MaintainlyWhen is a brandskyddskontroll needed in Sweden?
Brandskyddskontroll (fire safety inspection) every 3 years. The commonly recommended range is every 3 years for solid fuel, every 6 for oil or gas. A damaged flue or chimney is a fire and carbon monoxide risk, and the check is required by law: the kommun arranges it and you must give access. This is a safety-critical task, so do not let it slip.
In Sweden the kommun is responsible for brandskyddskontroll, a fire safety inspection of boilers, stoves, fireplaces and their flues. It is separate from sotning, the sweeping. The national regulation MSBFS 2014:6 sets the interval: every three years for boilers, kitchen stoves and fireplaces burning solid fuel, and every six years for light oil, gas, pellets in an automatic unit built for them, and fireplaces that are used little or sit in a holiday home.
Why does a brandskyddskontroll matter?
A damaged flue or chimney is a fire and carbon monoxide risk, and the check is required by law: the kommun arranges it and you must give access.
What happens if you skip a brandskyddskontroll?
The inspection looks for damage, deposits and leaks before they turn into a chimney fire or smoke in the house. The person carrying it out has a legal right of access to the installation, and the kommun can order faults to be fixed.
What does the professional actually do?
- Assesses soot and other deposits in the appliance and flue
- Looks for damage or changes to the construction, and checks temperature conditions, pressure and airtightness
- Covers the whole heating installation, the roof and its safety equipment
- Tells the owner about anything that is a fire risk, and reports it to the kommun
How do you choose someone qualified?
The kommun or its contracted chimney sweep company contacts you with a time. Ask the kommun if you want to sweep your own chimney: it may allow that after an application if the work can be done safely. The brandskyddskontroll itself cannot be done by the owner.
How do you know a brandskyddskontroll is overdue?
- A notice from the kommun’s sweep contractor
- Three years since the last inspection of a wood stove or fireplace in regular use
What do people get wrong?
- Not keeping the paperwork from each visit
- Leaving roof ladders and walkways in poor repair: roof safety equipment is part of the check, and the inspector needs access to every part of the house the chimney passes through
When should you stop and call someone?
Always. The kommun’s appointed sweep carries it out.
Does this differ in the US, UK, Australia or Canada?
United States
There is no equivalent legal inspection. The NFPA 211 standard calls for chimneys, fireplaces and vents to be inspected at least once a year.
United Kingdom
There is no equivalent inspection for owner-occupiers.
Australia
There is no national equivalent inspection.
Canada
There is no national equivalent inspection. Ask your insurer what it expects for a wood-burning appliance.
What about in Europe?
Sweden
Brandskyddskontroll: every 3 years for solid fuel in boilers, kitchen stoves and fireplaces, and every 6 years for light oil, gas, automatic pellet units, and fireplaces used little or in a holiday home. Sotning intervals and fees are set separately by your kommun.
Frequently asked questions
Why does a brandskyddskontroll matter?
A damaged flue or chimney is a fire and carbon monoxide risk, and the check is required by law: the kommun arranges it and you must give access.
What happens if you skip a brandskyddskontroll?
The inspection looks for damage, deposits and leaks before they turn into a chimney fire or smoke in the house. The person carrying it out has a legal right of access to the installation, and the kommun can order faults to be fixed.
Does a brandskyddskontroll differ by country?
Sweden: the kommun arranges brandskyddskontroll of fireplaces, stoves and flues, every 3 years for solid fuel and every 6 for light oil, gas, pellet units and fireplaces that are used little. Sotning (sweeping) intervals are also set by your kommun. Keep the protocol from each visit.
How we put this together
The figures, intervals and legal points on this page were checked against the sources listed below. The default interval and accepted range are the ones Maintainly uses in its task library. Costs and times are typical ranges and vary by region and by home. Your own manufacturer's instructions come first, and gas, electrical and structural work belongs with a qualified professional. How we research and write.
Sources
- Myndigheten för samhällsskydd och beredskaps föreskrifter (MSBFS 2014:6) om rengöring (sotning) och brandskyddskontroll, Myndigheten för samhällsskydd och beredskap (text published by lagen.nu). Checked 11 October 2026.
- Sotning och brandskyddskontroll, Myndigheten för civilt försvar. Checked 11 October 2026.
- Lag (2003:778) om skydd mot olyckor, Sveriges riksdag. Checked 11 October 2026.
- Homeowner Resources, Chimney Safety Institute of America. Checked 11 October 2026.
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