Open your windows for a few minutes in the warmest part of the day to increase ventilation and allow moisture to escape
Close curtains as soon as the sun goes down
Tempting as it is in winter, try not to dry your clothes inside to avoid increased damp
?Block the chimney in any unused fireplaces
?Install draught seals around doors and windows
?Install DIY window insulation film as a temporary but very effective alternative to double-glazing
Thick, thermal-lined curtains over all windows and French doors, preferably with pelmets
?Use thermostats and timers to control your heaters
?Avoid portable gas heaters, they pump moisture and noxious gases into your home, making it damp, unhealthy and more expensive to heat.
You could get help for a warm dry home this winter?:
This is a government programme that really puts its money where its policies are. Regardless of your income, if your house was built before 2000 you are eligible for Energywise funding to install insulation and/or efficient heating.
You can get up to $1,300 (or 33%) towards the cost of ceiling and under-floor insulation, rising to 60% if you have a Community Services Card. And after receiving your insulation funding you may be able to pay off the balance through your rates or mortgage from as little as $7 a week.
Also, if your house was built before 2000 you can get $500 towards the cost of installing an efficient heater like a heat pump or wood burner in your main living area. If you have a Community Services Card, you can get up to $1,200.
To qualify for funding for heating, you must have insulation that is at least 120mm thick in your ceiling and 50mm thick under the floor. A service provider will assess your insulation before installing an efficient heater.
To find out more and get a free no-obligation quote from three local suppliers at the touch of a button, go to: energywise.govt.nz
CASE STUDY 1: Pink® Batts® insulation Roll of Honour:
A household name for over 50 years, Pink® Batts® is a Warm Up New Zealand: Heat Smart Programme-accepted insulation product.
Pink® Batts® glass wool insulation has been a frontline force in the battle for energy efficiency in New Zealand for many years. Uninsulated homes waste energy by allowing heat to escape and increase damaging greenhouse gas emissions by increasing the energy required to keep them warm.
They also force people to spend more on heat or risk severe health problems: a Wellington School of Medicine study found that households that installed insulation had fewer sick days and doctor visits, yielding economic benefits estimated at twice the value of the installation costs.
Pink® Batts® insulation is one of the best-known products in this business, and has been a piece of New Zealand building history for more than 50 years. But that doesn't mean it is resting on its fluffy pink laurels.
The company has conducted a full Life Cycle Assessment of its products to the stringent International Standards Organisation's ISO14040 grade. This identifies and quantifies the inputs and outputs at each stage of the product's life cycle and assesses the impact of the material, energy and waste on the environment.
This includes the product's embodied energy, global warming potential and its potential effect on soil and water acidity. This work, and the range of certification schemes the company is signed up to, informs and guides continued efforts to minimise waste, manage energy use, remove potentially polluting processes and materials from production and continually improve the product's durability and performance.
Tony Te Au, general manager, says: "Energy conservation is at the core of what we do, so working so closely with the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority is a natural fit, and something we are proud of. But we also take this much further than our legal commitments: we want to be leaders in this sector in terms of the safety, effectiveness and sustainability of our products."
Customers like Juliet and Ben Herlihy, noticed the difference immediately. The Herlihy's place had no insulation and was cold and damp until they fitted Pink® Batts® ceiling insulation and SnugFloor® insulation under their floorboards.
They also had a vapour barrier installed to prevent rising damp, and a heat pump. ?Juliet said: "It's like a different house now, so warm and dry. Our home is very easy to heat and stays warm all day, even if it has been empty. It's lovely to come home to. We would thoroughly recommend putting in insulation. It is certainly the best money we have ever spent on a house and has improved our comfort and quality of life significantly, while saving us money."
A Wellington School of Medicine study found that households that installed insulation had fewer sick days and doctor visits, yielding economic benefits estimated at twice the value of the installation costs.
INSULATION BY NUMBERS
18°C The World Health Organisation minimum recommended temperature for a healthy home
25% approximate proportion of New Zealand homes still uninsulated
33% estimate of number of New Zealand homes that fail to meet the WHO standard???50% the amount of energy a fully insulated home requires to heat it compared to one which is uninsulated
80% proportion of recycled glass in Pink® Batts® insulation
Pink Batts are recommended by:
New Zealand Asthma foundation's Sensitive Choice programme - safe for installation into the homes of asthma sufferers
Environmental Choice New Zealand certification holder
Kiwi Made Pink® Batts® is made locally in Auckland and Christchurch
Warm Up New Zealand scheme accepted product
Finnish M1 standard the toughest standard for building materials with the lowest levels of emissions from substances like formaldehyde and ammonia
CASE STUDY 2: EcoSpring Cylinders - The future of water heating
Save money on hot water with the latest heat pump technology.
An efficient hot water system represents the single largest opportunity to reduce your power bill. The EcoSpring next generation heat pump hot water cylinder can cut your water heating costs by up to 75%. ?With capacities up to 300 litres, EcoSpring cylinders are suitable for any building, anywhere in New Zealand.
The Element guide to consumer accreditation labels:
They are as easy to install as a traditional cylinder, and can be mounted outside under their own raincover if space is at a premium. EcoSpring cylinders even incorporate a back-up electrical element to ensure ample hot water in even the coldest of cold snaps.
Why are people choosing EcoSpring???
Melissa Jakich installed EcoSpring. We asked her why.?"We wanted something as energy efficient and money saving as possible," she says. "A hot water heat pump seemed to be the answer, as it requires less electricity and provides savings all year 'round. This also makes it kinder on the environment.
"We needed a system that could be installed outdoors, but we had issues with high winds and overall height restrictions, so installing solar panels would have been too complicated.
"I really like that this model has a display so I can control the heating times and tell exactly what is going on. I know it has a Hybrid setting for lower temperatures, in case the water heating needs a boost. But with the climate here in Piha we haven't needed to use it, even with the additional summer guests and regular after-beach showering.
"We don't have bills much beyond $150 a month even in the depths of winter, and considerably less in the height of summer. That's why we are keen to stay with this technology."
How EcoSpring's heat pump can cut your power bills??
The air outside your home is warmed every day, whatever the weather. Heat pumps use small amounts of power to transfer that heat from outside to where you need it. They are more consistent and reliable than solar panels, and many times more efficient than electrical elements. ?If your current yearly water-heating bill is $800, an EcoSpring water heater will save you approximately ?$500 per year at current electricity prices.
