Your HomeFit online check report
Version: HomeFit v1.1
Thanks for completing your online check.
The home looks like it needs some improvements before being HomeFit. Your next step is to get some quotes and products installed to the recommendations below, then reassess. Once you’ve made the improvements, ask one of our assessors to do an independent HomeFit assessment.
| Looking Good | Needs Work | Un-answered | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dry | |||
| Mould | - | - | |
| Kitchen ventilation | - | - | |
| Bathroom ventilation | - | - | |
| Warm | |||
| Roof insulation | - | - | |
| Curtains & windows | - | - | |
| Draughts | - | - | |
| Heating | - | - | |
| Safe & Efficient | |||
| Water heating | - | - | |
| Water heating | - | - | |
| Shower | - | - | |
| Lighting | - | - | |
| Smoke alarms each floor | - | - | |
| Bedroom smoke alarms | - | - |
Looking good
Good to hear that the home is not damp or mouldy
No dampness or visible mould is a sign that this home is warm and dry. However, there may be mould in other less accessible places, and at certain times of the year. The best way to clean mould is to use a solution of 70mls of white vinegar and 30mls of water, spray it on affected areas, leave for up to an hour and then wipe off with a clean damp cloth. Keep an eye out especially in wardrobes and other enclosed spaces, and continue airing the home to remove stale, damp air.
The home has a kitchen rangehood
Great. Kitchen rangehoods allow moisture from cooking to be removed directly, reducing the need to ventilate with opening windows and reducing the risk that cooking moisture travels through the rest of the home.
Make sure to clean the filter regularly (they can often be put in dishwashers) to keep the rangehood running effectively. Check the rangehood is effective by holding an A4 piece of paper under it and see if the fan can lift it up. Lastly, to be HomeFit make sure the rangehood expels air to the outside and not into your roof - look for an outside vent.
All bathrooms have extractor fans
Great. Bathroom fans are one of the best things you can have to keep your home dry and warm and are a requirement of HomeFit and the Healthy Homes Standards. To be effective, fans should have an airflow of at least 25 litres per second (or have a fan ducting diameter of at least 120mm), which should be enough to hold up an A4 piece of paper.
Check that the fan ventilates to the outside, either through a wall, or if in a ceiling, through ducting connected to a grille on an outside wall or soffit, under the eaves.
Switch on the fan each time you take a shower or bath, and make sure it runs for at least 15 minutes after all water has drained away. A simple timer connected to the light switch can make this easier to manage and ensure everyone uses it. Don’t worry too much about the energy use if you accidentally leave it running too long. Fans are very cheap to run (less than 1c an hour).
The home has a heat pump in the main living area
This is one of the more popular and energy efficient forms of heating. Heat pumps are recognised heaters under HomeFit and the Healthy Homes Standards as they are large, fixed, efficient heaters that are suitable for living areas and bedrooms in well-insulated homes. Make sure you know how to use them effectively.
The home has a solar hot water system
Solar flat panels and evacuated tubes are efficient ways to convert solar energy (sunlight) to domestic hot water feeding your home. Panels and tubes should be positioned on the north face of your roof and should be angled to catch the winter sun. Ensure you have frost protection. Another way to use solar energy to heat your water is to use photovoltaic panels connected to an electric or heat pump hot water cylinder, with a timer or controller to optimise when the water is heated. For more information see this Gen Less advice on hot water.
It sounds like the home has mostly energy efficient lighting
Consider installing lighting timers, daylight sensors (particularly on any outdoor lighting) and dimmers to reduce energy consumption even more.
You may have downlights that require a gap in the insulation. These will need to be upgraded to meet the HomeFit standard, as they could reduce the effectiveness of your insulation (see an installer or electrician).
The home has at least one smoke alarm on each floor
Check that they are photoelectric and, if not, consider upgrading.
The home has smoke alarms either in each bedroom or within 3m of each bedroom
Check that they are photoelectric and, if not, consider upgrading.
Could use some work
You’re not sure how much roof insulation the home has
Get a qualified insulation company to check for you. To pass HomeFit and the Healthy Homes Standards you need at least 120mm of roof insulation but, if you're installing new insulation, we recommend at least R3.6 in most of the North Island and R4.0 in the South Island and Central Plateau. A supplier directory is provided at the end of this report.
You may have downlights that require a gap in the insulation. These will need to be upgraded to meet the HomeFit standard, as they could reduce the effectiveness of your insulation (see an installer or electrician).
The home does not have 'good' curtains or double glazing
HomeFit requires either 'good' curtains or double glazing in the living spaces and bedrooms. This home has neither.
Curtains are the unsung heroes of modern, warm, energy-efficient homes. By “good” we mean at least two layers, full length to the floor, and/or closed at the top (by a pelmet, the ceiling, or tight-fitting track). The thickness of the material is not as important as the number of layers, as it’s the air that’s trapped between the layers that gives the curtains the insulation ability.
Good curtains trap cold air behind them meaning less likelihood of cold draughts from the windows.
For those areas where full-length curtains are inconvenient or just not possible (above heaters or kitchen benches for instance), we recommend Roman or cellular - sometimes called honeycomb - blinds. These should still be tight fitting on the side and against the sill and have at least two layers of blind material. Venetian blinds (whether wooden or aluminium) or shutters are ineffective at keeping in warmth (and therefore don’t pass HomeFit), but have their uses in managing overheating, glare and privacy.
For more information, see the Eco Design Advisor Curtains factsheet.
The home also does not have double glazing. Double glazing can double the performance of single glazing and will make a room noticeably more comfortable in winter. For more information, go to the Gen Less Double Glazing page. A supplier directory is provided at the end of this report.
Cheaper alternatives include window insulation kits, a DIY install, where you stick plastic film to the inside of a window frame to create a still air space between the plastic film and the cold glass - a form of secondary glazing. Kits can be purchased from DIY stores and environment centres.
The home has sources of draughts that could do with being fixed
Check out the range of cheap and effective fixes for window and door gaps at your local DIY store. Some companies offer more technical services such as window tightening or building maintenance and repairs. A supplier directory is provided at the end of this report.
The home has an electric hot water cylinder but it isn't wrapped
Electric cylinders are the most common form of hot water heating in New Zealand but they can be relatively inefficient because heat is constantly escaping from the stored hot water.
Electric cylinders are accepted under HomeFit provided that they are well insulated. Newer cylinders (installed after 2002) usually come factory fitted with enough insulation but older cylinders should be wrapped.
Wrapping cylinders can save a lot of energy over the lifetime of the cylinder. Cylinder wraps can be bought from a DIY store and are easy to install. You can also improve efficiency by insulating the first metre of the hot water pipe leading from the top of the cylinder (lagging). Lagging can be bought from your local DIY or hardware store and is simple to install. For more information see this Energywise advice on hot water.
The showers are wasting a lot of hot water
Consider installing a low flow shower head or flow restrictor. Look for a shower head with a WELS (Water Efficiency Labelling Scheme) rating of 3 or more, or a flow rate of 9 litres per minute or less. For more information see this Energywise advice on hot water.
We don’t all have the time or expertise to fix up our home.
Here’s a handy list of professionals who can help make your home HomeFit. Some can even certify your home when they’re done!