Retrofitting your home will make it more comfortable and cheaper to run as well as adding value, writes Sarah Pickette.

Houses being built today must meet energy- and water-usage criteria that's stricter than ever. Yet most Australian homes predate these regulations and, as a result, are unlikely to be operating at their best.

"Retrofitting your home to lower its energy and water consumption is something every homeowner can do to some degree," says Nicholas Mayo, a sustainability expert who runs a business called Canberra's Sustainable House. "What needs to be done to improve sustainability varies with every house, but everyone who retrofits will see a great improvement in the comfort of their home, as well as a decrease in how much it costs to run."

Where to begin? First, check that your home is insulated to the correct level in the ceiling and between walls. Next, think about windows. Are they letting heat out of a room as fast as you warm it up? "The thermal efficiencies of today's window products can be excellent. I'd suggest, though, that window dressing is just as important to consider."

One area often overlooked is air leakage, Mayo adds. "Draughty homes can leak up to 25 cubic metres of air per hour. You might as well let $5 notes float up into the sky."

"Draught-proofing is misunderstood in Australia," says Maurice Beinat, Chief Technical Officer of Melbourne-based retrofitting specialists EcoMaster. "People who visit from cooler countries are often shocked at how cold our houses are, and that's usually down to draughts."

The beauty of retrofitting is that you can break the process down into affordable tasks. Install rainwater tanks, for example. Invest in energy- and water-efficient appliances. If your electric hot-water system breaks down, consider replacing it with solar. It all adds up, says Mayo. "Retrofitting your home makes it cheaper to operate and can be a good investment, but your primary reason should be that it simply makes it a better place to live in."