. The greater the value, the better the insulation and the lower your power bill.
Bulk insulation is suited to colder climates – like a quilt it traps air in still layers. It can be made of materials such as fibreglass, polyester and natural wool and comes in batts, blankets or loose fill. If you are keen to go green, ask a professional installer or manufacturer about using recycled materials.
Reflective insulation is usually aluminium foil laminated onto paper or plastic. Spray polyurethane foam (SPF) has grown in popularity in recent years. The insulation is made on site by mixing and spraying chemicals that react and form a foam, which is used to fill cracks and gaps.
Good insulation in a home will also reduce heat when it counts - Summer, and that, in turn, will cut down the need for fans, air-conditioning and the associated energy costs.
5. Move your couch
It might feel great to have your favourite seat in front of the heater, but it’s absorbing heat that could be warming your home. By moving it away from the radiant heat source, hot air can circulate freely. The same goes for your curtains or drying clothes – keep them away from the radiator so that you can get the most out of your heat source. Better yet, have a look at the great range of heaters you can now buy which come with in built circulating air systems - these will send the heat out into the room and heat the space a lot quicker and a lot more gently than those which 'bake' your skin. These heaters can also, once they've taken that icy chill off the room, be simply turned off again.
6. Wrap up warm
Although it's nice to get around in bare feet or thongs and stick to t-shirts so you can flap your arms around all year long this can get to the point of being ridiculous when it's icy and put your health in danger. I know its a bit old-fashioned but those who wear singlets rarely get sniffles, or cold, and if your toes are turning bright red then blue, put some socks on!
Investing in a decent pair of slippers, putting on a long sleeved t-shirt or real wool jumper will reduce your need to turn the home into a Summer-like temperature or turn up the heat. Autumn and Winter air can actually be a bit of a tonic, especially when it's blowing straight out of Antarctica, exhilarating, clean, bracing. Keep those indoors shoes off, shirts off yoga moments but once you're done, rug up, just as you would after any sports when you start to cool down.
7. Block out the draughts
Yes; spend $5 and get yourself some draught stoppers for those doors. Even a simple solution such as a making your own sausage dog draught stopper will help keep the warmth in your home. It is estimated that DIY draught-proofing your doors, windows and cracks in the floor could save $150 per year. You can do this yourself for very little cost. Self-adhesive rubber seals around doors and windows and door draught stoppers are relatively cheap and easy to install. So it’s worth getting those doors and windows sealed before Winter properly kicks in.
8. Install thermostatic radiator valves
Research at the University of Salford has shown that installing heating controls and thermostatic radiator valves results in energy savings of 40% compared to a house with no controls. These work by allowing you to programme your heating to come on at predefined times – so you only use energy when you need it. New smart technology can also be controlled remotely via your mobile so you can turn on your heating on the way home, ensuring it’s nice and toasty when you arrive.
9. Upgrade your heater or HWS
As mentioned above, if your heater or central heating is more than 10 years old, it may be time to replace it with a new, more efficient model. Depending on your preferred type and house, you could save up to $750 with a new A-rated energy saving version. These use less energy to produce the same amount of heat. Plus, if it’s new, you’re less likely to have any issues going into the Winter season. If you already have a great model, it's time to have it serviced before something goes 'bang!' one cold and frosty night. If you're pulling the radiant portable gas or electric heater out of the cupboard now, it's time to give it a clean and get rid of any dust that may have built up so you're not breathing this in, or starting the kind of fire you don't want, with its first use, or inhibiting its ability to work well - again saving you money.
Likewise with your hot water service - if it's getting on in years it may be costing you money. Upgrading to an insulated model will bring down the power bills dramatically as you won;t be paying to keep wayter incessantly hot. There's also a great range of instant heat models available today.
10. Buy some covers for your skylights
This may not apply to everyone but as more and more of us are installing skylights to brighten corners of our homes instead of running up electric and carbon bills with all-day and half the night electric lighting, if you don't have a screen you can pull across to keep the heat in at night, it may be worth looking into doing this now. As you have installed insulation in your roof to keep the heat in in Winter or the heat out in Summer, installing a skylight blind would make sense too. There's motorised and manual versions available and these will, in turn, save your heat and save your dollars.
Johnson Brothers Mitre 10 Stocks All You Need To Warm Up Your Home And Keep The Energy Bill Down:
Goldair Glass Panel Heater WiFi Enabled 2000W: $129.00
2000W. Adjustable thermostat. LCD display. Timer. Free standing floor heater. Black.
Nobo Slimline Panel Heater with Thermostat White 1.25KW: $399.00
Supplied with castors and wall mounting bracket. Child lock safety. Adaptive start feature. Suitable for room size of 12.5m2.
Romak Sausage Draught Stopper: $5.30
Rinnai Continuous Hot Water System Preset 50C LP B26: $795 WAS $1,050
274D x 474W x 689Hmm. 20.5kg. LP Gas. Preset to 50c. 6 Star Instantaneous Rating. 26 Litres per minute of endless hot water. Quick and easy installation. 10 Year Warranty on Heat Exchanger. Ideal for two and three bathroom homes. Optional bathroom and kitchen controllers available. *NB: Online exclusive
In article; Pink Batts R4.1 Insulation Ceiling Batts 1160 x 430mm Pack 10: $38.00 - Coverage: 5.6m2.
We want to thank all of you for supporting and trusting us through this 2020, without you we could not be receiving these two important awards.
Thank you for being our customer and thanks to all our great staff for making this possible especially though this full of surprises year.
Johnson Brothers Mitre 10 Update: Shop Online Options
Intending to keep our customers and staff safe, we present some additional ways for both our retail and trade customers to do business with us.
Trade and Retail Pick Up
Express Pick up Mona Vale
- Call Johnson Bros Mitre 10 Mona Vale, and we will pick & pack your order and have it ready for you to pick up in 2 hours. (Stocked Lines Only)
- Drive into our undercover Trade Drive-Thru area at 73 Bassett St Mona Vale, and your order will be ready for pick-up.
- Our team members will help you with your load and finalise payment/paperwork
Express Pick up Avalon
- Call Johnson Bros Mitre 10 Avalon, and we will pick & pack your order and have it ready for you to pick up in 2 hours. (Stocked Lines Only)
- Drive into our back lane off Bellevue Avenue, and your order will be ready for pick-up.
- Our team members will help you with your load and finalise payment/paperwork
Online Retail Stores Go Live
We’ve launched two eCommerce sites offering 2hr pick up in-store and flat rate delivery options on the northern beaches*.
Jbhmv.com.au (Mona Vale)
Jbhav.com.au (Avalon)
With the ability to leave the product on your doorstep, this provides an option of an entirely contactless transaction.
*Flat rate delivery is not available to trade sales, building supplies and trade quantities
** The stock availability is updated nightly, which may mean the stock is unavailable when the order is placed
Trade Delivery to Site
Maybe not new, but certainly worth a mention again!
We can get almost anything delivered quickly onto site!
As always ring the trade desk direct on 9999 0333 and let them know what you need!
Final Thought
Like everyone, we have found ourselves in a new and uncertain environment, but we’re setting up (and digging in) for the long haul!
We want to acknowledge that the decision to retain over 120 staff and meet any future challenges head-on, could not have happened without the continued support you provide us as customers.
Thank you and stay safe,
The Johnson Family
Click on logo to visit Johnson Brothers Mitre 10 website
Johnson Bros Mitre 10 - Avalon (02) 9918 3315
Johnson Bros Mitre 10 - Mona Vale (02) 9999 3340
JBH Timber & Building Supplies (02) 9999 0333
JBH Fencing & Landscape Supplies (02) 9970 6333
www.johnsonbros.com.au Online store: jbhmv.com.au
Previous DIY Pages:
Decking Timbers Caring For Your Deck Decking Finishes Privacy Screens I Privacy Screens II Privacy Screening Hardwoods Autumn Paths and Lawns Insulation Batts Plasterboard Ventilation - Edmond's Ecofan Blackboards for Children and Home Spring Lawn Care Shade Sails & Watering Basic DIY Tools DIY Tools - Power Drills Recycle Your Trampoline into An Air Bed How to Build Your Own Backyard Cricket Pitch Christmas Lights Displays around House and Garden Summer Mildew - Refresh, Renew How to Fix Things That Drip and Bump in the Night Time To Plant Winter Vegetables in a Raised Garden Beds Layout Organsing Your Tool Shed Make Your Own Weathervane Installing A Garden Watering System Decking Oils How To Make Garden Compost How To Winter proof Your Lawn How to create Shabby Chic effect on Timber Furniture How to Build Your Own Raised Garden Bed Growing Your Own Winter Vegies Winter Heating Guide Prepare Your Yard For Winter Eradicating Noxious Weeds From Your Yard How to Fix Furniture Finishes Part I How to Repair Scratches, Dings, and Dents of Furniture Surfaces - Part II Winter Draughts Fix Classic Wooden Tool Carrier Spring Garden Checklist Part I Install Your Own Skylight Retaining Walls for Saving Soil and New Spring Garden Beds Summer Salad Garden Native Plant Garden for A Fairy Arbour Renewing Short Flight of Exterior Stairs Deck Maintenance DIY Summer Tasks You Can Do In Time to Get to the Beach Garden Ponds for Attracting Birdlife, Dragonflies and for the Soothing Sounds of Water Salt Air: Maintenance and Protection Creating an Outdoor Dining Arbour, Gazebo or Patio - Part I Creating an Outdor Dining Arbour, Gazebo or Patio Part II Autumn Garden Tasks Autumn DIY Jobs: Waterproof Your Home Checklist Dealing With Dampness Inside the Home Fixing Your Fence Repairing and Replacing Damaged Decking boards DIY Toy Box and Snow Globes: School Holidays Fun - Winter 2015 DIY Wooden Toy Cars and Perfect Painted Flowerpots: School Holiday Fun - Winter 2015 Shoring Up an Under House Earth Bank – Installing a Basic Retaining Wall DIY One Shelf Sideboard Early Spring 2015 Garden Care Salad Garden For Children Keeping Your Garden and Home Cool in Hot Weather Classic Beach Garden and Camping Chairs 3 Portable Versions Anyone Can Make DIY Outdoor Furniture Mark I: Park Benches for Your Garden Make Your Own Scooter or Skateboard: Summer 2016 Fun How to Install a Solid Core Door and Door Furniture Summer Garden Jobs: Pruning A Hedge How to Make A Swing Chair - With A Frame for Garden Setting Garden Jobs for March to Make A Beautiful and Healthy Spring Keeping Outdoor Nooks Warm During Cooler Months Children’s Step Stool with Storage Stop Winter Rain Lawn Loss and Soil Erosion on Slopes DIY Garden Shed: Part 1 of 4 - Base DIY Garden Shed: Part 2 - Framing Walls DIY Garden Shed: Part 2b - Gable Roof Framing Garden Shed Part 3: Roof Installation DIY Garden Shed: Weather- boards - Door And Window Installation And Paint Finish DIY Coffee Table With Chessboard Inlay Spring Gardening: Feeding Your Soil And Plants - What Works For Each Plant DIY Sandstone Flagging Parking Area - Platform DIY Pre-Summer Checklist For A Safe Home Summer Spruce Up: Interior Paint Tips and Three easy steps to rejuvenate your timber deck The Perfect BBQ Garden Setting DIY Water Wise Garden DIY Side Gates DIY Storm Preparation And Home Protection One To Two Day DIY Weekend Spruce Ups Vegepods For Autumn Planting + Easy To Make Lego Table Or Student Desk That Can Be Dismantled + Johnson Brothers Mitre 10 Online Store Johnson Brothers Mitre 10 Great New Mona Vale Store: Still In Bassett Street - number 73 Johnson Brothers Mitre 10 New Mona Vale Store: The Greenlife Garden Centre Go Outside And Play: Creating Garden Spaces To Connect Children With Nature DIY Plasterboard Repair DIY Dolls House Or Garage Or Boatshed DIY Child's Waggon - or use as a large planter mover DIY Bathroom Refresh: Zing For Spring Tips for Growing a Native Garden FireCrunch, Australian Developed Fire-proof, Sustainable, Durable and Reliable Building Board Now Available at Johnson Bros. at Mona Vale and Narrabeen School Holidays DIY Ideas for Children: Little Vegetables Garden, Swing, Windchimes Bushfire Season Preparation 2017: Home and Outdoor Areas Johnson Brothers Mitre 10 Trade Centre at Mona Vale + Issue No 1 of Mitre 10’s inSITE Magazine for Tradies and Handymen Preparing Al Fresco Areas for Christmas Get-Togethers and Summer Visitors Summer De-bug; Mosquitoes, flies, cockroaches and ants - how to keep the outdoors insects where they belong DIY Summer Projects: Install A Fountain Or Water Feature Late Summer and Early Autumn Projects: A Shed For All Storage Solutions + Garden Tasks + Keeping Our Waterways Clean Autumn Plantings for Winter Harvests 2018 Paintback Collection Event: Johnson Bros Mitre 10 Mona Vale Saturday, April 7 Reducing Ticks in Your Garden: Garden care, Plants that Repel, What to Wear Outdoors Attracting Insectivore Birds to Your Garden: DIY Natural Tick Control Mother's Day 2018: DIY Rose Garden Winter Mould & Mildew Inside Your home: How to Keep Air and Surfaces Healthier DIY Traditional Rocking Horse Johnson Brothers Trade Day 2018 DIY Mushrooms and Vege Kits: School Holidays Fun Winter 2018 for Curious Kids Woodworking Projects for Beginners: School Holidays Fun Winter 2018 - Simple Storage Box + Wood Tool Box Spring Garden Prep: Soil Care Spring into Spring + JBH August 2018 Trifecta DIY Backyard Doggie Paradise Garden Care for Heavy Rain Days + Non-Toxic Snail and Slug Debug Ideas Garden Design and Plant Management to Minimise Tick Attacks and Infestations - insights from an essay by Bill Conroy BSc. (Agr) (Syd) + a Tribute to Wilfred Lawrence Conroy CBE by Keith Jackson, PNG and others Make Your Own BBQ Kitchen Garden: Gifts That Grow Past That Giving Day Christmas Lights 2018: Light Up the Night How to Keep Your House Cool During a Heatwave Without Using an Air-Conditioner Mid-Summer Garden Care 2018 Winners Of National Hardware Store Of The Year - Johnson Bros Mitre 10 Mona Vale! + End Of Summer Garden To Do List DIY Fruits of Your Garden: Growing Figs Fruits Of Your Garden: Growing Passionfruit - Autumn Is Also The Time To Plant Strawberries For Spring How To Water Your Plants When Away On Holidays + Some April 2019 School Holidays Fun For Outdoors; A Skateboard Swing Or Indoors; Grow Or Make Pot Plant People Dealing With Autumn Dampness Inside The Home + Mums Day Gifts For 2019 Winter Heating Guide + Get Ready For Winter Specials Keeping Your Garden Dewful During Times Of Water Restrictions and Drought Installing Leaf Stopper Gutter Guard + Trade Day 2019 JBH Mitre 10 Trade Day Guests 2019 An Artfull Garden - for Winter School Holidays 2019 DIY Deck Refurbishment: Turning Wood Into Open Tiled Spaces - Groundworks Father's Day Wish List 2019 + How to Re-stain your Deck timbers and posts for Summer Installing Posts For Decks and Verandahs With Heavier Loads + Installing Membranes For Tiled Decks National Garden Week's 2019 Focus Is On Children(Oct 13-19): Spring School Holiday 2019 Garden Ideas (to get started on) Replacing Balustrades Handrails DIY Tiling Your Verandah: and Choosing Your Simple Or Complex Tile Pattern Reduce Bushfire Risk To Older Homes + Preparing Your Yard For Bushfires Time to Put Up those Christmas Lights and Deck your Gum Trees with rows of Jolly! NSW RFS Bushfire Survival Plan 2020 + Reduce Bushfire Risk To Homes + Johnson Brothers Mitre 10 Great Water Saving Ideas during Level 2 water restrictions + some 'Don't Sweat Summer' Specials The Inaugural Sydney Edible Garden Trail - Learn how to help your garden survive the heat, drought, and water restrictions DIY Flyscreens DIY Privacy Screen In 2 Hours Family Hardware Store Wins Best In Australia Autumn DIY Jobs: Exterior Jobs to Keep Everything Dry and Cosy Inside the Home Autumn Vegepod Garden: Plant Now to Stay Healthy: JBH Response to COVID-19 Restrictions - We're Adapting! Autumn Holidays Projects: Let's Go Fly A Kite + Some handy Painting Tips for Interiors and Sprucing up that Outside Deck - Easter Hours 2020 Pittwater's Noxious Weeds: A Great Time To Get Outdoors and Pull Them Out and Replace With Native Plants Blooming Lovely: Late Autumn Planting For Gardens Full Of Colour, Cheer + Great Food For The Table Dealing With Dampness Inside The Home - June 2020 DIY A Job For Life: Apprentice Carpenter + Commencement Tool List Winter School Holidays 2020: Easy To Do Garden Mosaic Pavers Little Hands Can Create + Home DIYer: Simple Concrete Slab DIY - A Job For Life: Landscape Gardener Apprenticeship DIY Fathers' Day ideas for 2020 + August Garden Jobs DIY Job for Life: Plumber's Apprenticeship Early Spring Garden Care Spring 2020 + Salad Garden For Children A Job For Life: Certificate III In Electrotechnology - From Apprentice To A Business Owner; Jay Turns Up The Voltage On His Career + Spring Garden Specials - seedlings time! Spring is here and wattles are out in bloom: a love letter to our iconic flowers Perfect Tomatoes, Capsicums and Spring Onions - Summer Salad Staples + what to plant now BBQ Season: some tips to keep your New or Old BBQ Clean Christmas Lights Time 2020: Deck Your Home With Rows Of Jolly! Johnson Brothers Avalon Store Renovations & Mona Vale Store: Everything You Need This Summer In Stock How To Keep Your Home Cool During A Heatwave Dealing With Dampness Inside The Home: The Wet Summer Of 2020/2021 +Nothing By Halves, Johnson Bros. Mitre 10, great new video By Community Requests Autumn/February 2021 re-run: Garden Design and Plant Management to Minimise Tick Attacks and Infestations The Bees Knees: what you can plant now to help your garden grow and help the bees Dealing with Storm Events: Flooding inside and around the home - how to Be Prepared Fun Project Ideas for Autumn School Holidays
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John and Bob Johnson - The Johnson Brothers Profile John William Alfred Johnson - The Eulogies for those who could not attend Mass
Australia's Prime Minister Visits Mackellar - Informal Afternoon Tea with Hon. Malcolm Turnbull October 2016
JBH Win Awards August 2018 Trifecta - 2018 Free Trade Day supporters, Mitre 10 Heritage Advert features JBH Mona Vale Store, Hardware Australia’s 2018 NSW Hardware Store of the Year over 2500sqm.
Front Page Issue 294: 2018 Winners Of National Hardware Store Of The Year - Johnson Bros Mitre 10 Mona Vale !!!
National Garden Week's 2019 Focus Is On Children(Oct 13-19): School Holiday Garden Ideas (to get started on) & Congratulations Award Winning Johnson Brothers Mitre10 At Mona Vale - 2019 NSW Store Of the Year, 2019 NSW Trade Centre Of the Year and 2019 Village Garden Centre of the Year
Johnson Bros Mitre 10 were awarded as the best Trade Store in the country: February 2020
Family Hardware Store Wins Best In Australia: Johnson Bros Mitre 10 Mona Vale Crowned ‘National Trade Store Of The Year’ - Celebrating 65th Year in 2020
Anzac Day In Pittwater 2020: Candles, Crosses and Online Commemorative Services: Johnson Brothers Family Donates 20 Thousand Candles to Community Light Up The Dawn Initiative
Front Page Issue 447: ANZAC DAY 2020
