SPF your house over summer
When those super hot summer days and nights eventually come around, all you will want is a safe haven to save you from the heat. These are a few steps you can take to stay cool when the weather heats up.
• Make sure your ceilings are insulated - insulation can help keep out the suns heat
• Set your ceiling fans to rotate anti-clockwise.
• Turn your fans around, face them towards an open window so they can blow the hot air out of the house. Fill a mixing bowl with ice (or something equally cold, like an ice pack), and position it at an angle in front of a large fan so the air whips off the ice in an extra-chilled, extra-misty state. Trust us: It’s magic.
• If you have a heat pump, try out the fan-only or dehumidifier options to cool your house. They use less power than air conditioning and are still effective.
• Keep the windows open overnight and then close them in the morning to try and hold in the cold air.
• Install safety catches on your windows so you can leave them open all day, even when you're out.
• Close blinds or curtains to keep sunlight out during the hottest hours of the day, especially on windows that get direct sun. Some blinds are designed to let you see out, but still block most of the direct UV rays. As simple as this tip may seem, closing your curtains and blinds essentially prevents your home from becoming a miniature greenhouse.
• Turn off unnecessary lights and electrical appliances – this reduces a home's heat load.
• When cooking, keep windows open, put lids on saucepans and use an extractor fan to reduce steam and heat.
• Ventilate – keep doors or windows open at opposite ends of the house to create a through-draught, or cross ventilation.
• Closing off unused rooms will prevent cool air from permeating these areas during the hottest part of the day. You’ll want to capitalize on the cooler night hours, too, letting air flow naturally through your home.
• Start the barbie - It’s obvious, but we’re going to say it anyway: using your oven or stove in the summer will make your house hotter. If it already feels like 50 degrees in your home, the last thing you want to do is turn on an oven.
• Make a few long-term improvements - you can make a couple changes to your home that will keep it cooler for seasons to come. Insulated window films, for example, are a smart purchase as they work similarly to blinds. And additions like awnings and planting trees or vines near light-facing windows will shield your home from the sun’s rays, reduce the amount of heat your home absorbs and make your investment even more worthwhile.
Hopefully these were of some use to you, and if you have anything to add or any comments please do below!
Poll: Is the increase in disability parking fines fair?
In October, the fine for parking in a designated mobility car park without a permit has jumped from $150 to $750—a 400% increase!
The goal is to keep these spaces open for those who truly need them. Do you think this big increase in the fine is fair? Share your thoughts below.
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89.1% Yes, it's fair
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10.3% No, it's unreasonable
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0.7% Other - I'll share below
COME AND SEE HISTORY
THE CHRIST CHURCH VISITOR CENTRE OPEN DAY…COME AND SEE HISTORY
NZ history is to be taught in all NZ schools and kura, and this Visitor Centre is the place where some of that history can be displayed.
This new building provides for a place for visitors to gather and to learn more about the church, and the local history it represents, and also to accommodate volunteer guides who can then provide tours of the church and graveyard. It will also provide space for small functions like weddings, and hospitality for visitors. School student visits will be especially encouraged. .
There are some wonderful stories associated with this tiny church, one of the oldest in New Zealand. Te Rauparaha features in some, as does Honiana Te Puni, and Te Whiti O Rongomai, the Hero of Parihaka.
The settlers were a tough breed, and had to be to survive, but they were offered food, shelter and hospitality by the Tangata Whenua, including the whanau of Chief Manihera Matangi, whose father signed te Tiriti O Waitangi. He was a staunch Christian and true friend of the early settlers who, with a number of his descendants, is buried in the churchyard. His family still lives in the Hutt Valley
The Christ Church Taita has set up a trust, The Christ Church Taita Cottage Museum Trust, to provide a Visitor Centre for this heritage taonga, built in 1854 by the first organised group of European settlers to come to NZ, who landed on Pito-One Beach in January 1840
The full cost to establish the completed Visitor Centre is estimated to be $420,000.
So far $350,000 has been raised and spent and the building is up and is now partially complete.
COME AND SEE AND FIND OUT MORE ON SUNDAY NOVEMBER 3RD FROM NOON-4.30 PM
73 EASTERN HUTT ROAD TAITA LOWER HUTT…FOLLOW THE MOTORWAY SIGNS
Christmas period Plumbing.
Good morning fellow Neighbours, I hope you are all enjoying a beautiful Saturday. As Christmas is fast approaching I thought I would send a friendly reminder that Findlays Plumbing Solutions will be closed from the 27th of December - 3rd of January but open for business all other days 24/7. With no additional call out fee over the break, besides Christmas Day and Sundays.
If you have a plumbing issue or want a free quote for anything big or small, feel free to get in touch.
📧contact@findlaysplumbing.co.nz
📞 0273788706