Consumer staffer Maggie lives with her partner Vince and two teenage sons in a 1920s bungalow in south Wellington.
The weatherboard and corrugated-steel-roof house has had some ceiling insulation installed. It's heated with a woodburner in the lounge and dining area, and a couple of electric heaters in the bedrooms.
Kapiti District Eco Design Advisor Richard Morrison offered to take a look at Maggie and Vince's house. The consultation took about an hour and a half.
Looking for energy improvements
Richard started by walking through the house with Maggie and Vince. During the walk-through Richard pointed out areas where energy improvements could be made.
After the walk-through, Richard, Maggie and Vince discussed options to improve the house's performance.
Some of Richard recommendations - such as draught-proofing, wraps for the hot-water cylinders, and getting a couple of power timers - could be implemented quickly and would cost a hundred dollars or so, in total. Other recommendations such as improving the insulation would cost maybe a few thousand but could be done on a DIY basis.
Replacing the two existing hot-water cylinders with one would probably have to wait until major remodelling was done. It could cost over $4000.
Richard gave Maggie and Vince an information pack containing a large selection of booklets and pamphlets on home energy.
The verdict
Maggie and Vince found the consultation very helpful. They were aware of some of the issues raised, but not all of them. They'll do the low-cost more simple fixes immediately; the more complex and more expensive changes will be part of renovations planned for a couple of years away.
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