If you live in Invercargill or Gore, did you know your fireplace must comply with NES?
NES stands for National Environmental Standards for Air Quality. Environmental Southland has implemented the Regional Air Plan this means you may be required to change your home heating.
Any new burner being installed must comply with the National Environmental Standards (NES) for Air Quality. These are listed on the Ministry for the Environment's website. You can continue to use your existing non-compliant burner until certain dates, so be sure to check. To find out when your burner was installed, contact the Invercargill City or Gore District Council's building consents department.
If you have an open fire, you’re no longer permitted to use it in the Invercargill or Gore airsheds. Burners installed before January 1997 need to be replaced for Invercargill homes, while in Gore you have until January 2020. While burners installed from 1 Jan 1997 – 2001 will need to be replaced after 1 Jan 2022. Check the dates to see if you should be considering a new burner. Check out this handy PDF with all the info you need.
What you can do to keep the air clean:
There are a number of things you can do at home to help keep the air clean. Simple things that don't cost you any money include:
- burning dry firewood (which is cleaner burning than coal)
- not damping down your fire
- not burning household rubbish
- making sure your home is adequately insulated
If you’re unsure, we can help you find out how old your current fireplace is and if you need to upgrade or replace your existing fireplace. Just contact the friendly team at Hotspot Fires & Installations on 03 218 8802 or drop in a see us at 169 Tay Street, Invercargill.
