Chimney: a check every year
The intervals for flue systems are set by Decree No. 34/2016 Coll., on the cleaning, inspection and revision of flue systems. For appliances up to 50 kW:
- Solid fuels: check once a year, cleaning 3 times a year with year-round use and twice a year with seasonal use
- Liquid fuels: check once a year, cleaning twice a year, once a year with seasonal use
- Gaseous fuels: check and cleaning once a year
- Seasonal use means the flue system is in operation for no more than 6 months a year
Solid-fuel boiler: a check once every three years
The operator of a solid-fuel boiler with a heat input of 10 to 300 kW must have it checked at least once every three years by a person trained by the boiler manufacturer (Section 17(1)(h) of Act No. 201/2012 Coll., on Air Protection). Keep the certificate of the check with the other papers for the house.
Gas: no fixed interval in flats and family houses
Government Decree No. 191/2022 Coll. prescribes a check at least once a year and an operational inspection at least once every 3 years for reserved gas equipment. However, this does not apply to equipment used by the users and owners of flats and family houses (Section 19(2)). For other operators, such as companies, the intervals do apply.
So at home the regulation sets no fixed interval. Manufacturers usually recommend servicing a gas boiler once a year, and a check of the flue system is mandatory every year under Decree No. 34/2016 Coll.
Electrics: winter puts more strain on them than summer
The heating season puts a load on the wiring: circulation pumps, panel heaters, storage heaters and heat pumps are running, and extension leads come out for portable heaters. Regulations do not prescribe periodic inspections of electrical installations in flats and family houses, but ČSN 33 2000-6 considers them advisable. What to watch out for:
- A circuit breaker that trips when the heating comes on
- Warm or blackened sockets and plugs
- A panel heater or portable heater plugged in via an extension lead
- An old distribution board without a residual current device (RCD)
Insurance and paperwork
Insurance terms usually require compliance with the regulations on operating equipment. If proof of a chimney or boiler check is missing after a fire, the insurer may reduce the payout. What yours requires exactly is in your policy terms.
How to fit it all in
- 1
Book the chimney sweep and the boiler service in summer or early autumn, before everyone's diaries fill up
- 2
Keep the reports from all checks in one place
- 3
Have older wiring, or wiring without an inspection, checked along with the rest; an inspection of a flat starts at roughly 1,500 Kč
- 4
Write the dates down, or let someone else watch them: we monitor inspection deadlines for free
Frequently asked questions
How often must a chimney be checked?
For appliances up to 50 kW at least once a year, whatever the fuel (Decree No. 34/2016 Coll.). Cleaning is more frequent for solid fuels: 3 times a year with year-round use and twice a year with seasonal use.
How often is a solid-fuel boiler check mandatory?
At least once every three years for boilers with a heat input of 10 to 300 kW. It is carried out by a person trained by the boiler manufacturer (Section 17 of Act No. 201/2012 Coll.).
Is a gas inspection mandatory in a family house?
The regulation sets no fixed interval for flats and family houses (Section 19(2) of Government Decree No. 191/2022 Coll.). However, manufacturers usually recommend servicing a gas boiler once a year, and Decree No. 34/2016 Coll. requires a check of the flue system every year.
Do I need an electrical inspection in a family house?
Regulations do not prescribe periodic inspections for flats and dwellings, but ČSN 33 2000-6 considers them advisable. An initial inspection is required after every new or renovated installation.