It’s the perfect time to get your home ready for winter

In Ashburton, Christine and her husband Brian still can’t believe their cold family home is finally easy to heat thanks to a Warmer Kiwi Homes grant.

“We knew we couldn’t afford to do what needed to be done, and our heat pump was dying a very slow death. So, we rang them on the off chance that they could help us,” Christine says.

Their application for a Warmer Kiwi Homes grant, administered by the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority (EECA), meant they could get their ceiling insulated and their old downlights replaced with energy-efficient LED ones. A heat pump was also installed – all for only a few hundred dollars.

“We’ve had an amazing result. We’re just so extremely grateful. Our home has always been cold and everything that’s been done now has made an enormous difference not only to how warm it is in the winter, but the cost of our power bills.”

The couple's power bills in winter were down about $100 a month on what they’d been the year before.

“It was almost a daily worry about how we were going to pay our power bill and everything else because we live solely on our Super. But now it means we’ve got no hesitation putting the heat pump on when we need to, because we know the heat is actually going to be contained.”

Since the launch of Warmer Kiwi Homes in 2018, more than 188,000 installations of heavily subsidised insulation, heating or both have been completed.

The grants see people pay about 10% of the cost of a new heat pump installation in areas classed as high need. How much people pay for insulation depends on where they live but ranges from 10% in high-need areas to 50% in middle-income areas. Recipients must own their home and live in it – so the grant is not available to renters.

Warmer Kiwi Homes manager Henry Nepia said an independent review of the programme found households reduced their electricity use by 16% over winter once the work was done.

The review also estimated a saving to the country’s health system of $15 million a year because people would be less likely to see the doctor or be hospitalised with respiratory illnesses.

“An insulated home is drier, healthier, easier and more economical to heat,” Nepia says.

He encourages people to start making enquiries over the warmer months – even though you’re more likely to have aircon rather than heating on your mind. There can be waits for approved installers to become available as it gets closer to winter.

“Summer is the perfect time to look into it. Installers have capacity and you know your home will be ready for next winter. Your whānau could be enjoying a warmer, drier house that will be much cheaper to heat next winter if you get onto it now.”

How to get a Warmer Kiwi Homes insulation grant

Insulation helps keep your home warm in winter and cool in summer.

To be eligible you will need to:

• own and live in a home that was built before 2008

• not have ceiling or underfloor insulation

• have a Community Services Card, a SuperGold Combo Card or live in an area identified as low to middle income.

If you’re eligible, a Warmer Kiwi Homes grant covers:

• 90% of the cost if you have a Community Services Card, SuperGold Combo Card or live in a high-need area

• 80% of the cost if you live in certain areas

• 50% of the cost if you live in a middle-income area.

EECA says you should expect to pay about $2,150 if you get a 50% grant. With an 80–90% grant, you will pay between $280 to $800 – depending on the size of the house and whether you’re getting ceiling insulation, underfloor insulation, or both.

How to get a Warmer Kiwi Homes heat pump grant

To be eligible you will need to:

• own and live in a home that was built before 2008

• have a Community Services Card, a SuperGold Combo Card or live in an area identified as low income

• have ceiling and underfloor insulation installed to EECA’s standards

• not already have a heat pump, wood or pellet burner, flued gas heater or central heating system in a living area.

If you’re eligible, a Warmer Kiwi Homes grant covers 90% of the cost (up to $3,450).

Heat pump grants aren’t available for middle-income areas like the insulation grant is.

EECA says you should expect to pay between $400– $700 for a heat pump – it will depend on what size and brand you get.

How to apply for a Warmer Kiwi Homes grant

You can easily check your eligibility for a Warmer Kiwi Homes by answering a few questions on EECA’s website. Or call 0800 749 782.

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Brought to you in partnership with EECA.