Chimney cleaning before the heating season

The deadline: by 1 November

The flues of all solid and liquid-fuel appliances are cleaned before the start of the heating season, by 1 November. For masonry stoves, which store heat for longer than three hours, this is enough for the year. Long-burn appliances, such as boilers, metal stoves and sauna stoves, need one more cleaning in the middle of the season: chimney cleaning in winter.

If a gas heating appliance has been disconnected for longer than six months, an extraordinary check of the flue gas exhaust and ventilation ducts with a technical condition certificate is needed before it is switched on: chimney check for a gas boiler. All the rules in one place: chimney cleaning regulations.

What to check yourself before the season

This can be done without climbing onto the roof. If anything on the list is not right, mention it in your request.

• Look at the chimney head from the yard: are there crumbled bricks, cracks or a tilted chimney cap?
• Look at the chimney in the attic: are there cracks, traces of soot in the joints, damp patches or traces of water by the roof?
• Check that there is no firewood, boxes or old furniture next to the chimney in the attic. Combustible things must be at least 300 mm from the flue.
• Open and close the cleaning doors and the firebox door: do they close tightly, and are they free of cracks?
• Check the damper: does it move freely and open fully?
• The floor in front of the firebox must be covered with non-combustible material at least 300 mm to the front and 150 mm to the sides.
• Get a non-combustible container ready for the ash and a place for it outside the house.
• Check the firewood: dry wood produces less soot and tar than damp wood.
• Find the last cleaning certificate and the technical condition inspection certificate. A technical condition inspection is needed once every five years.

What the chimney sweep does on the autumn visit

1. All flues We clean every flue, flue pipe and chimney base, including the flues of appliances you rarely use, such as a fireplace or sauna.
2. Summer finds We remove birds' nests, leaves and fallen debris that have collected over the summer, when the chimney was not in use.
3. Check We check the draught, the doors and the chimney head. Any damage is recorded in the certificate.
4. Certificate for the season A certificate is drawn up for the cleaning. The certificate is proof that the chimney has been cleaned.

If 1 November has already passed

The flue must be cleaned as soon as possible, and until then avoid hot fires. The law in force since 13.11.2025 has no separate fine just for an uncleaned chimney, but if a fire breaks out because of an uncleaned flue, VUGD can impose a fine of €140–430 on a natural person. The insurer ERGO reserves the right in its terms to reduce the payout by up to 50% or refuse it if the flue has not been cleaned at least once a year.

How much chimney cleaning before the season costs

Cleaning one flue costs from €100, usually €100–130, with the certificate and call-out in Riga and the Riga region. If the house has several flues, we name the price before the work. If you also want a technical condition report along with the cleaning, we price it separately. All prices: prices.