Insights about the heating standard and its importance

RCR NZ Electrical Air Conditioning Service Specialist

On July 1, 2019, Healthy Homes Standards (HHS) incorporated a law that changed the standard for rental housing around heating, insulation, ventilation, moisture-proof drainage and ventilation to set out specific minimum standards. Are landlords ready?  Whether they are watching or already acting, next year will certainly be the installation and maintenance peak which will cause an increase in pricing.

HHS’s heating standards require a fixed heating device that can effectively heat the area to 18°C. More specifically, there are a few factors to be aware of and the calculation proceeds as follows:

• The minimum calorific value is calculated through the “Heating Assessment Tool” provided by the government lease website or based on the formulas in the HHS regulations, and tools and links are recommended – https://www.tenancy.govt.nz/heating-tool/
• The heating system requirements must be fixed, and the heating capacity of the unit must not be less than 1.5Kw. The heating device must not be an open stove or a combustion heating device without a flue.

The installation requirements of standard heating are as follows:

Closed furnaces with flues and pellet furnaces require approved building consent to be installed or modified.  Furnaces, gas heater and their running costs cannot be compared with the cost of air conditioning. The best option is to install an air conditioner to meet the required heating needs and cost-efficiency.

For any inquiries, contact us now!