Where to start to make your home warmer this winter
Draught sealing is the most cost-effective improvement most homeowners can make.
Get the insulation right, ceiling before underfloor
For Blair, insulation should be the next priority. Start with the ceiling and then the underfloor.
“We lose about 35 per cent of heat through the ceiling,” says Blair. That’s the single biggest source of heat loss in a typical home in the Canterbury region, and the place to address first.
The common assumption, that insulation is only a concern in older homes, has also shifted. “Not entirely true,” Blair says. No matter how old your home is, the minimum standard now applies.
And when insulation is in place, it does something that heaters and double glazing alone can’t.
“With good insulation, you’ve got something to hold the heat in that you create,” says Blair.
“For your standard house in Canterbury, ensuring you’ve got sufficient ceiling insulation that either complies or exceeds New Zealand’s minimum standard, I think that would be the best long-term investment.”