In England and Wales there are a set of building regulations and legal requirements for the design and construction of new buildings and changes made to existing buildings. They are all about the safety of the building. They control the methods and materials used to construct new buildings, fire protection, and the safety of operating services inside the building. In many different countries the building regulations are different.
Approved Document J
The Approved Document J is the requirements that need to be met by installers of solid fuel burning appliances. It includes:
Support for choosing the correct hearth
Details of the dimensions, position and construction of the chimney and the testing methods
Requirements for the ventilation of the solid fuel appliances
Immediacy of combustible material to an fitting
Notice plates, their fitting and location
Chimneys and Lining
There are no requirements for existing chimneys to be lined but the installer of the appliance must be satisfied that the chimney has no problems and it is suitable for the appliance being installed. When fitting the appliance, some work may need to be done on the chimney, e.g. a new liner. This work would have to be approved by the Local Area Building Control and must be done by a Capable Person. Also any alterations to the fireplace to change the type of fuel being used are subject to Building Regulations.
Selection of Central Heating and Hot Water Systems
Choosing the right system and fuel is very important. Regulations outline the type of system that can be installed into a new building or replace a system in an existing building. The system should be as carbon efficient as possible and have the most energy. When designing new buildings calculations have to be made to make sure that the carbon emission targets are reached. Using wood as a heating fuel is considered to be carbon neutral and choosing a wood burning stove in a new build will allow more flexibility.
Minimum Efficiencies for Solid Fuel Appliances
The minimum efficiencies requirements are identified in Part L of the building regulations and all solid fuel appliances must meet these. Appliances that are approved by HETAS all meet these regulations but some other appliances that are not approved may still meet the requirements. They just need to be checked by an installer before installing the appliance.
Rules for Selecting Replacement Appliances
If any heating appliance needs to be replaced, the new appliance must be more efficient than the one that is going. This does not mean that the actual appliance efficiency is higher because the type of fuel is taken into consideration.
Solid Fuel Appliance Installation
To achieve safe and legal installations in England and Wales, there are two routes to go down:
1. The Installer of the appliance is HETAS registered
When the installer is HETAS registered they will have to certify that the work they have done complies with the specific legal requirements. The user will receive a certificate and the local authority is notified of the installation so that there is evidence that the work has been completed by a HETAS registered installer and it meets the building regulations.
2. It is approved by the Local Area Building Control
Someone from the Local Area Building Control will visit the installation and decide whether or not it is safe to use. Building consent is required before installation and once the installation is complete.