Solid fuel heater installation is covered by the NZ Building Code and a building consent is required. There is a safety issue with any appliance that contains fire and correct installation is very important. It is for safety and environmental reasons that Council has restrictions on the type of appliance for which it will issue building consents. Please note that smoke alarms complying with the NZ Building Code are required with all fire installations.
View MBIE's information on the required location of smoke alarms on the building code
(This relates to F7/AS1 section 3.3 of the building code)
Go to MBIE for more information on solid fuel heaters
Council will not issue building consents for second hand fires unless they are less than three years old. You may be required to prove the age of the solid fuel heater if it is second hand and you must have the correct installation instructions. A second hand fire older than three years can receive a building consent but it will have to be inspected by a suitably qualified person and shown to be safe, of sound construction and compliant with NZS7421 and NZS7401 (AS/NZS3869). Council recognises the following as being suitably qualified persons:
- Heating Marlborough, 55 Grove Road, Blenheim Phone 03 578 5950
- Tony Gardner, 81 Martin Street, Stoke Cell 0274 396 138 or Fax 03 547 4378
- David Brown, Veda Heating Blenheim Phone 03 577 5470 or Cell 021 993 162
- John McKay, 117 Bartlett Road, RD 1, Richmond, Nelson Phone 03 544 1077 or Cell 021 564 667
- Garry Ham, 61 David Street, Woodbourne, Blenheim Phone 027 445 6534
- Scott Stevenson, 0211 099 294
- Steve Leask, 021 0823 1468
All wood burning appliances to be installed on properties less than 2 hectares in size must comply with the air emission standards prescribed by the Ministry for the Environment (MFE). Appliances must have a discharge of less than 1.5 grams of particles for each kilogram of dry wood burnt and a thermal efficiency of at least 65%. For more information, including a list of authorised wood burners please click on the link below.
View MFE's web page on authorised wood burners
