How to stay warm and dry
Kiwi homes contain hidden health dangers. Yet first aid for unhealthy homes needn’t cost a fortune. It can make a home more saleable as well as a healthier place to live.
Many older homes are cold and damp and sometimes have other hazards such as leadbased paint and asbestos. There are a number of steps to take to make your home more healthy. They include behavioural change, the cheapest way to make your home healthier is to open windows to ventilate. If you’re out a lot, but want to increase natural ventilation buy some security window stays or locks that allow you to leave windows slightly open when you’re out. This can be a lot cheaper to buy and run than high- tech systems.
If nothing else, insulate the ceiling and under the house. The Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority ( EECA) has information on its website about funding grants available through the Warm Up New Zealand campaign. By 1 July 2019 all rental properties must have ceiling and underfloor insulation
Ventilation systems move moisture from the air making the home healthier and feel warmer. Adding a sheet of heavy polythene beneath a home can provide an efficient moisture barrier beneath piled homes. A heat pump will warm and ventilate rooms in the winter and cool them in the summer. Watch out for hard sell in this market though and shop around before buying heating or ventilation systems.
EECA suggests a number of different options for secondary glazing, which is cheaper than retrofitting double glazing. Alternatives include DIY window insulation, aluminium framed secondary glazing on the inside of the existing glazing, or acrylic sheets attached internally. The latest technology is Low- E films, which are stuck to existing windows. This can reduce heat loss by 42 per cent says Chris Olson, general manager of ThermafilmNZ.
Healthy homes aren’t just about insulation and moisture removal. Using fewer toxic chemicals can make your home healthier to live in. Parents of young children sometimes worry about exposure to chemicals as do asthma sufferers. As a result some buyers will also be impressed.
Dust mites can make a home unhealthy to live in. Use a hepa filter on your vacuum cleaner or at least vacuum more often and empty the bag between cleans. Decluttering as well reduces the places that dust can build up.
Mould spores can be very bad for your lungs. If mould builds up anywhere in your house clean it off as soon as possible. If this is an ongoing problem consider ways to reduce the humidity.
If your home was built before the 1980s watch out for lead paint and asbestos. Both should be removed by an expert.