HealthInfo Canterbury

Keeping your home warm & dry

Kia mau tonu te whakamahana me te whakamaroke o tōu kāinga

The Canterbury DHB would like you to stay as healthy as possible. Your health can be affected by your house being cold or damp. You might be able to get significant subsidies for insulation and heating if you have:

• heart failure
• asthma or lung problems
• diabetes
• cancer
• ongoing mental health issues
• arthritis.

Talk to your GP about a referral to the Community Energy Action (CEA) Charitable Trust. Once your referral has gone to CEA, someone will phone you to discuss your options. You can also call CEA directly on (03) 374‑7222 or 0800‑GETWARM. But CEA will need to ask your GP to verify that you have a health condition. This ensures that the people with the highest health needs get priority. Even if you don't qualify for subsidies, CEA will be able to help you with insulation.

Tips to help you keep your home as warm and dry as possible this winter

Get rid of dampness

• Air your home on warm, sunny days, or when there's some wind.
• Use the ventilation fans in your kitchen and bathroom if you have them.
• Dry clothes outside in the sun rather than inside your home.
• Get a moisture barrier under the floor.

Stop heat escaping

• Try to seal gaps around window and door frames to prevent draughts. Use curtains and door snakes to help keep the heat in.
• Take advantage of the sun by opening your curtains during the day and closing them at sunset.
• To reduce the amount of heat going out your windows, you can use a DIY window insulation kit. You can buy these kits from CEA – call (03) 374‑7222 or 0800‑GETWARM, or visit the CEA website for more information.

Get good winter curtains

• If you can't afford good curtains, you can contact CEA's Curtain Bank, (03) 374‑7222 or 0800‑GETWARM, for free, recycled, lined curtains.

Spread your power bill

• You may be able to evenly spread your power bill payments across the year so that there are no surprises. Talk to your power company about how to do this.
• Make sure that you are on the right plan with the cheapest provider. Use Powerswitch or contact CEA's Energy Advice Service if you need help with this. Phone (03) 374‑7222 or 0800‑GETWARM.
• If you need help with your power bills, first contact your power company. You can also try Work and Income, or the Mayor's Welfare Fund.

Check your insulation

• If you have had tradesmen in your roof, for earthquake repairs for example, check your insulation in case it has moved.
• Contact CEA (03) 374‑7222 or 0800‑GETWARM. They may be able to help with getting you affordable insulation.

Other tips

Rheumatic fever is a serious illness that can be prevented by keeping your home warm and dry, and preventing the spread of germs. The following series of videos from the Ministry of Health give tips to help do this. There are nine short videos and they will automatically play in sequence.

  HealthInfo recommends the following pages

• Healthy Christchurch website:
  • Staying warm and well this winter

    Tips for staying warm and healthy this winter.

  • Are you prepared?

    Information about being prepared if the power goes off.

  • Keeping yourself and your family/whānau well this winter

    Advice to help you stay warm and well.

• Eco Design Advisor – Resources

  Practical information, advice, and answers to common questions about making your home drier and more efficient.

• Keeping yourself and your family well and home warm and dry – leaflets in Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, Korean and Samoan.

Written by HealthInfo clinical advisers. Last reviewed December 2018.

Page reference: 49776

Review key: HIKEW-49776