Ngā tohutohu hei whakarite whare hauora, whai pūngao hoki
Tips to create a healthy, energy-efficient home
Top tips to make your house warmer, drier and more energy-efficient
Outside
- Trim trees or plants that are blocking any windows, and make sure your curtains are open all day to take advantage of the sun in winter.
Insulation
- Check your ceiling and underfloor insulation: if you can see the ceiling joists inside the roof cavity, or any gaps in the insulation, it needs to be topped up – see GenLess website for assessing
ceiling and
underfloor insulation.
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Stop draughts: make sure your doors and windows fit their frames properly, block up old fireplaces, and use draught-stopping tape or seal and draught excluders. Watch the video on
reducing home heat loss.
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Install lined curtains that reach to the floor, and are covered by a pelmet or face-fitting tracks at the top. This can be as effective as double glazing – see
ecoadvisor.org.nz for more information.
Heating
- Set your heating system to 18 degrees in the bedroom, and 21 degrees in the living room. Invest in a plug-in thermostat for heating appliances to keep you warm and healthy without wasting energy.
- Make sure your heating system is clean and efficient.
Clean your heat pump's filter regularly, and have your chimney or flue swept once a year.
- Replace your inefficient and costly unflued gas heater. Choose your new heating method after
comparing the different options.
Managing moisture
- Watch video on
fixing home dampness.
- Get externally ducted extractor fans for your bathroom and kitchen.
- Dry clothes outside, or use a drier for a short amount of time (this is more efficient than using a dehumidifier).
- Put down a groundsheet under the floor to help with rising damp -
guidelines for this project are available online.
- Wipe condensation off your windows in the morning.
- Open your windows for at least 20 minutes a day.
Hot water
- Check your shower's flow rate – if it fills a 10L bucket in less than a minute, it's wasting water.
- Consider a water-efficient shower head or a flow control disc to keep the flow rate to 9L/minute.
- Consider
installing a flow restrictor or low-flow showerhead.
- Insulate your hot water cylinder and pipes, either with a cylinder wrap or some old blankets.
Lighting and appliances
- Wash clothes in cold water.
- When replacing an appliance, choose the model with most energy efficiency stars.
- Hang washing outside instead of using the dryer.
- Turn appliances off at the wall when not in use.
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Choose energy efficient lightbulbs.
More information
For more information, see our Sustainable Home Design Guide.
Related topics
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