Family Comfort, Heating & Safety

The most common advice is to keep your home at a temperature of between 21-22ºC for ideal indoor healthy living all year round. However, this can vary among individuals, the elderly and babies who may need warmer temperatures.

Your newborn or young baby can’t regulate their temperature and rely on you to control it for them. Newborns can suffer from hypothermia due to their proportionally large skin surface area, the fact that they have less subcutaneous fat, and their lack of ability to shiver.

New Zealand’s climate and the way our homes are built make it difficult to control the temperature of our children’s rooms (hot days with temperatures dropping in the evening and homes that are not insulated well without double glazing).

It is equally important to ensure your child is not too hot during summer (body temperature dips at night to trigger the brain for sleep) as well as warm enough during cooler months. Your baby is harder to wake when they are too warm which may increase the risk of Sudden Unexplained Death of an Infant (SUDI). 

The best temperature range for your baby is between 16˚C and 19˚C, humidity levels should be around 40-60%. If the temperature of the room goes over 22˚C it is likely to be too hot for your baby.

To check if your baby is not too hot during sleep, feel the back of their neck or stomach (don’t use their hands or feet as a measure, because as extremities, these get colder and cold/warm feet don’t necessarily mean your baby is too hot or cold).

The temperature for your baby’s room should be above 16˚C, if possible. When the temperature is below that it becomes difficult to safely control the baby's warmth with blankets and clothing alone. Consider using a safe heat source such as a heat pump that can help to regulate room temperature.

Baby’s room should be well-aired, warm but not too hot - it should feel comfortable for a lightly clothed adult

• It is a good idea to use a form of heating with a thermostat (such as a heat pump), because fan heaters can overheat a room and gas heaters can release dangerous fumes
• To make sure your baby is warm enough in bed, adjust your heat pump settings accordingly and use more clothing layers on your baby in cooler weather, rather than adding more layers of bedding (baby can wriggle around in bed while staying safe and warm)
• If you use a blanket: make sure it’s lightweight and securely tucked in under the mattress, and that it can’t come loose or cover your baby’s face
• Place your baby near the foot of the cot to stop them slipping down under the covers. Keep their face clear of covers by tucking them in firmly
• You can check your baby’s warm enough by putting two fingers on the top of your baby’s back. If it's warm, then they're warm enough.

• Keep floors fresh & clean
• Use anti-bacterial paint
• Clean with eco-friendly products
• Use natural scents rather than artificial products
• Invest in an air purifier or advance featured heat pump/air conditioner that can purify and heat/cool the area (such as Daikin’s US7 that has 2-stage filtration to remove carbon monoxide, formaldehyde and allergens from the air, advanced humidification and powerful dehumidification)

The Heat Pump People recommends Daikin’s range of products for air quality, approved by the Asthma & Respiratory Foundation NZ. Daikin air purifiers and split heat pumps are authorised to display the Sensitive Choice butterfly symbol.

The Heat Pump People are passionate about providing family comfort for our clients. Our skilled team provide free consultations/quotations for heating/cooling solutions, installation, servicing, parts and repairs for a wide range of heat pumps throughout Christchurch and Canterbury. If you have any questions about custom heating and cooling solutions or about our services and how we can help you and your family, please contact us today. 

We are available by phone on (03) 366 1823 or alternatively, you can reach us through our online contact form.