Residential Building Consents

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Residential Wood Fires

As fireplaces can be dangerous regulations exist to ensure that the potential risk to your family is minimised.

If you are planning on installing a new residential wood fire then you need to use the Residential Wood Fire PIM and Building Consent application form. 

• Residential Wood Fire PIM and Building Consent form (277KB PDF)

However, if your project involves any additional building work other than the installation of a wood fire use the stanard PIM and/or Building Consent form.

• Standard PIM and Building Consent form (1.2MB PDF)

• Smoke alarms

Do I need to get a building consent for a fireplace?
Yes - it is a legal requirement under the Building Act 2004. The Act requires all owners installing fireplaces, for both open and solid fuel heating appliances (fireboxes), to get a building consent before installation. A building consent helps to make sure that the fireplace meets all safety standards.

Make sure you have a final inspection prior to using your new wood fire. If the inspection passes, we will issue your code compliance certificate (CCC).

What if a fireplace is installed without consent?
The health and safety of occupants may be at risk if an illegally installed fireplace causes damages to your property. Your household insurance may also be invalid.

Are there different types of fireplaces?
Yes. There are inbuilt and freestanding fireplaces. Freestanding fireplaces stand away from the wall and the flue pipe is clearly visible (the flue pipe is the passage that the smokes travels through). Inbuilt fireplaces are partly encased inside a building structure and you cannot see the flue pipe.

Can I put a firebox into an existing fireplace?
Yes, but be very careful. Any materials near these appliances need to be properly protected by maintaining clearances (distances between) or by the use of adequate screens.

We will inspect the opening prior to the fireplace being installed. The manufacturers's specifications for the fireplace must be followed. Any variation from these instructions must be discussed with our building officers first.

What do I need to know if I am installing a secondhand firebox?
Secondhand fireboxes also require a building consent. They must first obtain a certificate from the the Home Heating Assoication of New Zealand confirming that the secondhand woodfire is still suitable to use.

The heater and flue system need to be assembled and installed according to the original manufacturer's instructions. The installation instructions are specific to the year and model of the firebox. Using installation instructions from a different year may result in incorrect clearances being used.

All second-hand heaters need to have a new flue.

Wood heaters and flue systems that have been altered in any way from the original specifications are considered to be untested for purposes of installation and are to be installed in accordance with AS/NZS 2918:2001.Return to top


Do fireplaces require maintenance?
All fireplaces should be regularly checked for reliability. The best time for a check is in autumn, well before heating is needed.

For inbuilt fires, you will need to check that none of the timber framing around the fireplace is in contact with, or closer than 50mm to, the outside of the fire surround.

A firebox works best with the fuel that it was designed for. Other types of fuel may be harmful to the appliance and your family.

A cleaner flue will burn more efficiently and give off more heat, especially in slow combustion heaters. If the chimney is not cleaned, the fire will not draw properly, will burn slower and may smoke.

Frequently used fireplaces and flues must be cleaned regularly to avoid flue fires. They should be cleaned at least once a year or more often it in constant use.

Smoke alarms

When applying for a building consent for a new home or alterations and additions to an existing home (e.g. installing a fireplace), you will also need to get smoke alarms installed. A code compliance certificate will not be issued if smoke alarms are not installed.

Smoke alarms may be battery powered and they do not need to be interconnected. The need to have:

• A 60 second minimum hush facility. A hush facility is a button on the smoke alarm that silences the alarm for a limited time after it has been activated. This allows the cause of a nuisance alarm to be cleared without removing the battery to silence the alarm.
• An alarm test facility.

Smoke alarms need to meeting prescribed standards. Look for a smoke alarm that has at least one of these symbols on the box:

 

Once installed, to ensure your smoke alarm remains effective we recommended you clean it annually with a vacuum and test the alarm every month.

Where shoud I install my smoke alarms?
To meet building code requirements smoke alarms need to be installed on or near the ceiling:

• Within three metres of the door to every bedroom. Smoke alarms must be loud enough to wake sleeping occupants on the other side of the door.
• On every escape route such as stairs or a long passageway.

Having a smoke alarm in every bedroom offers superior protection but is not a building code requirement.

 

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