GREAT COST EFFECTIVE TIPS TO KEEPING YOUR HOME COOL OVER SUMMER
1. Close curtains and blinds to shield your home from the harsh summer sun.
2. Open the windows and doors to create air flow.
3. Stop the heat coming inside - Invest in window shades or external coverings like plants.
4. Invest in insulation - Insulation works at keeping us warm in winter and cool in summer so it’s a worthwhile investment.
5. Switch to cotton - Opt for cotton bed linen so you don’t overheat at night.
6. Cook outside - Warmer evenings make it an ideal time to fire up the BBQ.
7. Dehumidify your home - Air is much easier to cool if it’s not humid and you’ll feel more comfortable too.
8. Change your lightbulbs - Incandescent lightbulbs produce a lot of heat, try switching to energy-saving bulbs. Not only will you save on energy costs, but they’ll help keep your home cooler too.
Renovating or buying?
Summer is a great time to think about buying a new home or renovating your existing home so that it’s cooler in the hot months and warmer and drier during winter. If you’re in the market for a new home – or you’re considering a renovation –get in touch with our team.
Rangiora after-hours clinic faces more delays
By David Hill, Local Democracy Reporter
The wait continues for a promised North Canterbury after hours healthcare facility.
Work is yet to begin on the proposed new Rangiora Medical Centre at the Rangiora Health Hub on Ashley St, which was first proposed more than five years ago.
The Waimakariri District Council granted a resource consent for the project in 2022, while the building consent is still being processed.
A council spokesperson said the application was on hold while some civil construction details are resolved by the applicants’ consultants.
‘‘We hope to be able to grant the consent in the very near future.’’
The Ministry of Health entered into an agreement with South Link Health Group in 2021 to build the after hours facility, following a petition being presented to the former Canterbury District Health Board (CDHB) two years earlier.
South Link Health Group is a network of 26 medical practises, and is responsible for funding and constructing the new facility.
It will include full radiology services (ultrasound, CT and MRI scans), GP services, a pharmacy, and urgent after hours healthcare.
A spokesperson for South Link Health said in December work was expected to begin on the site in March, with the medical centre on track to open in the first half of 2025.
In the meantime, limited after hours healthcare is available at Durham Health, Rangiora, and the Amberley Medical Centre, and at local pharmacies.
Residents can ring 111 in an emergency, contact their GP to speak to a triage nurse, call Healthline 0800 611116 for free advice from a nurse, or arrange online video consultations with a doctor (for a charge).
The after hours triage service is delivered by Whakarongarou and operates in North Canterbury, with access to a St John paramedic if a face to face assessment is required.
A rural after hours service, Ka Ora Telecare, offers phone or video consultations with a doctor. Go to kaora.co.nz/app/services/sub-services/3. The Pegasus 24 Hour Surgery in Christchurch is also available.
■ Public interest journalism funded through New Zealand on Air.
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