i miss central heating
Houses in New Zeland are “different”, as in “completely unsuitable for the local climate”. You’ll find many beautiful, very characteristic and spacious houses, but virtually none have double glazing or central heating, and older (pre-1980s) houses are not required to have insulation.
Now, take a look at this week’s weather forecast (thanks to Metservice):
Yes, it’s winter. When I wake up in the morning and wander down to the living room to switch on the gas heater, it says it’s 10°C indoors.
People are beginning to realise that humidity and indoor temperatures of 6°C are probably not very healthy. Unfortunately, renovation is not affordable for everyone without help from organisations such as Habitat for Humanity.
