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Authorised wood burners
The Ministry for the Environment has a list of authorised wood burners.
Click here to view the list.
Good Practice Guide to Operating Wood Burners
Click on the PDF link below to download a copy of the Good practice guide to operating wood burners. This guide explains how to operate your wood burner without causing pollution.
Copies are also available from Council offices.
 Good practice guide to operating wood burners - 2007 (387 K)
Good Practice Guide to Outdoor Burning
Click here to find out more about minimising smoke emissions.
Good Practice Guide to Outdoor Burning 2006 (313 K)
Tips for Existing Homes
We can't choose what air we breathe so we need all air to be clean.
If you are thinking of replacing your solid fuel heating appliance then consider alternatives that discharge low, or no, levels of pollutants. Such alternatives include heat pumps, flued gas or pellet fires.
How you use your solid fuel burner has a huge impact on that.
- Change your open fire to a solid fuel burner, or even better electric heat pump or natural gas. If your current burner is over 10 years old it may need replacing so think about other cleaner forms of heating, i.e. a heat pump, or get the most efficient solid fuel burner and you can always follow Bernie Burnright's Solid Fuel Heating Tips!
- When installing a new burner, make sure it is a low pollution emitting appliance that meets New Zealand Standards and follow Bernie's Tips to keep it running efficiently.
- If you're thinking of buying a second hand burner, be aware that it must meet New Zealand Standards or you will not get a resource consent to install it.
- Do not burn the following in your burner: plastic, electrical cables, treated timber and fibreboard, rubber products, waste oils, asbestos products, or radioactive materials. Burning of such items is prohibited under the Tasman Resource Management Plan and the NES.
- All second hand burners need to be tested to make sure they meet the standards and this can cost thousands of dollars.
- Well-insulated homes are more energy efficient! Many older houses in New Zealand are poorly insulated and are expensive to heat to comfortable, healthy temperatures.
- Without insulation you'll lose 42% of your heat through the ceiling, 24% through the walls and 10% through the floor.
- If you get the design and insulation right, you won't need as much heating and can think about installing a smaller more efficient heating system. Good insulation and design also makes other forms of heating very efficient and cost effective too.
Tips for New homes
When thinking about home heating, choose something that doesn't contribute to smog, i.e. a heat pump, and if you do install a solid fuel burner, make sure it is a low pollution emitting appliance that meets New Zealand Standards and always follow Bernie's Tips to keep it running efficiently.
When building, consider the options for passive solar design and solar water heating; they are incredibly energy efficient. Also make sure your home is properly insulated.
If you get the design and insulation right, you won't need as much heating and can think about installing a smaller more efficient heating system. Good insulation and design also makes other forms of heating very efficient and cost effective too.
If you do use a fire, every so often check your chimney for smoke - if there's still smoke about 15 minutes after adding wood then your wood isn't burning properly - this pollutes the air and wastes fuel. Here are some tips to make your burner more efficient:
Clean your flue
This helps your fire burn more efficiently. Make sure the flue is insulated, is high enough to let smoke and gases disperse and does not have a 'hat'.
Insulate
Check your home insulation to keep the warmth in!
Make sure your Firewood is dry
Green wood will not burn efficiently, leaving you with a cold house and smoky fire! Striking two pieces of wood together is a good way to check if it is dry enough. Dry wood will give a resonant crack and wet wood will make a dull thud.
Storing firewood
Store wood in a dry place and stack it loosely off the ground in a criss-cross pattern to let dry air circulate around it.
Burn it hot
Use kindling to start your fire and don't add big pieces of wood until there is a good bed of embers
Light your fire correctly so it is burning hot with a good airflow. Using logs that are too big will reduce airflow and increase smoke so make sure they're the right size to keep the fire burning bright.
After starting the fire leave the air controls open for at least 30 minutes. This helps build up a good high temperature which makes the wood burn well. Do this again when you add more wood.
Overnight...
Don't bank down your fire overnight. Tests have shown it does not add to the warmth of your home but greatly increases polluting emissions releasing higher levels of organic compounds - some of which are believed to be a cancer risk.
The Good Wood Scheme
Council and retailers are working together to ensure you get dry, seasoned firewood for your wood burner. This will reduce the amount of smoke going into the air.
For more information about the Good Wood Scheme, click on the PDF link below.
The Good Wood Scheme (387 K)
Good Wood suppliers
The Council has set up a register of Good Wood suppliers so if you buy your wood from them they will ensure you get dry wood or give you good advice on storing the wood for the following winter. The following are the registered Good Wood suppliers:
Richmond Wood and Coal
Beach Rd
RICHMOND
Phone 544 6473
Russ Firewood
34 Lansdowne Road
Appleby, RICHMOND
Phone 544 5151
Bay Firewood
52 Meihana Street
TAKAKA
Phone 03 525 6036
Riwaka Valley Firewood
Riwaka Valley
RIWAKA
Phone 03 528 9878
Kev’s Firewood
WAKEFIELD
Phone 03 541 9236
A Miller & Sons
127 Bolt Road
Tahunanui, NELSON
Phone 547 6850
Mickey Rat Firewood
Bryant Road
BRIGHTWATER
Phone 542 3922
Coastal Firewood
MAPUA
Phone 03 548 1220 or 027 452 6300
Motueka Firewood
MOTUEKA
Phone 03 528 0414
The wRight Firewood Company
RICHMOND
Phone 544 4350 or 027 443 4909
If you collect your own firewood it is also important you use dry, seasoned wood. For advice on how to collect and store firewood, click on the PDF link below.
Collecting your own firewood
If you collect your own firewood it is also important you use dry, seasoned wood. For advice on how to collect and store firewood, click on the PDF link below.
Good Firewood - Advice on how to collect and store firewood (159 K)
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