Other home energy issues

To make your home a healthy home, insulation and heating are the most important issues to address. However there are other energy issues to consider as well:

Damp homes
Windows
Saving power

Damp homes

Dampness and mould, a common asthma trigger. Mould is a common asthma trigger while also deteriorating the condition of your house.

Damp homes exist where water vapour is allowed into the house or created and not vented outside and allowed to condensate due to low temperatures in the house. The following factors contribute to damp homes:

Damp soils under the floor

Some suburbs in Christchurch and other Canterbury areas can have very damp soils. If you do not have a concrete slab floor, this dampness can rise into your home. If the soil under your house is too damp, it will feel damp and may have mould growing on the ground. However not all white coloured patches on the soil are mould.

A reliable assessment should be done through the manhole rather through the vents from the outside. A Community Energy Action insulation assessment will include an assessment of the dampness of the soil under your house.

Preventing dampness from the soil rising into your houses is easily remedied by installing damp proofing on the ground. Damp proofing is subsidised.

Cooking and bathroom

Cooking, showering and bathing produce a lot of water vapour. If these are not vented outside, it will make your house damp.

Water vapour should be vented outside and not into the roof space. Extractor fans venting into the roof space will make your roof cavity damp, reducing the effectiveness of any insulation there.

People

People breathing produce water vapour end the more people living in the home and the more frequent they are at home, the damper your home will become. Ensure you cross-ventilate (opening windows on opposite sides of the house) your home regularly to get rid of excess moisture.

Unflued gas heaters

Unflued gas heaters are a large source of water vapour and Community Energy Action does not recommend them in any circumstance. They release up to 1 litre of water into the air per hour of use making your home very damp. Replace unflued gas heaters with more efficient heating.

Cold homes

Cold air can hold less water vapour than warm air. This is why water vapour will condensate more easily in cold homes and on cold surfaces such as single glazed windows. Always ensure your house is well heated and cross-ventilate to avoid condensation and associated mould growth.

Windows

After the ceiling, an uninsulated house loses most heat through windows. Even double glazed windows lose more heat than an uninsulated wall. There are no subsidies for the installation of double glazed windows and the investment can be costly. However there are a few things you can do instead.

DIY window insulation

DIY window insulation consists of a clear plastic film that is taped to the inside of the window frame and shrunk to fit. It can be installed on both wooden and aluminium frames.

Independent research has shown DIY window insulation performs as well as some other forms of retrofit double glazing.

Research paper window insulation (319.66 KB)

DIY window insulation is available from our retail shop and online. A model can be viewed in the retail shop.

Curtains

Curtains can hugely reduce heat loss through windows but they need to be of good quality, generous sized and well hung.

To be effective holding in the heat and ensure there are no draughty gaps, curtains will need to be either lined or thermal backed. They are ideally fitted with pelmets and reach all the way to the floor or at least 10cm below the window sill with tracks at least 10cm wider than the windows on each side. Curtains should not have loops at the top. The idea is to create an almost still layer of air between the window and the curtain.

Open your curtains each day to let the light and natural warmth of the sun in and close them in the early evening before it gets cooler.

For households on low incomes including those in rental properties, our Curtain Bank provides free, recycled curtains to families who do not have adequate curtains. The Curtain Bank gladly receives any donations of old curtains and tracks.

How to hang curtains

Hanging curtains properly will keep in the heat better:

1. Place hooks in the bottom row of the curtain tape every 3-4 pockets apart. Use new hooks and track gliders as they become brittle and break with age.

2. Pull all 3 strings of the tape to gather each curtain to half of the track width. Make sure that the curtains meet in the middle then tie the strings all together at the correct width. Do not cut the strings off. Spread out gathers until they are even.

3. Start hanging your curtains on the track by placing the first hook into the cap at each end of the track. Count the number of hooks in each curtain to match the amount of gliders on the track.

Saving power

Are you on the right electricity plan?

You can compare power prices quickly and easily with Consumer PowerSwitch.

Checklists

Community Energy Action has developed the following comprehensive checklist which includes low cost tips and advice for tenants and low-income households. The checklist provides average savings per year and pay-back periods based on a 90m² house. Prices of insulation products, cost of installation and price of electricity include GST and are based on 2008 averages.

Self Energy Check (49 Kb)

The Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority has also developed an online advice tool to advice you.

If you are still unsure about home energy issues, you can contact our Advice Service