How Kiwis are Saving Money on Heating Their Homes

Do you wish that there was a way to keep your home warmer and drier during those chilly winter months? Well, now there is, thanks to the government’s new funding scheme. Warmer Kiwi Homes is a one-time grant offered by the New Zealand government to provide heaters and insulation to kiwi homeowners.

Homes that are damp, cold, and even mouldy pose a severe health risk to New Zealanders. When your home is often cooler than 16 degrees, the risk of developing respiratory infections increases. At less than 12 degrees, this places additional stress on your cardiovascular system, potentially causing heart issues. Additionally, if anyone in your family has asthma, the symptoms are likely to worsen if your house is too cold.

One way to keep your home warmer and drier is by installing insulation. Insulation works to keep out the cold and retain the heat. That means that your home will be less prone to matching the temperature fluctuations occurring outside. A good heating source will also warm up the house, and the insulation will help it to stay warm.

Everyone has the right to live in a dry, warm, and healthy home. That’s the belief upon which the Warmer Kiwi Homes grant is founded. The grant can offer funding for up to 90% of what it costs to add insulation into your ceiling and under the floor. Depending on where you live, you may even pay less than that due to funding from local community organisations.

If it’s heating that your home requires, you can get back 90% of the cost of a new heater. This offering is capped at a limit of $3,000 NZD, including GST.

To be eligible for this assistance, you must own and live in a home that was built prior to 2008, and you must live in a low-income area or hold a community services card. Past that, there are different criteria for each option.

To be eligible for insulation, you must not already have underfloor and ceiling insulation. If you want to apply to get a heater, you must already have ceiling and underfloor insulation. Also, you must not have a working heater, including a heat pump, flued gas heater, central heating system, or pellet or wood burner.

Once you have discovered that you are eligible for the heating grant, it may be a tough decision for you to choose your heating source. The cost will likely be a large factor in your choice. Some heaters that require more money spent on fuel may be cheaper, such as log fires and pellet burners. However, can you afford the cost of the loads of wood you’ll need each winter or the bags of pellets?

On the other side of the spectrum, you have your heating sources that are cheaper to run, but may be more costly upfront. Air conditioning/heat pumps are an excellent example of this. They likely won’t significantly increase your monthly electricity bill, but it may be more expensive to purchase the unit. In this case, getting a heat pump is a great choice. The government is paying 90% anyway, so the cost to you is minimal. Select a heat source that won’t have substantial ongoing costs for your family.

If you’re looking for air conditioning Hamilton, Hamilton Air Con are the local experts on air conditioning/heat pump units. They can advise you on the different heat pump choices to make your home drier and warmer, without a considerable cost. No longer be afraid of the cost of switching on your heater during the cooler winter months.