Requirements for Installing a Solid Fuel Heater

What do I need?

A building consent is required when installing some new heating appliances, such as:

• a solid fuel heater,
• wood or coal burning range or
• a domestic 'chip' heater. 

A building consent is also required if you are replacing or repairing an existing heating appliance. 

Note: A building consent is not required for installation of a gas or electric heater. 

If you wish to apply for a building consent, print the application pack or contact us for a copy.

Where second-hand materials are to be used in the building construction, an application for inspection of second-hand materials needs to be completed and included (with the specified fee) with the building consent application. 

History of requirements of heater permits or consents

Prior to Waitakere City amalgamation the various boroughs in the area had different rulings as to whether heater permits or consents were required, see below:

	Henderson Borough: prior to 1987 - permits required for all heater installations  1 January 1987 to 13 March 1990 - permits not required
	Waitemata Borough:  prior to 1 October 1988 - permits required for all heater installations  1 October 1988 to 13 March 1990 - permits not required
	Glen Eden and New Lynn Boroughs:  prior to 13 March 1990 - permits required for all heater installations
	From 13 March 1990 the same rules applied to all boroughs in Waitakere City:  13 March 1990 - 31 December 1992 - permits not required  from 1 January 1993 - building consents required for all heater installations

Note: Any installation should be installed as per the manufacturers technical specifications, regardless of whether or not a consent or permit was required.  No retrospective consents may be issued.

Processing time of a heating appliance building consent

Council has 20 working days to process heating appliance building consents providing additional information is not required.

Request for list of installers of heating appliances

Please refer to "Home Heating Installation" in the Yellow Pages. The Council does not make recommendations.