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Practical tips to seal up draughts, trap the sun’s heat, and stretch every kilowatt this winter.
Southlanders know winter can bite hard – and so can the monthly power bill. Yet even in a cost-of-living crunch there are plenty of ways to stay snug without running heaters around the clock. Energy advisers and community groups say most savings start with the simplest fixes.
1. Track down the sneaky draughts
Gaps around windows, doors, and floorboards act like tiny chimneys, siphoning off warm air. Self-adhesive weather-seal tape and homemade door snakes can block most leaks in minutes. If you can see daylight, warm air is escaping.
2. Let the sun heat the house for free
Open curtains wide as soon as the morning sun hits, then draw them firmly at dusk. Quality, full-length drapes stop heat loss through glass and can lift room temperatures by a few degrees overnight. Thermal-backed curtains are best, but any thick fabric beats naked windows.
Winter Warmth on a Budget: Which Heater For What Room
Winter in Southland can feel endless, but your home doesn’t need to. The right electric appliances can take the sting out of frosty mornings, tame draughty villas and make bedtime downright blissful. Below is a plain-English look at four popular options—fan heaters, panel heaters, oil column heaters and
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3. Reflect the warmth you already make
Oil-column and panel heaters often sit against an exterior wall where half their warmth is lost outdoors. A sheet of cardboard covered in aluminium foil, placed behind the heater, bounces that heat back into the room and trims run-time.
4. Heat the person, not the whole house
Layers work indoors too. Merino thermals, thick socks and a beanie cost nothing to run. At bedtime, a hot-water bottle or wheat bag warms the bed for hours at a fraction of the cost of overnight heating.
5. Zone your space
Close doors to rooms you’re not using. Concentrating warmth in one or two living areas slashes the volume of air your heater needs to raise – and keeps family members in the cosiest part of the house.
Why little changes matter
Energy Efficiency & Conservation Authority figures show every one-degree drop in thermostat settings can shave roughly 10 per cent off heating costs. When households are already juggling higher grocery and mortgage bills, that can mean real savings.
When it’s time to upgrade
If your heat pump or wood-burner is more than a decade old, consider new models that deliver more heat for less power. Under the Government’s Warmer Kiwi Homes programme, low-income households may qualify for subsidies on efficient heating and insulation.
