Harold Fisher's house was so cold last winter, he and his family slept in the lounge to be closer to the fire.
This winter, after their house was insulated, they are back in their bedrooms and getting a better night's sleep.
The Fishers are one of more than 100 families to benefit from the Healthy Homes Project, which is making a huge difference for members of low-income families with respiratory diseases.
Temperatures have risen in the Owhata home Mr Fisher shares with his wife and two children after insulation was installed in the ceiling and under the floor.
Two weeks on, they are noticing the difference.
"We can take our shoes off inside now and not feel the damp. Before you could almost feel the cold in the carpet," Mr Fisher said.
Now, with less heat escaping through the roof, their home is staying drier and warmer for longer - and Mr Fisher is hoping that will have major spinoffs for his family's health.
Four-year-old Jazmin, who this year won national fame after her skills as a piano prodigy featured in the Daily Post, suffers from chronic asthma and allergies.
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She coughs continuously during piano recitals and often visits her doctor for check-ups.
"We know it's because the houses we've rented previously have had no insulation and were sub-standard," said Mr Fisher.
Since buying their house two years ago, the Fishers have renovated it extensively. Previous occupants left it with broken windows and mouldy walls and ceilings.
"It was a dump," Mr Fisher said. "We worked day in, day out, to get it looking nice. But we had no money left over for insulation."
He applied to the Healthy Homes Committee, hoping his family would qualify for subsidised insulation, and last month the insulation was installed.
"They've just done a really wonderful job. We're saving up for a proper ventilation system now."
Separate to an insulation scheme involving Housing New Zealand homes in Fordlands, the project targets low-income home owners who have two or more people in their home with a respiratory disease.
It has been jointly funded by the Energy Efficiency Conservation Authority, Rotorua Trust, Lakes District Health Board, BayTrust and the Ministry of Health.
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The Rotorua Healthy Homes Committee wants to insulate more homes before winter sets in.
Houses must have been built prior to 1977 and residents must hold a Community Services Card and suffer from a respiratory illness in order to be eligible.
Householders are asked to contribute 10 per cent of the total cost of the "retrofit", which usually amounts to about $200.
Trained retrofitters, employed by Whakatane-based Energy Options, will install full ceiling and underfloor insulation plus extras such as door stops and hot water cylinder wraps.
The work dramatically improves household energy efficiency. An un-insulated home loses 42 per cent of its heat through the roof, 24 per cent through walls, 12 per cent through windows and 10 per cent through the floor.
Recent research by the University of Otago shows there are significant health gains when homes are properly insulated. Also, lower energy consumption may result in cheaper power bills, leaving more money for food and clothes.
To apply, call the Energy Options hotline on 0508 927 687.
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