KEY POINTS:
More New Zealand homes will be warm and dry next winter because of an insulation funding programme.
The Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority said more than 900,000 homes had inadequate or no insulation.
Many were so cold and damp in winter that they fell below temperatures recommended by the World Health Organisation.
The authority is giving qualifying homeowners the opportunity to get a third off the cost of insulation and other energy-efficiency measures, capped at $1125.
Apart from the health implications, insulation also helps conserve energy by keeping more warm air inside.
Homeowners can apply for the grant to cover some of the insulation costs, or for subsidised interest on loans to carry out the work. To qualify their house must be built before 2000, and the homeowner's annual income must be less than $100,000 for one or two earners, or less than $140,000 for three or more earners.
