27
Jul
Power bills
D.B. from Christchurch is combating high power bills by putting their hot water cylinder on a timer to heat at night when the lower night power rate applies.
Category Archives: Heating
04
Jul
DIY heater
Peedeenz from Hastings writes, “For those with welding and mechanical skills and a bit of spare time, converting old decommissioned propane cylinders into a pot belly stove for heating the shed works well. There are a number of YouTube videos showing how to do this. Since scrap metal dealers don’t want the cylinders, go to […]
04
Jul
Winter chill
Maureen has some advice for beating the winter chill. “I have just made a draught stopper from leftover polar fleece and soft toy filler. Also in older houses check that windows and doors are closing right shut. If not buy the stick on strips for the areas where the windows and doors do not meet […]
02
Jun
Winter warmth
The chilly weather has arrived early, and heaters have come out of summer hibernation. The onset of winter is a good time for a reminder about heating costs. Fortunately, these days most people have got the message about insulation, so homes tend to be warmer – but here are some interesting winter warmth facts: • […]
09
Jun
Ruth, Pahiatua.
I often use Lemonade/Coke bottles as hot-water bottles. They are made to stay sealed under high pressure so are safe as long as the lid is screwed on tightly and it is easy to regulate the heat you put into them. My children often had 2 or 3 in their beds at a time and […]
14
Aug
Chasing away the winter chill
As a big icy chill grips the country, oily raggers are adopting lots of creative ways to keep warm without high cost, but first some figures about sneaky heat. • Just under half (42% on average to be exact) of all household heat is lost through the ceiling. Modern homes are usually well insulated but […]
18
Jul
Kate, Hawera.
Regarding the hot water cylinders, your cyclinder should reach 60 degrees C EVERY day to kill any legionaire bacteria that thrive in lower temperatures. Two people in NZ have caught legionella recently, a respiratory infection, from the water in their cylinders not being hot enough, one had to have her feet amputated. The temperature of […]
16
Jul
Hot water clyinder, health risk
The Hawke’s Bay District Health is warning people against turning down their hot water cylinders to save money after two people contracted Legionnaires disease from water in their own homes. Here are some key points for a media report about the matter. – The most common sources of Legionella are hot water cylinders and garden […]
13
Jul
Lisa, Whakatane.
I’m a huge fan of insulation. A well-insulated home traps free winter Sun so you don’t need much heating on sunny days, and reduces the cost of heating on those days when the Sun doesn’t do it for you. Insulation also lets you enjoy life more as you’re no longer living within a 2m radius […]
13
Jul
Anne, Christchurch.
Bubble wrap is not acceptable when you want to see through the window. I bought a new mattress a few months ago. It came wrapped in thick, clear plastic. If you wanted a free window covering, that plastic would work and let you see out of it. You’d need to pull it firm to maintain […]