The team at Genius Homes are based in Timaru so they know a thing or two about the cold, and this has led them to build homes that are well set-up to fight the plunging temperatures. They ensure each home they build is well insulated to fight off the freeze. In this blog, we explore how a prefab home can keep you warmer this winter through the use of the innovative build process and unique design features.
The South Island of New Zealand can get some pretty cold weather. According to National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (NIWA), Ranfurly and Middlemarch regions in Central Otago tied for New Zealand's coldest temp of 2018 at -6C. This is by no means the coldest temperature recorded in the South Island. That accolade goes to Ranfurly, Eweburn which recorded a staggering –25.6 on the 17th July 1903.
A well insulated home has what is called an R value, which is its rating on the material's resistance to conductive heat flow, and therefore indicates the insulating's effectiveness. The higher the R value the better that material will be at keeping your home nice and warm.
The New Zealand government has a set of standards that outline the minimum R value for insulation in new build houses. But the value they require is for the area, and all the materials combined and the total R value achieved.
Let's take your roof as an example. To meet the building regulations you need to have an insulation level of R3.3 to meet building standards.
One of the many materials Genius use is pink batts.
For a pitched timber frame roof with corrugated iron cladding, 90mm bottom chord and chord spacing of 900mm you're looking at insulation rated at R3.5 to achieve the government's requirement of R3.3
A skillion roof (concrete tiles) with 190mm rafters and battens and rafter spacing of 900mm would require insulation with a rating of R3.1 to achieve an overall R rating of R3.3.
Each Genius Homes design has a standard inclusion of R3.6 Badford Gold roof insulation, which combined with the Colorsteel roof sheeting and pine roof framing makes for a higher than standard level of insulation.
Genius Homes carries this philosophy of warm houses even further as each home includes a Mitsubishi heat-pump, with some homes featuring a wood burner too.
There are other advantages to choosing a Genius Homes prefab home beyond the next level insulation and heating levels.
Factory built means that building is done in dry conditions, so no surprise showers or dumping of snow on your framework before the house is weathertight! Seals on our prefab houses are nice and tight, locking in more heat.
To keep you warm this winter, Genius Homes have a great range of heating and insulation standard inclusions for every home:
- 60mm expol underfloor insulation.
- Roof insulation R3.6 Badford Gold - other options available.
- Wall insulation R2.6 Badford Gold to all external walls - other options available.
- Double glazed aluminium windows with clear pine H3.1, 25mm reveals.
- Hinged double glazed entry doors.
- Mitsubishi Heat pump (sizes vary according to house size).
- Gas water heating or electric hot water cylinder.
- 3 in 1 Heat/light/fan unit in the bathroom.
Fnd your perfect Genius Homes design why not check out our latest brochure?
