"While I'm excited about our house purchase, my new home is over 100 years old and not quite as warm as it could be," says Kyle. "Add to that the average Wellington winter temperature of about 9 degrees with a fair amount of wind chill, and insulation was looking pretty good."

EECA estimates that heating makes up about a third of energy costs at home, but about a third of that will go through the roof and about 10% will go through the floor if the house isn’t insulated. Having the extra padding that insulation brings can significantly reduce this.

For Kyle, who has a young family, another major drawcard was health. The ideal temperature for a home in terms of comfort and health is between 18 and 21 degrees, and a properly insulated home can help make that temperature easier to maintain. On top of that, some of the benefits that come with a well-insulated home are less damp and mould, fewer hospitalisations, less visits to the GP, and improved mental health.

When it comes to insulating a home, there are standards to comply with, risks to factor in, and it can be finicky to do the job properly. That's why EECA recommends getting a professional on board to help — or if a homeowner wants to go down the DIY route, to make sure they know what they're doing.

With experience insulating homes in the UK and having expertise on hand from the Warmer Kiwi Homes team at EECA, Kyle was able to do the job himself.

Here's his experience.

Starting from the bottom 

"Standing in the lounge of my new home, you could just see the earth below through a gap between two floorboards," says Kyle.

Underneath the house itself was in a poor state – cold, damp, and littered with rubbish. There was no insulation at all, no plastic damp sheet, and a leaking stormwater pipe thrown in the mix. Not a great starting point. 

Firstly, he had to clear out all the rubbish, which was mostly wood and the old iron roof, fix the broken pipe, and then lay down a ground moisture barrier kit, just to be able to move around properly. Then there was the health and safety side of things.

"With the site in such a state, and because I was doing it all myself, I wanted to make sure that I wouldn’t get injured, so I took the health and safety side of things seriously. I wore a face mask, gloves, and safety glasses – and kept my phone on me at all times."

Next, he chose the type of insulation he would be using – underfloor polyester sections that can be fitted by compression instead of using staples or nails.

"Compression insulation is generally a bit pricier, but the costs are balanced out by how easy it is to install," says Kyle. "You just have to push the insulation into place and the compression keeps it there."

What is an R value?

Insulation uses a ratings system called the R-value. The rating indicates how well the insulation can resist heat flow. The higher the R-value, the more heat is kept in. The R-value depends on the type of material, its density and thickness. You can also layer up insulation to reach a higher level.

"I chose R2 for the underfloor which meets the standards in New Zealand and was the most I could practically fit in," says Kyle. "Insulation also comes with the added benefits of reducing both drafts and noise."

After installing the underfloor insulation, it was easy for him to notice the warmer floors and the draft reduction.

Up into the ceiling 

Secondly, the ceiling insulation. There were two attics to tackle, one with an old thin layer of glass fibre and a larger space with polyester insulation.  

"I added leftover R2 polyester underfloor sections to the small attic, and then added R4 glass wool as well, which probably got it to about R7-R9 overall, which is high, even by European standards. Then I added R4 glass wool to the large attic, probably getting to about R6-R7."

Glass wool is really good value for money, which was the attraction behind it for Kyle. And after his experience insulating homes back in the UK, it’s also nowhere near as itchy as it once was, which was a happy discovery. 

So was the house instantly warmer after the second stage?

"Well, I was convinced there was more heat in the house after this project, but then I may have still been cooling down after doing the work!"

The verdict

Insulating a home is generally not the first job done, but it really should be because it only needs doing once and the difference is noticeable.

"Individually, the two projects were a good start, and combined with other energy efficiency projects, you can absolutely feel the warmth," he says. "The heating isn't on as frequently and the rooms hold their heat much better."

Alongside the insulation, he replaced the old integrated ceiling lights with flush LED ones that are significantly more efficient and draft-free. On top of that, he also draft sealed his windows himself, which according to Kyle, makes a surprising amount of difference.

“To draft seal windows, you literally open the window, and stick the draft sealers on. Just check that the frames are clean first, so it sticks properly, but it’s one of the easiest things you can do to keep heat in your home.”

So overall, was it worth it?

“Definitely. The increase in comfort, lower energy bills, and lower emissions is permanent, and we’re enjoying the benefits of that already.”

Individually, the two projects were a good start, and combined with other energy efficiency projects, you can absolutely feel the warmth.

Get more information 

There are a few different types of home insulation, like ceiling, underfloor, and wall insulation. You can also take steps to keep heat in by putting low-cost insulation film on your windows, installing double glazing, or putting up thermal curtains.

While insulation film and thermal curtains are things you can do yourself, with insulation it’s a good idea to get professional advice on what would suit your home and to get two quotes – our advice is to choose an Insulation Association of New Zealand (IAONZ) member.

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