Yet private houses take up slightly more area (19%) than apartment blocks (18%), and they are in the centre and south of the neighbourhood (apkaimes.lv). In the apartment blocks we inspect ventilation, in private houses we clean boiler and fireplace chimneys. Chimney cleaning costs from €100.
In 119-series blocks: ducts in the wall panels
The buildings of the Zolitūde estate are industrially built apartment buildings that usually get their heat from the city heating network. The flats have no stoves or boilers, but every kitchen, bathroom and toilet has a natural ventilation grille. In industrially built blocks the ducts are usually built into prefabricated wall or ventilation blocks and run up to the roof.
Such a duct cannot be rebuilt like a brick channel in an old house. So it is important to keep it clean and unblocked. During the inspection we measure the draught at each grille, clean the duct from the roof or from the flat if needed, and look at it with a camera. In the certificate we note for each flat whether the duct works.
How often and who orders it
In an apartment building natural ventilation ducts are cleaned and inspected at least once every 10 years. If a flat has a gas cooker, gas water heater or gas boiler, the duct in the room with that appliance is inspected at least once every five years. In an apartment building every cleaning needs a certificate with the sweep's qualification document.
Ventilation ducts are a shared system, and the owners are responsible for it, or the building manager if the management contract says so. Usually the building manager orders the inspection for the whole building. More: ventilation check in an apartment building.
Cabinet Regulation No. 238 “Fire Safety Regulations”, points 72 and 80; the Fire Safety, Firefighting and Rescue Work Law, Section 4(3). Source: likumi.lv, checked 04.11.2026.
New windows and weak draught
Natural ventilation only works if air can flow into the room. If the old windows in a flat have been replaced with airtight ones, the duct may be clean but there is no draught, because the air has nowhere to come from. The signs are misting windows, mould in the corners and a smell that does not leave the bathroom.
During the inspection we measure the draught both with the window closed and with it slightly open. If the draught appears with the window open, the duct is in order and the problem is the air supply. Then we recommend window micro-ventilation or a trickle vent. If there is no draught even with the window open, the duct is blocked or damaged, and we clean it. More: ventilation duct cleaning.
Private houses in the centre and south of Zolitūde
Private houses that are not connected to the heating network have their own heating: a gas boiler, a wood or pellet boiler, a fireplace. A boiler flue is cleaned by 1 November and once more between 1 November and 1 March, a masonry stove once a year. A gas boiler needs annual servicing and a flue inspection. Once every five years a solid-fuel flue needs a technical condition inspection with photos or video.
The owner of a private house may clean their own solid-fuel flue themselves, and then no certificate is needed. For a gas boiler flue and for a house with two flats a certificate is always needed. More: chimney sweep for a private house and heating boiler flue cleaning.
Cabinet Regulation No. 238, points 68–72 and 74. Source: likumi.lv, checked 04.11.2026.
If you replace an appliance
The Riga heat supply rules require that, before an appliance in a flat in an apartment building is replaced, a certificate on the technical condition of the existing appliance, flues and natural ventilation ducts is attached to the application to the commission. In all zones an existing appliance in a private house or flat may be replaced with a new ecodesign appliance of up to 50 kW using the same fuel. You can check which zone your building is in on the zoning map on the page of the municipal Heat Supply Commission.
Riga binding regulations No. RD-24-260-sn, sub-points 14.2 and 28.1. Source: likumi.lv/ta/id/350039, checked 04.11.2026.
Access and price
On the edges of Zolitūde there are the railway and Kārļa Ulmaņa gatve, and the roads towards the airport are nearby. In an apartment block the roof exit and a date when the residents will be at home have to be agreed with the building manager. For a private house, tell us in your request how the chimney can be reached.
Chimney or boiler flue cleaning with a certificate costs from €100, usually €100–130, with the call-out included. Ventilation duct inspection has no single price: it depends on the number of flats and ducts, the height of the building, roof access and whether the ducts need cleaning. All prices: prices.
Sources
- Zolitūde is dominated by buildings of the 119-series project checked 4 November 2026
- Private houses 19% of the area, apartment blocks 18%, in the centre and south checked 4 November 2026
- Cabinet Regulation No. 238: points 68–72, 74, 80 checked 4 November 2026
- The Fire Safety, Firefighting and Rescue Work Law, Section 4(3) checked 4 November 2026
- RD-24-260-sn: 14.2, 28.1 checked 4 November 2026