Mr Hardie said unauthorised work may sound a cheaper option to some people but if it is done incorrectly can result in dire consequences and may affect the consumer's insurances and/or health.
He said the board would also be working to change the culture within the industry so that ongoing training is recognised and accepted as the "smart thing to do" to retain and increase knowledge about new technology and compliance requirements.
His appointment was confirmed at a PGDB board meeting earlier this month.
At that meeting Peter Jackson (Queenstown) was named chairman with Craig O'Connell (Wellington) joining as a third member of the board.
First appointed to the board in 2010, Mr Hardie was then reappointed in September 2012 for a further three years.
He is owner of River City Gas, a gas appliance and servicing company, and is also a registered certifying gasfitter and drainlayer and a licensed plumber.
He also owns New Zealand Gas Group Ltd, whose purpose is to increase practitioner awareness and education of gas appliance servicing and installations specifically around health and safety.
The PGDB is the statutory body responsible for protecting public health and safety by ensuring people who do plumbing, gasfitting, and drainlaying work are competent and Mr Jackson said the board had been involved in ensuring the Plumbers, Drainlayers and Gasfitters Act 2006 was upheld.
The main purposes of the Act is to protect the health and safety of members of the public by ensuring the competency of people engaged in the provision of sanitary plumbing, gasfitting, and drainlaying services as well as regulating those people who carry out the work.
Meanwhile, Wanganui plumbers, gasfitters and drainlayers are being reminded to ensure they relicense by April 1 or they will be unable to legally undertake work.
Plumbing, gasfitting and drainlaying are regulated industries in New Zealand and it is illegal for anyone to do this work unless they are authorised to do so by the PGDB.
Max Pedersen, the board's chief executive, said as well as updating their license, tradespeople need to ensure they have enough continuing professional development points in order to relicense.
Mr Pedersen said authorised tradespeople need to carry a current authorisation card and consumers should always ask for this card before any work starts, to be assured that the work is being done by a competent tradesperson.
"If a homeowner believes that work has been done by someone who is not authorised, or has concerns about the competency of tradespeople, they can make a complaint to the board," he said.
Customers can search the board's online public register at www.pgdb.co.nz or phone 0800 743 262.
