From 1 April all new cabinet heaters (portable LPG heaters) must be approved by the Chief Executive of the Ministry of Economic Development before being sold or offered for sale.
The ministry’s Energy Safety Service has set the following conditions:
- the appliance must be certified to the European standard for cabinet heaters
- the heater must perform satisfactorily on our LPG
- warning notices and labels must be attached to the appliance.
ERMA (the Environmental Risk Management Authority) has also set limits on how much LPG can be stored in homes. These have been in effect since March. ERMA says “imposing limits on the quantities stored indoors will reduce the risk to people and property should the gas accidentally ignite”.
The rules limit the amount of LPG that can be stored or used in a house or apartment (up to three storeys high) to two 10kg LPG cylinders. That’s the weight of gas and not the cylinder as well. If your garage is attached to the house, the limit includes any LPG stored there. Freestanding garages or sheds are not subject to these limits.
Apartments over three storeys must hold no more than 10kg per dwelling. The most common type of cylinder used at home holds 9kg of LPG, and is used for appliances such as space heaters, patio heaters and barbecues.
Our advice
- Never use patio heaters or barbecues inside, and always have a window open when using a portable LPG heater.
- Never use a portable LPG heater in a bedroom.
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How close can your LPG cylinders be to your outdoor heat pump unit without invalidating your insurance policy, as ours have been installed quite close together.
Thanks Cherie
I take it the new regulations do not cover 45kg cylinders which are stored outside for continuos gas hot water heaters?
Look forward to your confirmation, just to ensure all will be okay with insurance.
Gerard