Woodburners

Q: Can I install a woodburner in my new home?

A: If your home is in an urban area, there are rules about the type of new woodburners that you can install. The aim behind it is to minimise emissions of smoke and soot.

To find out more, and for an up-to-date list of compliant woodburner models, visit the Ministry for the Environment's website.

Before you buy, be sure to check your council's requirements first – some will only allow models from their recommended list.

Check out  the Energywise website for heaps of information on modern woodburners and wood pellet burners. There's also a useful woodburner checklist on the Consumer website.

Q: Any advice on wetbacks?

A: Some woodburners can be equipped with a wetback to heat your home's water – and this is where the services of a plumber are required. Wetbacks, or water boosters, produce hot water to varying outputs for your home by circulating water through copper pipes to and from the woodburner and the hot-water cylinder.

It is easiest to install the wetback at the same time as you install the woodburner – and a consent is needed for both. Not only is it important for safety reasons that the work is done properly, but an illegally installed woodburner or wetback may also invalidate your house insurance in the event of a fire.

The payback period for the wetback will depend on how often you use the woodburner, and may not be your most cost-effective water heating option if you don't use it each day.