Curtains in rentals
Curtains are essential for a warm, healthy home. Here's what to know as a renter to get the most out of your curtains.
Whether a green paisley swirl or a modern muted linen, curtains are essential for a healthy home. More important than the material is the way they’re installed.
When warm air hits cold glass, two things happen: the warm air escapes and the newly cooled air forms condensation on the window pane.
The best way of dealing with this is by keeping warm air away from the window with curtains and blinds, which creates a pocket of air between the window and the window covering.
Getting the most out of curtains:
• Ideally, they should touch the floor and the track and curtain should be wider than the window frame. The most important part is to cover the whole window and create a seal against the cold air.
• They should fit tightly against the wall or window frame. Sometimes changing the type of track they’re hung on can close a gap between the window and the curtain. For example, rods and rails are often installed a few centimetres out from the window, which means there can be big gaps and no seal created.
• Pelmets can help to decrease heat loss, but won’t stop it completely.
• Curtains with two layers can increase heat retention, but how they’re fitted is most important.
• Net curtains, installed very close to the window and in contact with the window frame, can be effective.
• Blinds need to be installed snugly inside the window frame to be effective. If they sit out from the window, or if there are gaps between the blind and the frame, they’re not going to keep the heat in.
• Remember to open curtains every morning to make the most of the sun’s heat, and close them at sundown to keep that heat in.
Keep reading: www.curtainclean.co.nz...
Poll: Does a savoury scone require cheese on top, or folded inside?
Help settle the great kiwi debate ... cheese on top, or folded inside?
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76.8% Inside!
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23.2% On top!
Got more greens than you know what to do with? 🥦🌱🥕
Whether it’s a courgette takeover or a feijoa frenzy, don’t let those garden gems go to waste!
Our suggestion to you: Did you know you can grate and freeze excess courgettes to use in chocolate cake later? It sounds a bit dodgy, but it makes the cake incredibly moist ... and hey, it counts as a serving of veg, right? 🍫
What’s your go-to move for a bumper harvest? Drop your best "glut" recipes or preservation hacks in the comments below! 👇
Mr Minit in Chartwell: Be wary
Hi all,
Just sharing my experience. I had the battery for my car key replaced in March 2025 at Mr. Minit in Chartwell. I was given a one‑year warranty, which seemed impressive at the time.
However, the battery stopped working early Mar 26. With the warranty card, I brought the key back to have it checked and replaced. What I didn’t realise was that the battery was *not* actually replaced. He only tested it with a meter. When I asked whether he had replaced the battery, he said “yes,” but that wasn’t true. He then said he had tested the battery level and there was no need to replace it. When I asked to see the meter, it showed the battery was in the green zone which means it was ok.
I was then advised that I might need to replace the entire key unit. I asked whether he had properly troubleshot the issue to confirm it was the battery and not the key itself. His reply was that he normally doesn’t do that, but I was a “special case.” That means, the warranty card was a misrepresentation and there was no real intention of replacing the battery when it was faulty.
After he finally replaced the battery with a new one, my key worked perfectly again.
**Lesson learned:**
Make sure you take a photo of your warranty card. I feel like the warranty is mostly for show — if I had lost it, I would have been charged another $20+ for a battery. Worst still, I would have to pay more to change the key unit unnecessarily.
Make sure you witness that they replace your old battery with a new one if it's still under warranty.
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