It's a sobering figure: about 1600 New Zealanders die every winter because of New Zealand's housing and health problems derived from damp and cold homes.
Now one of those sources of dampness – bathrooms and showers – is being addressed by a shower top which not only prevents steam from accruing in that room but from spreading into adjacent rooms.
The product – called Showerdome shower top– is easily fitted and can play a role in helping to combat damp and cold homes which are thought to be a factor in the 1600 annual deaths, mostly from respiratory and circulatory illness.
The estimate comes from University of Otago research from 2009. Otago University public health professor Philippa Howden-Chapman, in her 2015 book Home Truths: Confronting New Zealand's Housing Crisis, wrote she was often embarrassed by the reaction of overseas audiences when she talked about New Zealand's housing problems, including the high winter mortality rate.
It's an issue taken so seriously by the government that the last census, held in March, gathered new information on damp and mouldy housing. At the time, the Census general manager for 2018, Denise McGregor, said one of the most important new questions in the March 6 census concerned housing and heating.
"Housing quality can affect health," she said, "and…high priorities would be questions on mould, dampness and access to basic amenities like cooking facilities, electricity, or a bath or shower."
The energywise.co.nz website (powered by EECA, the government's Energy Efficiency and Conservation Agency recommends a Showerdome shower top and says: "The average NZ family produces up to 8 litres of moisture in the home each day from activities like cooking and showering. This is normal and can be managed by insulating, heating and ventilating."
It can also be managed by fitting Showerdome shower top, trialled by Consumer NZ last year which produced this report: "We measured the relative humidity (RH) in the shower room outside the cubicle before installation and found it rocketed from 50 per cent to 80 per cent in 30 seconds when our shower was running, nearing 100 per cent within three minutes.
"Once installed, the Showerdome shower top kept humidity in check, with the RH only reaching 70 per cent at the end of a 10-minute shower. In other words, we had dry walls and a clear mirror.
The Showerdome shower top works by stopping the hot air from the shower and the cold air in the bathroom from colliding – and producing steam. Also, you may find you can set the water temperature lower as there is no cold air getting into your shower. In addition, installing a Showerdome shower top may mean you no longer need to run your extractor fan or mirror demister, and you might not need to run your electric towel rail for as long."
Showerdome General Manager, Ross Van Horn says it stops condensation building up on the ceiling, walls and floor, with the shower cubicle staying warm and steam-free: "If you have an en-suite bathroom, moisture does not flow into the bedroom so curtains, bed, wardrobe, carpets all stay dry. "It helps produce a warmer, drier, healthier home. It is a fact damp, cold homes require more heating so a Showerdome shower top will help save electricity."
It is also a product aimed at landlords – as, by early 2019, landlords must by law provide tenants with a warm, dry, well ventilated rental property.
Other tips for keeping your home warm and dry (from energywise.co.nz) for bathrooms, kitchens and laundries:
• Avoid drying washing inside - dry it outside or under a covered verandah, garage or carport. If it's raining, use a clothes dryer (ducted to the outside).
• Use lids on pots when cooking to reduce moisture and save energy.
• Install a Showerdome shower top to stop steam escaping into your bathroom.
• Ventilate your house during the day when it's warmer – close up before it gets cold.