Woodburners

Woodburners are a great way to stay warm during winter, however smoke is the major contributor to urban winter air quality problems. To improve our air quality, we must start replacing older wood burners and everyone needs to burn smoke-free.

Environment Canterbury (ECan) is encouraging the use of low and ultra-low emission burners, good fuel and smoke-free burning techniques. There are different home heating measures for different types of burners throughout Canterbury, especially in Clean Air Zones (areas in Canterbury where air pollution is often high) and on properties less than two hectares.

Home heating measures for sites that are less than 2ha in size (generally urban areas) and in the Clean Air Zone:

• Ultra-low and low emission burners are allowed into all homes, including new homes.
• Older style wood burners can be used until 1 January 2020 or until the property is sold (whichever happens first). They can be replaced with a low emission burner or an ultra-low emission burner at any time.
• Open fires cannot be used.
• All burners must be registered with Environment Canterbury and all maintenance records must be kept. To do this visit solidburner.ecan.govt.nz.

Home heating measures for sites that are greater than 2ha in size (generally rural areas) and in the Clean Air Zone:

• Ultra-low emission burners and low emission burners are allowed into all homes, including new homes.
• Open fires (installed before 2013) and older style burners can be used, but cannot be installed.

Smoke-free burning

Check out the videos and tips at WarmerCheaper.co.nz

• Use dry, seasoned wood only.
• No visible smoke, except for brief periods during start-up and re-loading.
• No burning toxic substances and materials including painted or treated timber.
• No burning coal with a sulphur content of more than 1% (most readily-available coal).

For dry, seasoned wood, use one of our trusted suppliers for your next load of firewood.

Heritage buildings

• There are exceptions for listed heritage buildings where the heating appliances and chimney were original features (including restored original features).