Home Adapter

Home Adapter

Protect your home from climate change

Many homes could be affected by climate change in the not too distant future. Summer heatwaves can make homes uncomfortable, while more frequent and severe flooding and reduced water availability could expose homes and their occupants to greater risks unless people are prepared.

There are many changes you can make to your home which will help protect to it from future climate change, as most existing homes can be adapted to improve their comfort, resilience, and energy and water efficiency. Many of the adaptations which you can make are low or no-cost measures that can improve your home and also save you money on a regular basis.

Despite the ease and low cost of many home adaptations, the actual uptake of climate change adaptation measures is low because of a lack of readily available information and awareness about these adaptation options and access to appropriate advice and skilled installers.

One of the major effects of predicted future climate change is increased flooding and Queensland has recently experienced the devastating damage that flooding can cause. There are a number of adaptation options to protect a home from flooding or make it quicker to dry out and repair a home.

Flood resistance measures are only effective if all potential entry points are identified and blocked, which means that flood resistance measures must be installed as a complete package. For short duration floods, entry points include doors, sinks and toilets, and gaps in external walls around pipes and cables. For longer durations, measures will need to be taken to prevent water entering through the walls.

In deep floods, a strategy of excluding water from the home may not be recommended, as imbalance between external and internal water levels can cause structural damage to the walls and it may be necessary to allow water to enter. Professional advice should always be sought when installing flood resistance measures.

Overheating of homes is another issue which you may need to consider in the future. It is obviously possible to cool homes using air conditioning but other passive measures can also contribute to cooling your home while avoiding the costs of air conditioning. Passive measures include reducing internal heat gains, enhancing natural ventilation and reducing solar gain through the windows and fabric of the building.

Laminated glass also has many advantages, such as security, sound, safety, daylight and energy benefits. Laminated glass maximises natural light in a building while minimising heat gain and can also reduce the energy costs associated with lighting and cooling a building. However, the main benefit of laminated glass is its safety performance, as is harder to break and offers greater security against accidental injury, attempted break-ins and severe weather conditions.

About the Author

Paul Buchanan writes for a digital marketing agency. This article has been commissioned by a client of said agency. This article is not designed to promote, but should be considered professional content.

If I get a new pc will I have to get a new wireless adapter for Cox High Speed Internet Wireless Home Network?

A friend told me he bought a new pc and the adapter card wouldn't fit. I want to get a new desktop and I want to know if I am going to have to pay for a new adapter, too. All the wireless hardware (modem, adapter) was obtained from Cox.

No, you'll be fine if you have the right slots for your adapter.