Burner types
Find out about the main types of fuel-burning home heating systems, from ultra-low emission burners to open fires. Learn about each type, emissions standards, and guidelines for installation and use in Waitaha/Canterbury.
Ultra-low emission burners (ULEBs)
Ultra-low emission burners are any solid fuel burners, including pellet burners, that achieve a stringent real-life emission standard.
They are the cleanest solid fuel burners and are allowed anywhere in Waitaha/Canterbury with no age restriction.
Low emission burners (LEBs)
Low-emission burners are the most common burners in Canterbury and have been around since the early 2000s.
These burners burn wood or pellets and will generally have only one airflow control, and will not be able to be banked down overnight. We are phasing out low-emission burners in most Clean Air Zones.
This means low-emission burners may not be installed in Rangiora, Kaiapoi, Christchurch, Ashburton or Timaru Clean Air Zones.
- There is a 15-year age limit on low-emission burners in the Timaru Clean Air Zone and a 20-year age limit on wood burners in Rangiora, Kaiapoi, Christchurch and Ashburton Clean Air Zones.
- Low-emission burners are currently still allowed with no age limit in the Geraldine and Waimate Clean Air Zones. Properties over two hectares in a Clean Air Zone have different rules. Check the rules for your Clean Air Zone.
- Low-emission burners are currently still allowed with no age limit in the Geraldine and Waimate Clean Air Zones. Properties over two hectares in a Clean Air Zone have different rules. Check the rules for your Clean Air Zone.
Age limits for low emission burners in Clean Air Zones
| Clean Air Zone | Age limit from install |
|---|---|
| Christchurch | 20 years |
| Rangiora | 20 years |
| Kaiapoi | 20 years |
| Ashburton | 20 years |
| Timaru | 15 years |
| Waimate | Currently no age limit |
| Geraldine | Currently no age limit |
Check what information we have about your burner by entering your home address into the Solid Fuel Burner Database.
Find an authorised low-emission burner
Low-emission pellet burners
Some pellet burners were issued a global resource consent If you have an Environment Canterbury resource consent for your pellet burner, you can continue to operate it until consent expiry. If you are unsure whether this applies to you or want to find out more, please call our Advisory Team on 0800 324 636.
Secondary emission reduction devices for low-emission burners
Secondary emission reduction devices allow you to use your National Environment Standard compliant low emission burner past the usual 15-year limit (Timaru Clean Air Zone) or 20-year limit (Christchurch, Rangiora, Kaiapoi, Ashburton Clean Air Zones).
Approved secondary emission reduction devices
The most recently approved device, the OekoTube, is an electrostatic precipitation device, integrated into the flue system to reduce particulate discharges to the equivalent of an ultra-low emission wood burner.
The device can be installed on a National Environment Standard-compliant burner with an emission factor of 1.5g/kg or less.
The burner and emission-reduction device must be installed, operated and maintained in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions and the conditions of the resource consent (CRC212092).
Gas and diesel burners
Gas and diesel burners are generally boilers or gas fires that run on LPG or diesel.
So long as they have a rated output of 40kW or less, they are allowed to be used anywhere, with no age restriction.
Older-style burners
Older-style burners are generally only common outside of Christchurch, Kaiapoi, Rangiora and Ashburton. They may have two airflow controls, a grate and an ash pan and maybe multi-fuel burners. They can be banked down overnight.
These burners can no longer be used on properties under 2 hectares in any Clean Air Zone. On properties over 2 hectares, existing older-style burners may be used but no new older-style burner may be installed.
Open fires
Open fires are any fireplaces that are within a building, not enclosed, and in which air flow cannot be controlled. These burners can no longer be used on properties under 2 hectares in any Clean Air Zone.
Check home heating rules in your Clean Air Zone for open fire rules on properties over 2 hectares.
Older, less efficient technology is being phased out over time and subsidies are available to enable households to upgrade their home heating systems.