Many Melbourne residents are facing their highest electricity bills ever this coming Summer

The trend in recent years of escalating electricity prices is likely to be magnified this Summer.

Worldwide, 2015 is shaping up to be the hottest year on record, beating the previous hottest year- 2014. Not only is there a general trend to hotter temperatures, but the Bureau of Meteorology has declared that the world have entered a new El Nino event, with even hotter and drier conditions expected this Summer.

Over the Summer months, Melbourne households are likely to be running their air conditioner for longer periods than ever before to beat the heat, and paying record high electricity prices to do it. It's a formula for a shocking electricity bill, brought on by a 'perfect storm' of constantly escalating electricity costs, and rising temperatures.

"Householders can take a range of actions that will make their home more comfortable, and help rein in cooling power bills.", says Manny Termelso, CEO of leading Melbourne double glazing business, Eco Home Solutions. These include

- checking for and seal air infiltration around windows and doors

- make sure the kitchen and bathrooms have exhaust fans to remove heat to outside the home (and make sure they close when not in use

- change old heat-producing light globes for efficient and cool LED replacements

- consider replacing your existing cooktop with a faster, cooler, more energy-efficient induction cooktop

- consider upgrading the insulation in roof spaces, walls, and under the floor

- consider improving the shading of existing windows, and using curtains and blinds inside

- last but not least, fitting double glazed windows and doors can make a major contribution

An extensive list of reasons why double glazing is ideal for Melbourne conditions can be seen [here.](http://ecohomesolutions.com.au/double-glazing/double-glazing-melbourne/)

Most Melbourne homes have old fashioned, energy-inefficient, thin, single-glazed windows. They let in an amazing amount of heat. The sun can produce up to 1kW per square metre. A 3 square metre window can let in as much heat as a fan heater or plugin radiator going flat out produces. If that amount of heat is pouring into a home, the aircon has to run flat out to counteract it.That is expensive, and getting worse. Fitting modern, energy-efficient double glazed windows can make a large contribution to cutting down the amount of heat coming in through the windows. Double glazing can also help make dramatic fuel bill savings in Winter.