CHOOSE THE RIGHT HEATING FOR YOUR HOME!
Hi Neighbours
It is in these colder months we start thinking about keeping warm. So to help you all we are posting our tips to choosing the right heating for your home.
When looking to heat a home, it's important to consider the wide variety of heating methods on offer. An under-heated home can lead to illness and poor health. Creating a warm, dry and comfortable home should be a top priority.
Heating options are far now greater than they were a generation ago. Electrical, gas, new super-efficient wood fireplaces, gas fires, in-concrete floor hot water or electrical heating units, central hot water heating, heat pumps and air conditioning units and home ventilation systems are just some of the popular heating options to choose from.
Because the heating needs of every dwelling are different, you need to undertake heat loss calculations based on: the size of your home, the materials used for construction, whether your home is north or south facing, the size and number of external walls and the number of windows and doors.
The World Health Organisation recommendations for room temperatures are:
21 degrees Celsius in living areas
18 degrees Celsius in bedrooms
22 degrees Celsius in bathrooms
Start with insulation – keep in the heat you have, then add heaters to warm you up. Insulation will also reduce temperatures in the summer.
Considerations
Ensure you have an abundance of insulation – remember, building code requirements are a minimum.
It’s important that whatever system you install is of sufficient capacity to heat your home properly – too small a unit will result in expensive bills and insufficient heating.
Some heating system installations require a building consent and registered installer.
The modern approach to heating is ‘whole house heating’. Good insulation and an energy-efficient heating system will heat all areas of the house at a reasonable price and help keep your family healthier through cold months.
CENTRAL HEATING
Central heating can be fuelled from gas, diesel, solid wood pellets or hot water heat pump, can work through warm water underfloor heating or slim water radiators (and sometimes both), with the possibility of adding domestic hot tap water and even swimming pool heating all from the one heat source.
Poll: Do you think NZ should ban social media for youth?
The Australian Prime Minister has expressed plans to ban social media use for children.
This would make it illegal for under 16-year-olds to have accounts on platforms including TikTok, Instagram, Facebook and X.
Social media platforms would be tasked with ensuring children have no access (under-age children and their parents wouldn’t be penalised for breaching the age limit)
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Do you think NZ should follow suit? Vote in our poll and share your thoughts below.
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85.1% Yes
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13.8% No
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1.1% Other - I'll share below
What's your favourite recipe for courgettes?
Kia ora neighbours. If you've got a family recipe for courgettes, we'd love to see it and maybe publish it in our magazine. Send your recipe to mailbox@nzgardener.co.nz, and if we use it in the mag, you will receive a free copy of our January 2025 issue.
BLACKHAWK CORGI RACES SUNDAY NOV 17
Who is the fastest Corgi in NZ?
This will be decided on Sunday, November 17 at Belmont Domain, Lower Hutt with racing starting at 2pm.
Thirty Pembroke and Cardigan Corgis will take to the 60 metre track for racing like no other.
Competition comes from as far away as Auckland and Whanganui and if you want to stretch it a little - Scotland - with the very recent arrival of Skye and his owners from the other side of the world.
The youngest to compete is 7 month old, Atlas whilst Bonnie at 14 years is part of the seniors (nine and over) event.
Spectators very welcome to this sixth annual championship organised by the Wellington Welsh Corgi Club.