With the colder months never too far away in Aotearoa, now is the time to talk about the "thermal envelope" of your home. If that sounds technical, don't worry, it’s just a fancy way of describing the bubble of warmth that should stay inside your house.
Did you know that good insulation can save you up to $330 each year on your power bills? (EECA - Energy Efficiency & Conservation Authority).
At Hire A Hubby, we don’t just build decks and fix fences; we help make your home more energy-efficient, healthy, and comfortable for the whole family.
Think of your home like a person wearing a winter jacket. If the jacket is unzipped (gaps in wall insulation) or you aren’t wearing a hat (no ceiling insulation), the heat escapes. To work effectively, insulation needs to be a continuous layer around your ceilings, walls, and floors.
If you live in an older home, achieving this can be tricky, but that’s where a Hubby comes in.
Ceilings are the easiest and most effective place to start. Insulation settles and compresses over time, losing its "R-value" (its ability to resist heat loss).
Hubby Tip: If your insulation is less than 120mm thick or sits below the ceiling joists, it’s time for a top-up. We can check for gaps, dampness, or "soiling" from pests that might be ruining your home’s efficiency.
If your house is on piles, you could be losing a lot of heat through the floorboards. If your subfloor is more than half a metre off the ground, it's a prime candidate for a retrofit.
Hubby Tip: We can also install polythene ground sheets to reduce moisture. A dry home is much easier (and cheaper!) to heat than a damp one.
Walls are harder to reach in existing homes, which is why we recommend timing this with other renovations.
Hubby Tip: If you’re planning to renovate a room or replace your internal linings, call us first. It is the perfect opportunity to retrofit wall insulation and check for building paper to protect against moisture.
When looking at insulation, you’ll see an R-value. Simply put: the higher the R-value, the better the material is at keeping the heat in. Different parts of New Zealand require different R-values to meet building codes, and your local Hubby can help you choose the right product for your specific region.
Before you start, check if you are eligible for the Warmer Kiwi Homes grant. You could get 80-90% of the cost of ceiling and underfloor insulation covered. It’s a fantastic initiative that makes a warm home accessible for more Kiwis.
Checking your insulation is one of the best preventative steps you can take to prepare for the season ahead. Whether you need a professional to climb into the crawl space or help with a full renovation to open up those walls, your local Hubby is ready to help.
Don't let your money disappear through the roof. Consult A Hubby for an Insulation Check Today
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