Healthy homes inspection and why they are important

We all know NZ can get quite frosty during winter and the thought of going to a warm cosy home after a long day at the office or working out on site in the cold is definitely something to look forward to. If you have a warm home that won’t be a problem…

Healthy Home reports are one of the specialized building reports that Inspect House NZ offers. Whether you are buying a property as a family home or as an investment, it needs to meet certain requirements. Unfortunately, many homes do not meet these minimum requirements and standards and that is why a building inspection report is so important.

The Ministry of Housing and Development (HUD) states that the healthy homes standards will:

“make it easier to achieve warmer, drier homes, helping to reduce mould and damp and the potential for associated health conditions.”

What our building inspectors look at 

Let Inspect House NZ help you with this. Our licensed building inspector will inspect the property to ensure that it is compliant with the minimum standards for heating, insulation, ventilation, moisture ingress, drainage and draft stopping.

Heating

Our building inspectors will determine whether or not the property has sufficient heating and if it meets the minimum standard In relation to KW output to size ratio.

Insulation

Where a subfloor and or ceiling space exists, our building inspectors check the R-value thickness and condition of the insulation. And will make sure that all insulation is in a good condition, with no mould, dampness and gaps.

Ventilation

Poor ventilation can cause mould and dampness, that is why our building inspectors will check all doors and windows for any unwarranted gaps and functionality. The kitchen and bathroom will be inspected to make sure there are extractor fans that vent to the outside.

Draught stopping

Draughty homes are difficult and expensive to heat. Our building inspectors will check for gaps in walls, ceilings, skylights, floors, doors and exterior cladding.

Moisture Ingress

Not only will a house with a high moisture reading cause damage to the property but it is not healthy. Our building inspectors will inspect the drainage of stormwater, surface water and groundwater with a detailed weathertightness report. They will inspect all gutters and downpipes and check to see if the property has a moisture barrier, especially when it has a sub-floor.