How much does a chimney sweep charge in 2026? Inspections, cleaning and penalties

indekscen.pl editorial team · published 30 September 2026 · prices according to the 5 October 2026 index

An annual inspection of chimney flues in a detached house most often costs PLN 280 (typically PLN 265 ‑ 290), including an electronic report. In large cities, the same inspection costs around PLN 450. Cleaning a smoke flue is a separate service costing around PLN 300, while unblocking a blocked chimney costs around PLN 590.

A chimney sweep visits a house once or several times a year, and the bill may be different each time because an inspection with a report, cleaning and unblocking a blocked flue are all priced differently. We have collected prices from chimney sweep company price lists and guides to show how much each service costs, how often a chimney sweep must visit and what can happen if an inspection is not carried out.

How much does a chimney sweep charge for a chimney inspection?

An annual inspection of chimney flues in a detached house most often costs PLN 280, according to 3 sources collected by indekscen.pl. The typical range is PLN 265 ‑ 290, with prices in smaller towns and rural areas starting at PLN 200, while an inspection in large cities such as Warsaw, Kraków, Trójmiasto and Wrocław costs around PLN 450.

The price of chimney inspection includes checking the condition and patency of smoke, combustion gas and ventilation flues and issuing a report, which is now usually electronic. It does not include cleaning or unblocking the flue if the chimney sweep finds an obstruction.

The situation is different in a block of flats: the building manager or housing cooperative arranges the inspection of ventilation and combustion gas flues in all flats, and the cost is included in the service charges. The resident does not pay the chimney sweep at the door, but must let them in at the appointed time. If someone does not provide access to their flat, the building manager will usually set another date, while a missed inspection in one flat may prevent the flues in the entire vertical section from being approved. The prices shown here apply to a detached house, where you arrange and pay for the chimney sweep yourself.

Here are the prices of individual chimney sweep services:

Median and typical range from public price lists, as at 5 October 2026. Each price includes a source and quotation on the service page.

How much does chimney cleaning cost?

A chimney sweep most often charges PLN 275 to clean a chimney, with a typical range of PLN 220 ‑ 315. The price depends on the number of flues, their type (smoke, combustion gas or ventilation) and how dirty they are. chimney sweeping includes travel and mechanical soot removal, and some companies also provide an inspection report.

Many companies offer a package covering the inspection, cleaning and gas installation safety check during a single visit. This costs less than three separate call-outs, so ask about such a package if you have a gas boiler and a fireplace.

Median and typical range from public price lists, as at 5 October 2026. Each price includes a source and quotation on the service page.

What does a chimney sweep check during an inspection?

During an annual inspection, the chimney sweep checks the patency and integrity of all flues in the building and whether heating appliances are connected to them correctly. A visit to a detached house usually takes between half an hour and an hour, depending on the number of flues. During a typical inspection, the chimney sweep:

1. Checks the draught in ventilation flues, for example in the kitchen and bathroom.
2. Inspects smoke and combustion gas flues from the fireplace or boiler side and, if accessible, from the roof.
3. Checks the connection of the stove, boiler or fireplace to the correct flue and examines the condition of the connecting pipe.
4. Assesses the condition of the chimney above the roof: the cap, render, joints and flashing.
5. Checks compliance with gas boiler requirements, such as an air vent in the door or an air inlet in the window.
6. Issues a report listing any defects and the deadline for repairing them.

Keep the report with your home insurance policy. If you make a claim, the insurer will ask for this document, while buyers are increasingly asking to see the latest inspection reports when a house is sold.

How many times a year should a chimney be cleaned?

How often a chimney must be cleaned depends on the fuel you use. Fire safety regulations require deposits to be removed from flues:

1. For solid fuels (coal, wood, pellets or a fireplace): at least once every three months.
2. For liquid fuels and gas: at least once every six months.
3. From ventilation flues: at least once a year.

Regardless of cleaning, the Polish Building Law requires the technical condition of chimney flues to be inspected once a year. With a wood or coal-burning appliance, this means several chimney sweep visits a year in practice: one inspection costing around PLN 280 and several cleaning visits at around PLN 275 each. You can carry out some solid-fuel chimney cleaning yourself, but only a chimney sweep can issue the annual inspection report.

What is the penalty for failing to have a chimney inspection?

Under the Polish Building Law, the owner or manager of a building may be fined for failing to arrange an annual inspection of chimney flues. The fine is usually imposed by the building control authority or fire service during an inspection, but in practice the following consequences can be far more costly:

• A refused or reduced insurance payout. After a fire or carbon monoxide poisoning, the insurer checks whether there was a valid chimney inspection report. A missed inspection may result in a reduced payout.
• A chimney soot fire. A flue used with solid fuel accumulates soot and tar if it is not cleaned, and these deposits can catch fire.
• Carbon monoxide poisoning. A blocked combustion gas flue connected to a gas boiler can force fumes back into the home.

For details of the penalties and obligations in your situation, it is best to consult the building control authority or a lawyer. From a financial perspective, an annual inspection costing PLN 265 ‑ 290 is inexpensive compared with the risk.

How can you tell if a chimney is blocked?

A chimney is blocked if smoke comes back into the room when you light the fire, the fire burns poorly despite the wood being dry, and a black deposit quickly builds up on the fireplace glass. Other signs include the smell of fumes in the house, poor draught (the flame is not drawn towards the chimney) and pieces of soot falling into the firebox.

Unblocking a blocked flue costs around PLN 590, which is considerably more than standard cleaning. If the deposits are hard, the chimney sweep mills the flue at a cost of around 265 PLN/linear metre per linear metre. If fumes from a gas boiler are coming back into the home, do not wait for an inspection appointment: switch off the appliance, ventilate the house and call a professional.

How much does it cost to repair a chimney after an inspection?

Chimney repairs after an inspection most often cost PLN 450, with a typical range of PLN 420 ‑ 650 for a standard job such as repointing joints or sealing the chimney cap. More extensive work involving replacement of the chimney liner costs around PLN 1,100, while flue relining with sealing compound costs around PLN 275 per metre.

chimney repair is usually needed because of issues noted in the chimney sweep’s report. You do not have to use the same company for the repairs: ask for a report describing the defects and compare two or three quotes.

How can you avoid overpaying for a chimney sweep?

• Book a package. An inspection, cleaning and gas safety check during one visit cost less than separate call-outs.
• Arrange it with your neighbours. Chimney sweeps are more likely to offer a discount when they have several houses to visit on the same street.
• Ask whether the electronic report is included. It usually is, but some companies charge separately for it.
• Schedule the inspection outside the peak season. Waiting times are shorter in summer than in autumn, when everyone starts using their heating appliances.
• Combine the visit with a boiler service. A gas boiler service usually costs PLN 280 ‑ 300 and is also required once a year, while the median price of gas installation inspection is PLN 110.

If you are planning to change your heating system, read our comparison of a heat pump and solar panels and our article on the cost of mechanical ventilation with heat recovery. You can find more tradespeople’s service prices in the repairs and tradespeople category. Unlike individual company price lists, we present the median from several sources, the price range and chimney sweep service options in one place.

„Roczna kontrola przewodów kominowych – od 300 zł (wystawiamy obecnie obowiązujący e-protokół)”

Warszawa-kominiarz.pl, 2026, source

„na prowincji - 200-300 zł.”

GazetaPrawna.pl, 2026-05, source

„Sama kontrola przewodów kominowych w domu jednorodzinnym i sprawdzenie szczelności instalacji gazowej: 210-350 zł,”

Infor.pl, source

The prices in this article come from public chimney sweep company price lists and articles. Each price on the how much does a chimney inspection cost page includes its source, date and a verbatim quotation.

Frequently asked questions

How much does a chimney sweep charge to approve a house?

Odbiór techniczny przewodów kominowych w nowym domu jednorodzinnym kosztuje około PLN 450. Protokół kominiarza jest potrzebny do zgłoszenia zakończenia budowy i przyłączenia gazu.

Does a chimney sweep need to enter a flat in a block?

Tak, w bloku kontrola przewodów kominowych i wentylacyjnych też jest obowiązkowa raz w roku, ale zamawia ją zarządca budynku albo spółdzielnia, a koszt jest rozłożony w opłatach. Nasze ceny dotyczą domu jednorodzinnego, gdzie płacisz kominiarzowi sam, zwykle PLN 265 ‑ 290.

What removes soot from a chimney?

Z sadzy komin oczyszcza mechanicznie kominiarz, szczotką i kulą przeciąganą przez przewód, co kosztuje zwykle PLN 220 ‑ 315. Środki chemiczne dosypywane do paleniska mogą ograniczyć osadzanie się sadzy, ale nie zastępują czyszczenia.

How much does chimney flue milling cost?

Frezowanie przewodu, czyli mechaniczne usuwanie twardych osadów i smoły, kosztuje około 265 PLN/linear metre za metr bieżący. Kominiarz stosuje je, gdy zwykłe czyszczenie nie wystarcza.

Are chimney and gas inspections the same thing?

Nie, przegląd kominiarski dotyczy przewodów dymowych, spalinowych i wentylacyjnych, a przegląd instalacji gazowej sprawdza szczelność rur i urządzeń gazowych i kosztuje osobno około PLN 110. Część kominiarzy z uprawnieniami gazowymi robi oba za jednym razem.

Translation of the original Polish article dated 30 September 2026. Quotations from price lists are in Polish, as published by the companies. Read the original in Polish.

Found an error? Report it. Do you provide these services? Add your company's price list free of charge.