jennifer45

Eradicate rather than bemoan "damp houses'
"Save money and warm up!

There are a number of improvements you can make to your home and which would quickly pay for themselves.

Immediate comfort benefits will be realised from installing ceiling and underfloor insulation which will soon pay for itself.
A vapour barrier (durable water proof sheet) fixed to the ground beneath your home complements under floor insulation by keeping out moisture. Moisture in the home is something you want to avoid because it makes it more expensive to heat and encourages mould.
A cheap step you can take is to draught stop around windows and doors.
If you are considering getting a new heater make sure it is low in emissions and high in efficiency. The best heating appliances on both these criteria are: wood pellet fires, low emission wood burners, flued gas heaters and heat pumps.Simpler heat-exchange systems, such as heat recovery ventilation work on the principle of extracting heat from stale air that is being vented to the outside and using it to warm up fresh air that is being brought in. Again, the process can be reversed for cooling in summer (so long as the outside air temperature is lower). There are various systems available, and they can be very efficient, especially if they draw warmth down from spaces where it is usually wasted, like an attic. They
do need to be designed to fit appropriately into the particular house.
All of these heating types have low emissions and running costs.
There are a number of energy efficiency upgrades you can make to save money and which will soon pay for themselves. Start with installing low energy light bulbs; install a hot water cylinder wrap and where possible insulate your hot water pipes.

If you want to make further improvements to your home think about installing double glazing and insulating the walls.

Over time all these investments will pay for themselves with lower power bills, improved comfort and reduced health costs and add value to your property (if you sell up a leave)"

Rascal

All good tips, but if you dont have any spare money left over fromt he salary, what do you pay for it with?
We had a quote of $20k to fit CH!
Sold up and moving out of NZ though, so dont matter any more.

jennifer45

Draught proofing isn't expensive. Don't think I'd consider CH- not because of cost -mainly 'cos its (IMHO) an inefficient source of heating in most areas of NZNZ. DG would be well worth it to eradicate condensation though.
Most of ideas are not prohibitive, even on a budget. A lot can be achieved by DIY. It's not that long ago that many houses in UK lacked CH and DG. Jack Frost on the windows in the morning- scorch marks on the legs in an evening sitting too close to the coal fires. Great big off peak storage heaters.Make great bar-B-ques outside when dismantled. Sorry I digress.
Nostalgia isn't what it used to be!

SarahB

Just wondering why you say this?

Cheers

lardyl

mmm....what sort of DG - most windows around here are aluminium frames - you'd just get consdensation on the metal then.......not seen much in the way of PVC-u profiles over here......any ideas, eg NZer57 ....... ??

jennifer45

PVC-u

Wood?

lardyl

mmm....wood and sealed units are Ok if done well but a disaster if made badly - lots of failed sealed units. Although NZ is renowned for architectural timber (friend of mine had a very successful timber construction business for many years) it is also renowned for crap joinery too.....not seen any sealed units in timber here and have looked at wuite a few properties both professionally and privately. The only DG I have seen here was in aluminium frames. Others have posted suggesting that PVC profiles are like rockinghorse do-do so timber it is. Any ideas where we can get them at an affordable price - always were more expensive in UK!!!

lardyl

BTW, our solution harks back to the 60s and 70s for me.....a towel to pat down the sweaty sills, frames and panes, a clothes line to dry it off and oh yeah, a concession to the 21st century, a nice Italian dehumidifier burning all those kWhs.............

jennifer45

In NZ's variable winter climate, a full
central heating system is likely to be wasteful of energy unless it is carefully
controlled with temperature sensors and timer controls. You are better to think about a range of heating options suited to the different parts of the house.
There's been a lot of advancements in the heat-exchange systems. They're much quieter, controlable, less obtrusive and economical to run.
For me, insulation, draughtproofing and ventilation are the main thing to aim for initially.
But hey I'm no expert.
Check this site out for Healthy homes.
www.stuff.co.nz/4045702a20475.html
Cheers.

Kippers

What fuel would you use for CH?

South Island doesn't have any gas, and just like Britain, North Island is running out.
Can't call on Mr Putin to pipe it to us (luckily )

Double glazing will be compulsory soon, so they must have worked out what materials they'll use.


Kip

lardyl

yes building code will require it soon enough, plus central heating of some form or another - whatever that means. wood pellets seem to be a good idea and my eco-friendly mates in UK went for a larger boiler using that sort of fuel recently - given that there is wood a-plenty in these parts that may well be the best long-term solution - I know others have adpoted it who post around here....
as far as the materials for SUDG goes, yeah really "worked out" like most other things around here........there must be a euphamism around these parts for that......perhaps some of the "bio-diesel" plants I have seen in NZ could become a by-word for *bad* design, believe me they are dangerous.....
I'd bet that aluminium frames are what most suppliers will be pushing, but I've not heard/seen any ads for them, so I am curious about it too, and perhaps a little too sceptical....

southerner

Here's a PVC window company we looked at:

http://www.homerit.co.nz

but in the end we were happy to use cheaper aluminium (for bathrooms).

Gill and Rob

Well I AM IN NZ and I say GIVE ME CENTRAL HEATING ANYDAY !!!!!

Although we have a warm house, we use a wood burner, heat transfer system and a heatpump.

Oh how I miss that gas central heating/radiators and combi-boiler from my "old-life".

Gill

Rascal

CH for me too!
I think the kiwis are as tough as old boots living without much heating!

southerner

Some more tips:

- have good extractors in your kitchen and bathroom
- put a lid on your cooking
- open the doors and windows once every day to completely change the air inside your house (preferably do this when the outside temperature is at its greatest)
- dry your washing outside if possible