Southern View: July 01, 2021

SOUTHERN VIEW Latest Canterbury news at starnews.co.nz
Thursday July 1 2021 9
HOME & HEATING
Ground moisture barrier
under low sub-floor
Now with the colder and wetter weather on
its way, home owners are focusing on ways
to make their homes comfortable, warm
and healthy for their families throughout
winter. Rising damp is an issue that affects
many of our older properties which suffer
from poor, or no, ground moisture barrier.
In Canterbury especially, post-quake, many
people have relocated to homes that suffer
from rising damp which can be associated
with health problems. Independent tests have
shown that up to 40 litres of water can rise
from the ground and enter a house every day,
leading to mildew, mould, condensation and
musty smells. Moulds can produce various
allergic reactions and the frail, elderly and
very young are especially vulnerable.
Canterbury Foam Concrete Ltd is a
locally owned and operated firm. The team
understands the problems caused by rising
damp and are there to help. They will come
to your damp home and pump a lightweight,
flowable foam concrete under your timber
floored home.
While insulation is important, it has been
recognised that it is dampness that is the real
villain in the house. The new Healthy Homes
Standards introduced by the government
effective from the 1st July 2019 now has
a requirement to install ground moisture
barriers, a key element in the armory to fight
moisture in the home.
Dr Larry Bellamy BE (hons) PhD in a
report dated 1988: Foam Concrete Under
Timber Floors: An Energy Analysis assessed
the effects of placing Foam Concrete over
damp soil and had this to say: Condensation
on the underside of a timber floor can occur
where the floor is suspended over damp
ground and the inside air temperature falls
close to the crawl space air temperature.
Much energy is required to vaporize moisture
that penetrates the structure. By avoiding
underfloor condensation, foam concrete can
reduce floor heat losses by up to 90%.
• Canterbury Foam Concrete Ltd can in most
cases, install a Ground Moisture Barrier
under the suspended wooden floor of your
home, even when there is no crawl space.
• BRANZ Appraised; Appraisal Number 961
• Members of the Insulation Association of
New Zealand.
• We offer a free measure and quote in the
Canterbury region with no obligations.
• Assessments can be made in all other
regions by arrangement.
Contact Canterbury Foam Concrete Ltd
now for your free, no obligation quote and
complimentary appraisal of your underfloor
ground moisture barrier needs.
Phone 03 376 4608, 0508FOAMCO or
www.foamconcrete.nz for more information.
The facts about home ventilation
Balanced Pressure
vs Positive Pressure
Under the New Zealand Building Code,
all buildings, including residential, need
to be suitably ventilated, either with
opening windows or forced ventilation.
Clause G4.1 states: “The objective of this
provision is to safeguard people from
illness or loss of amenity due to lack of
fresh air.” There are many benefits to
forced, or mechanical, ventilation over
opening windows, including warmth,
security, reduction of outside noises and
reduction of condensation.
Traditional domestic ventilation systems
are ‘positive pressure’. They bring air in
from outside via the roof space and force
the stale air out through gaps around
windows and doors. The incoming air
from these systems
has to be heated
or cooled to keep
the house warm in
winter or cool in
summer.
The Smooth-
Air HEX390 is a
‘balanced pressure’
system. It extracts
air from the house
and at the same
time brings in
fresh air. These
two streams of air
pass through a heat
exchanger, which
warms incoming air in winter and cools in
summer if air conditioning is being used.
This means that up to 80% of the energy
which would be wasted using a traditional
positive pressure system is recovered,
resulting in significant energy savings and
therefore lower heating or cooling costs.
Until recently, balanced pressure
ventilation systems have been considerably
more expensive than traditional positive
pressure systems. However, with Smooth-
Air’s unique manufacturing capabilities, a
HEX390 balanced pressure system can be
installed for a similar price as a traditional
positive pressure system.
You can contact Smooth-Air on sales@
smooth-air.co.nz or 0800 SMOOTH.
ATTACK RISING DAMP
Smooth-Air
Ventilation Equipment Suppliers
totrade
retail
The most efficient way
to ventilate your home
&
HEX 390
For Healthy Indoor Air
T. 03 376 4608 E info@foamconcrete.nz
W. www.foamconcrete.nz
Heat is transferred to the
incoming filtered fresh air
HEAT PUMP
SALE NOW ON!
Amazin’ Winter Specials!!
80%
SubSidy
Warmer KiWi HomeS
Programme
*Eligibility criteria apply
• We will offer you the best quality brands and
option of heat pump for your home/business
• Providing Heat Pump solutions for over 19 years to Cantabrians
• We personally guarantee all our products & installs for 5 years
(providing annual maintenance has been completed)
Phone us today for your free consultation & quote
41A SHAKESPEARE RD, WALTHAM
PHONE 03 366 0525
www.enviromaster.co.nz
“A local team for local people”
Substantial energy savings
over traditional domestic
ventilation systems.
0800 SMOOTH
(0800 766 684)
sales@smooth-air.co.nz
Made in New Zealand,for New Zealand conditions
Fresh air
from outside
Warm, stale
air from house
264 Annex Rd
Riccarton
Christchurch
03 343 6184
Exhaust air
to outside
Warm fresh air
to house
Monday - Friday
7.30am - 5pm
www.smooth-air.co.nz