Everyone deserves to live in a warm, cosy, healthy home and the main essentials for a healthy home are heating, ventilation and insulation.
Unfortunately, that’s not always the case, especially here in New Zealand.
Trying to heat a typical New Zealand home in winter is almost impossible, with most homes lacking insulation and central heating in wooden houses.
With less than 5% of Kiwi homes having central heating, winters can be tough, not only on your health, but on your pocket.
Fortunately, there are some things you can do to make a warm and healthy home for you and your family.
The dangers of damp
Staying warm and dry is essential, not just for comfort, but also avoiding serious health issues.
When it gets too cold, moisture in the air condenses and turns to water. This sits inside your walls and creates the perfect environment for damp to form.
Damp isn’t just a bit of condensation on the windows, it’s a serious problem that needs to be addressed. Better known as mould, it is an actual living organism, specifically a type of fungus.
Mould has one job in nature; to break down organic matter. When you breathe it in, your lungs become that organic matter. This leads to all matter of respiratory problems, and in some cases even death.
You can’t get used to mould, or build up a tolerance to it. The more you are exposed to it, the weaker you become, with young children and the elderly particularly susceptible to its dangers.
Importance of ventilation for a healthy home
Although it’s winter, it’s important to open up windows and doors around the house.
Letting a breeze blow through your home is important to stop the build-up of moisture, which in turn leads to damp and mould.
The average Kiwi home produces 8 litres of water per day, and all this moisture has to go somewhere. Simple things like drying clothes outside will greatly reduce water vapour, and lead to a drier, healthier home.
Ventilation can also come in the form of extractor fans or air conditioners. Basically anything that gets the air moving around a home is better than it stagnating.
Insulation is key to a healthy home
Again, few New Zealand homes are insulated, but fortunately that’s about to change for rental properties.
Insulation is a fantastic way to not only stay warm, but to save a fortune on heating costs. Up to half of the energy we use to heat our home is lost without insulation, as the heat escapes through walls, roofs and windows.
The 2nd law of thermodynamics tells us that air tends to naturally move to cooler areas, but insulation restricts this movement. This means that not only does insulation keep a house warmer in winter, but it also keeps it cool in summer, as the hot air can’t come in from outside.
Why heat pumps are the answer to a health home
According to Energywise, over a quarter of Kiwi homes have heat pumps. This isn’t surprising as they are the most efficient form of heating.
Heat pumps keep you warm in winter and cool in summer, and if your home is insulated, then you can literally save thousands of dollars in heating costs.
Not only do they heat a room, but because they also act as air conditioners, they fight against mould and damp on two fronts, airing out the house and dispersing moisture in the air.
A heat pump is an investment in your health and in your home.
Call us for the latest heat pump technology
Heat and Cool are the leading suppliers of Mitsubishi Electric heat pumps because we quite simply believe they are the best brand.
With decades of experience in the appliance industry, Mitsubishi Electric consistently stay up-to-date with the latest technologies.
Focusing on efficiency and reliability, Mitsubishi Electric produces high-quality heat pumps that give you the very best in home heating technology.
Heat and Cool are Auckland’s leading supplier of Mitsubishi electric heat pumps in the domestic market, and our experienced staff are 100% customers focused.
If you would like to cut down on energy bills, stay warmer during the cold winter months, and keep your family healthy, then call us today.
Our friendly team will be happy to answer any questions you may have.