Chimney installation in Riga and the Riga region

Which chimney to choose

The choice comes down to three things: which appliance will be connected, where the chimney can run through the house and how much weight the base can carry. Each appliance manufacturer specifies the flue diameter and temperature class, and we choose the chimney to match them, not the other way round.

More on each: modular chimney installation, stainless steel chimney installation, flue through a wall, sauna flue installation and gas boiler flue. If an old masonry chimney is sound but does not suit the new appliance, chimney lining is often cheaper than a new chimney.

Block chimney

A block chimney is a system of three layers: a ceramic flue pipe inside, insulation or an air gap around it, and lightweight concrete casing blocks outside. The blocks are stacked on top of each other, reinforcement is set in the corners, and the corners are filled with mortar. At the bottom there is a base element with a condensate collector and a cleaning door, and above it a connection element for the appliance. Many blocks also have a ventilation duct next to the flue.

A block chimney withstands a soot fire and suits all fuel types, but it is heavy. It needs a base that carries the weight of the whole chimney, and room from the basement or ground floor up to the roof. That is why it is most often chosen in a new house or a major rebuild.

What the building codes require

• Each stove or hearth has its own flue channel; stoves and fireplaces are not connected to a flue channel that has a gas appliance.
• Solid fuel flue cross-section at least 175 cm² or 150 mm diameter, for gas and liquid fuel at least 50 cm² or 80 mm.
• The flue is fitted with cleaning doors whose area is not smaller than the flue channel's cross-section.
• If the chimney is to be cleaned from above, it must be conveniently and safely accessible from the roof.
• Combustible materials at least 300 mm from the flue, 100 mm from the outer surface of a masonry or metal chimney and 200 mm from cleaning doors (for appliances up to 120 kW).
• The outer surface temperature of the flue must not exceed 80 °C.
• The top of the chimney at least 0.5 m above the roof covering; closer than 1.5 m to the ridge, at least 0.5 m above the ridge; 1.5–3 m from the ridge, no lower than the ridge.
• A cap or cowl may be fitted on the chimney if it does not hinder the appliance's operation or cleaning.

The fire safety regulations also set the distance from the inner surface of the flue to a combustible structure: 380 mm if the appliance's operating time is up to three hours, and 510 mm if longer. These distances do not apply if the flue manufacturer specifies otherwise, and that is exactly why, for certified system chimneys, the manufacturer's stated distance to timber is decisive. More on height: chimney height above the roof.

How chimney installation is done

1. Appliance and route We find out the appliance, its output and the manufacturer's requirements for the flue. In the house we choose the chimney's route: where it will cross the floors and the roof and how far it will be from the ridge.
2. Quote After measuring, we put together the system: sections, connection, cleaning door, passages, fixings, roof section and cap. We name the price before the work.
3. Base or fixings For a block chimney a base is prepared. A steel chimney is supported on a floor or wall support and fixed to the wall or floors according to the manufacturer's instructions.
4. Installation We install the chimney from the bottom up. In passages through timber floors we keep the distance and fit non-combustible insulation.
5. Above the roof We take the chimney up to the height set in the building codes and fit a cap.
6. Connection and check We connect the appliance and check the draught and tightness.

Certificate before the first firing

If a heating appliance is replaced with another, the regulations require the flue and ventilation to be checked before the new appliance is used, and a technical condition inspection certificate to be drawn up under Annex 8 of the regulations. The remarks state whether this appliance may be connected to the flue. Photos or video are attached to the certificate. For a new chimney it is advisable to do the same inspection before the first firing.

If the chimney is part of a new house or rebuild that must be accepted into use, see flue inspection for building acceptance. After that, the technical condition of a solid fuel chimney must be inspected once every five years: chimney sweep's condition report.

What we do not do

We install chimneys and flues, but we do not build or install stoves, fireplaces or sauna stoves. A gas boiler's connection to the gas pipe is made by a certified gas appliance installer; we are responsible for the flue. If an existing chimney needs fixing rather than a new one being built, that is chimney repair.

How much does chimney installation cost?

There is no single price for chimney installation, because two similar houses can need completely different systems. The price depends on:

• the chimney type and diameter: block chimney, insulated steel chimney or gas boiler system;
• the length of the chimney from the connection to the top, that is, the number of storeys and the height of the roof;
• the number of floor and roof passages, especially through timber structures;
• access to the roof, and whether the chimney can be installed from ladders or needs scaffolding;
• preparing a base for a block chimney or wall fixings for a facade chimney;
• materials (liner, insulation, cap), which are priced separately.

In the form, give the appliance, the number of storeys and where the chimney could run. The specialist will assess the situation and name the price before we start work. Other prices: prices.