Find out the home heating rules for Ashburton and what types of heating you can use in your home.
Ashburton Clean Air Zone 1 - Homes with an open fire
Existing heating
You are only allowed to use dry wood with a moisture content of less than 25 % or paper and cardboard. You can get the moisture content of firewood tested for free at Environment Canterbury's Christchurch and Timaru office (all year) and the Ashburton District Council (winter only).
The use of open fires will be banned from 1 May 2011 or after the sale of the house whichever comes first.
Replacement heating options
No resource consent necessary:
- Heat pump
- Nightstore heater
- Fixed-flued gas or liquid fuel (including oil and diesel) heater.
- Low-emission woodburner or pellet fire on our approved burners list.
Resource consent necessary:
Clean Heat Project
If you live in the Ashburton Clean Heat Zone and use an open fire as your main form of heating in your main living area, you may qualify for an interest-free loan for an approved clean heat appliance and insulation through the Clean Heat Project. Conditions apply.
Building consent
Most burners with a flue, such as all woodburners and pellet fires (but not flued gas heaters), will need a building consent from the Ashburton District Council.
Ashburton Clean Air Zone 1 - Homes with an existing woodburner or other solid fuel burner
Existing heating
You are only allowed to use dry wood with a moisture content of less than 25 % or paper and cardboard. You can get the moisture content of firewood tested for free at Environment Canterbury's Christchurch and Timaru office (all year) and the Ashburton District Council (winter only).
The use of burners not approved by Environment Canterbury as listed on our website and installed before 1 January 2001 will be banned from 1 May 2011 or after the sale of the house whichever comes first.
The use of all other burners will be banned from the 15-year anniversary of their first installation.
Replacement heating options
No resource consent necessary:
- Heat pump
- Nightstore heater
- Fixed-flued gas or liquid fuel (including oil and diesel) heater.
- Low-emission woodburner or pellet fire on our approved burners list.
Resource consent necessary:
Clean Heat Project
If you live in the Ashburton Clean Heat Zone and use a non-compliant burner or burner over 15 years as your main form of heating in your main living area, you may qualify for an interest-free loan for an approved clean heat appliance and insulation through the Clean Heat Project. Conditions apply.
Building consent
Most burners with a flue, such as all woodburners and pellet fires (but not flued gas heaters), will need a building consent from the Ashburton District Council.
Ashburton Clean Air Zone 1 - Other homes
Replacement heating options
No resource consent necessary:
- Heat pump
- Nightstore heater
- Fixed-flued gas or liquid fuel (including oil and diesel) heater.
- Low-emission woodburner or pellet fire on our approved burners list.
Resource consent necessary:
Clean Heat Project
You do not qualify for assistance from the Clean Heat Project.
Building consent
Most burners with a flue, such as all woodburners and pellet fires (but not flued gas heaters), will need a building consent from the Ashburton District Council.
More information
Please contact our Customer Services team if you have further questions.
Disclaimer
This is a summary of the rules in the Air Plan (Canterbury Natural Resources Regional Plan - Chapter 3: Air Quality) and its proposed Variations as they are currently applied by Environment Canterbury and the of National Environmental Standards for Air Quality. You should refer to the actual National Environmental Standards and to Chapter 3 of the Natural Resources Regional Plan directly before taking any action or making any decisions on any matters covered here.
- To be approved by the Ministry for the Environment, a burner would need to meet the emission criteria of 1.5 g/kg or less and 65 % space heating efficiency or better.
- A resource consent can be expensive and there is no guarantee it will be granted.