With winter on the way, residents can check their home is warm and dry using a Healthy Home Kit. These are now available to borrow free of charge from all Kāpiti Coast District Council libraries.

Council sustainability and resilience manager Nienke Itjeshorst said the Healthy Home toolkit will help people check how their home is performing for warmth and dampness.

“We all know a warm, dry home is better for your health, and easier to heat and more energy efficient. That is good for people, and good for reducing a home’s carbon footprint.

“That’s why we’ve put together some Healthy Home Kits with five tools for diagnosing your living space so you can check your home is warm and dry and that your appliances are working efficiently.

“Cold, damp, and mouldy houses are uncomfortable, and can cause serious health problems. It’s also more difficult and expensive to heat damp and draughty houses, so Council is keen to help reduce this issue in our district,” Ms Itjeshorst said.

The kit can be issued for one week to anyone with a library card, and includes:

• an infrared thermometer to find air leaks or areas that need insulating
• a thermometer/hygrometer to check room temperature and humidity
• a stopwatch to help you measure your shower flow rate so you can take steps to both save water and reduce the energy you need to heat it
• a power meter that measures electricity usage, costs, and carbon emissions of your appliances
• a wood moisture level meter to make sure your wood is dry enough to burn efficiently
• a user-guide to show you how to use the tools and record your findings.

Information about the kit, including ‘how to’ videos, the user-guide, and record sheets are on the Council website at www.kapiticoast.govt.nz/HealthyHomeKit

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