Plugging the gaps

Old homes can be very draughty and therefore lose their heat too easily. Draught-stopping doors and windows is inexpensive, but will make a huge difference to your comfort and your heating bill. Another drafty source is the unused open fire. Block up that chimney simply with a rubbish bag of shredded newspapers and you will feel the difference.

If your open fire is in your main living area, you may be eligible for subsidies to replace the open fire with an efficient clean heating appliance under the Government's Warm Up New Zealand: Heat Smart programme. Visit www.energywise.govt.nz for more information and eligibility criteria.

A lot of heat escapes through windows. Solutions include generously fitting lined or thermal curtains. Community Energy Action (CEA) provides households on low incomes with recycled curtains free of charge. Plastic window kits, also available from CEA, act as double-glazing and are relatively inexpensive and simple to install.

Plastic window kits

Plastic window kits are affordable (but temporary) alternatives to double-glazing for windows, enhancing a window's thermal performance but also reducing condensation problems. They contain sheets of plastic film, which when fitted to wooden framing around the window pane, creates an air-tight gap that double-glazed windows also have. The kits are designed to last only one winter season, but there are accounts of households in Canterbury that have been using them for several seasons now.

Plastic window kits cannot be used on most aluminium-framed windows and doors, as there is not enough of a gap between the window frame and the glass to work effectively.

Check with CEA  (Ph 374 5698) about sizes and prices.

Heat loss and retention

A lot of heat gets lost through windows: 21%-31% of the heat in an uninsulated house. Normal double-glazing reduces window heat losses by 50%. Plastic window kits reduce window losses by 30%. Ideally, windows should be used in conjunction with thermally-lined curtains and pelmets, to ensure minimal heat escapes through your windows.