Frequently asked questions
The following are some Frequently Asked Questions regarding the Warm Up New Zealand: Heat Smart programme.
How does the new programme work?
How do I find out what products can be funded?
Do people have to install both ceiling and under-floor insulation to get funding?
How do I know if my insulation meets requirements?
Can the programme funding be used for double glazing or wall insulation?
Can I install insulation/heating myself and still get funding?
Can I pay for my insulation or heating through my bank?
Can I pay for my insulation or heating through my council rates?
Can I have insulation and clean heating done at same time and combine the funding?
Why is 2000 the cut-off date for eligibility?
Tips for understanding your quote
Is the grant including or excluding GST?
What are the R values of different insulation products?
Questions to ask your service provider
What do I do if I have a complaint?
How do I work out if I am getting a good price?
Can I get funding after the insulation is done?
Checking everything is OK - what is the audit process?
How do I find someone to insulate my house?
How does the new programme work?
The programme will offer to pay a third (up to $1,300) of the cost of installing ceiling and under floor insulation in homes built before 2000. Homes with sufficient ceiling and underfloor insulation may also access funding for clean heating devices like approved wood burners, pellet burners, heat pumps, or flued gas heaters. Community Services Card (CSC) holders will be eligible for higher levels of funding.
How do I find out what products can be funded?
There is a long list of products that are eligible for funding. Providers will be able to give you information about the right product for your needs.
The types of products covered are:
Insulation products:
- Wool
- Polyester
- Fibreglass
- Mineral fibre
- Polystyrene (but not in the ceiling)
Clean heating products:
- Approved wood burners. Check out the Ministry for the Environment's list of authorised woodburners.
- Approved pellet fires. Check out the Ministry for the Environment’s list of pellet burners.
- 4-star AGA-rated flued gas heaters. Ask your provider for a list of the gas heaters they supply.
- ENERGY STAR® heat pumps. Note that multi-split and ducted heat pump systems are not eligible for funding. Current list of ENERGY STAR qualified heat pumps.
Providers use different products. If you are after a particular product you may need to call a few providers to see who installs that product.
Why are some products funded but not others?
EECA approves products for use under the programme on the basis of their performance and safety.
Do people have to install both ceiling and under-floor insulation to get funding?
Yes. Ceiling and under-floor insulation must be installed to get funding. You do not need to install insulation if you already have it to EECA requirements. Concrete floors and inaccessible ceiling areas do not need to be insulated. You can add other funded measures of your choice.
How do I know if my insulation meets requirements?
A service provider will come to your house and do an assessment of your insulation. You can also read more information about adequate insulation.
Can the programme funding be used for double glazing or wall insulation?
No, funding does not cover double glazing or wall insulation.
Can I install insulation/heating myself and still get funding?
No, funding can only be granted where EECA approved installers are carrying out the work. This is to ensure the products are installed in a safe and effective manner.
I've already received funding for insulation under previous schemes. Do I qualify under this scheme too?
In principle, yes you can. For example if you have previously received funding for ceiling insulation, you may now apply for funding for underfloor insulation.
However note that funding is only available to bring insulation up to EECA levels of insulation. You can't get funding to insulate beyond that level.
Can I pay for my insulation or heating through my bank?
All main trading banks have agreed to join the government's insulation and heating scheme, and all have agreed to waive their fees for top-up loans homeowners get as part of insulation retrofits.
Exact details may differ from bank to bank, but the general way it will work is that you contact your local service provider and get a quote for your insulation and / or clean heating needs. Your quote will detail the amount of government funding you are eligible for and the remaining balance. You then take that quote to your bank and discuss the options for adding it on to your existing mortgage.
Each bank operates slightly differently so talk to them about your specific circumstances.
Can I pay for my insulation or heating through my council rates?
EECA is working with councils on the potential to pay remaining costs through your rates bill over a period of time. The councils that offer this are listed below - you can contact these councils for more details. This information will be updated as more councils are confirmed.
- Nelson City Council ratepayers can pay off an insulation and clean heat retrofit on their rates bill provided they are in a polluted airshed and have to replace an existing non-approved burner. Note that this can only be accessed through Nelson City Council - not other service providers in the area.
- Environment Canterbury is rolling out the offer in stages. People within urban Christchurch city can already choose to pay off an insulation and clean heat retrofit on their rates bill. From late 2009 this will extend to include Timaru, Ashburton and Kaiapoi and Rangiora. In time the offer will be extended to ratepayers in the wider Canterbury region. Note that this can only be accessed through Environment Canterbury - not other service providers in the area.
- Hawkes Bay Regional Council is working on the details of a scheme they hope to have operational by 1 October 2009.
Can I have insulation and clean heating done at same time and combine the funding?
You can get both done at the same time, but insulation funding cannot go towards a heating installation or vice versa.
Why is 2000 the cut-off date for eligibility?
Insulation requirements in the Building Code have increased over the years. Designating eligibility for pre-2000 houses is a way to prioritize houses that will have inferior or no existing insulation.
Tips for understanding your quote
A quote should clearly show the name of the product being installed, what the quantity is and the cost per square metre.
The quantity of product quoted should be roughly the size of your house.
The installer should explain why the product and quantity recommended is the best solution for your home.
Your quote will also show the total cost, the amount of grant funding you qualify for and the final amount you need to pay.
Is the grant including or excluding GST?
The grant includes the GST that you would have needed to pay. The grant amount that you are eligible for is calculated and removed from the total amount you would have had to pay, after GST has been added.
What are the R values of different insulation products?
The effectiveness of insulation is measured by its thermal resistance, or R-value. The higher the R-value on an insulation product, the more it slows down the transfer of heat and is therefore more effective.
Always use the R-values of products to gauge their performance, that way you can compare different product types.
Some installers may recommend a double thickness of products, doubling its R-value. For example, an installer may recommend a double layer of a product with an R-value of R1.5, which will achieve an R-value of R3.0 once it is installed in your home. You need to take this into account when you are looking at how many square metres you have been quote for.
Note: Reflective foils do not have an R value and aren't approved for use in the programme.
Questions to ask your service provider
- Which areas are you covering?
- What products do you recommend?
- Why are your recommended products the best solution for my house?
- In what ways are your recommended products better than others?
- Are you using double thickness of any products?
What do I do if I have a complaint?
As with any services transaction, if you are unhappy with the service or product received, you should first contact the company involved to resolve the issue.
If for some reason you can't resolve an issue with your service provider, or you want an independent opinion on what you are being told, call 0800 749 782 or email info@eeca.govt.nz.
How do I work out if I am getting a good price?
As with any major purchase, you should shop around and get quotes from several different companies to ensure you are getting the best deal. Quotes will vary, mainly because of the price of the different insulation products each service provider uses. Make sure you are comparing like for like (see the section on this page about R-values).
The contracts EECA has with service providers ensure that all participating companies offer a good service for a reasonable price. Under the contracts, businesses must state the maximum price range they will charge consumers, and they have to stay below that level or face having their contracts terminated. EECA will, as part of the auditing process, monitor prices being charged and take action as necessary.
Consumer NZ has published a report on different insulation products and prices, which you may find helpful.
Please note that Consumer charges a fee to access some areas of the report. Download this report on the Consumer website.
There are also typical average costs for installing insulation and heating listed on the ENERGYWISE website.
What is the heating grant?
The heating grant is only available if your house is already insulated to EECA's standard in both the ceiling and under the floor. If your house isn't insulated, you may access funding for both the insulation and heating.
Under the programme, the clean heating unit must be installed in the primary living area.
DIY tips
Funding isn't available for those who wish to install insulation themselves. This is due to the need for EECA to manage the programme effectively and ensuring safety, quality and performance of the insulation and heating.
EECA supports DIY insulation and provides a standard on how to install insulation in residential buildings. This is a great guide to follow if you are looking at installing insulation in your property and to ensure you're getting the best performance, durability, and safety from installing insulation.
Can I get funding after the insulation is done?
Funding is not available for insulation work carried out prior to the programme starting.
Funding is only available through a service provider registered with the programme and if the work is quoted, applied for and completed after 1 July 2009.
Checking everything is OK - what is the audit process?
There are two parts to the process that ensures the work completed in your home is done properly:
- After the job has been finished, a supervisor from the company you contracted will inspect the work and complete an assessment form.
- All installers registered with EECA will have a random selection of their work independently inspected by an auditor.
EECA aims to audit 5-8 per cent of all homes done under the programme, so your home may be randomly selected for an audit. If so, you will be contacted by an auditor 4-6 weeks after the installation to make a time at your convenience. The installer may accompany the auditor during the audit, which may take 1-2 hours. You are under no obligation to have your home audited.
How do I find someone to insulate my house?
If you want to get your house done under the programme, go to the list of Service Providers who work in your area and choose a couple of companies to give you quotes.
You should be aware that demand is very high and the number of homes able to be done under the programme is limited. This is because there is a finite pool of money that the government has allocated to insulating New Zealand homes over the four-year programme.
Talk to your Service Provider about the funding they have available and how long it will take for them to get to your house.
If you are having trouble getting an installer to contact you or respond to your initial enquiry via EECA's website, give them a call.
More information
- The Warm Up New Zealand: Heat Smart programme (EECA site)
- Additional funding for Warm Up New Zealand: Heat Smart
- Is your insulation adequate?
- NZ Standard on installing insulation in residential buildings NZS 4246
- Choosing and using your appliances
- Get more from your hot water
- Make your home warmer and healthier
- How to choose a heat pump and use it wisely
