How often should a log burner be swept?

At least once a year, and up to every three months while in use when burning wood, following HETAS advice. Heavy use or damp wood means more often.

How much does it cost to sweep a log burner?

Typically £70 to £100 for a lined flue with a certificate. Servicing the stove and new seals are extra.

Does my insurer need a sweep certificate?

Many home insurance policies expect the chimney to be swept regularly. Keeping certificates makes a claim after a chimney fire much easier.

Can a log burner be swept from inside?

Usually yes, with the baffle removed. Some installations are swept from the top or through a hatch in the register plate.

What does a stove service include?

Typically new door and glass seals where needed, checks of firebricks, baffles, grates and the door catch, and cleaning the glass.

Chimney sweeping for log burners

A stove that is fitted well still needs looking after. Soot and tar build up in the liner, door seals harden, and baffles warp. A sweep with a stove service once a year, and more often if you burn a lot of wood, keeps it drawing cleanly and keeps a written record for your insurer. A sweep usually costs £70 to £100.

A sweep usually costs £70 to £100

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Typical UK prices including VAT, checked November 2026.

Signs a stove needs attention

Smoke comes into the room when the door opens. Often a partly blocked flue or a cold, damp liner.
The glass blackens quickly. Usually damp wood or the stove run too slowly, both of which coat the flue as well.
Black, shiny deposits in the stove or at the top of the pipe. Glazed tar is hard to remove and can catch fire. Have it seen to.
The stove is hard to control. Worn door or glass seals let in air that should not be there.
Your carbon monoxide alarm has sounded. Let the fire die, open windows, leave the room and get the stove checked before using it again.

What sweeping costs

Item	What it covers	Typical cost
Sweep a lined flue	Brush and vacuum, with a certificate	£70 to £100
Carbon monoxide alarm	Replacement unit, if the old one has expired	£15 to £40
Stove replaced	Labour, liner and certificate, stove extra	£1,000 to £1,700

Typical UK ranges including VAT, from national price guides read November 2026. Estimate your own job.

Stove not drawing, or the liner getting old? A registered fitter can check it over.

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How often, and what a service covers

HETAS advice is to sweep at least once a year, and up to every three months while in use when burning wood or bituminous coal. Most people with a stove that is lit most evenings through the winter have it swept once before the season and once after. A sweep can tell you after the first visit whether your flue needs it more often.

What a good sweep does

Checks the stove, the room and the alarm before starting, and sheets the area.
Removes the baffle or throat plate, sweeps the liner from below (or from the top on some installations), and vacuums the debris.
Checks the cowl or pot is clear; birds often nest on unused or capped flues.
Does a smoke draw test after sweeping.
Gives you a certificate with the date, what was swept and anything they found.

A stove service

Many sweeps also service the stove: replacing door and glass seals, checking firebricks and baffles, adjusting the door catch, and cleaning the glass. Cracked firebricks are cheap to replace and protect the stove body; a warped baffle can let flames reach the flue.

Who to use

Look for a sweep registered with HETAS or a member of a national sweeps’ trade association, so the certificate means something to your insurer and the work follows a code of practice. A sweep is not the same as an installer, and a sweep should not alter a flue or stove unless they are also registered to fit.

Look after it between sweeps

Burn wood with less than 20% moisture (look for the Ready to Burn logo on bags, or use a cheap moisture meter on logs you season yourself). Light fires hot and fast, keep the air open until the wood is well alight, and do not leave a stove smouldering overnight with the air shut right down. Test the carbon monoxide alarm every month.

Sources we used

Prices are typical ranges from national UK price guides for homeowners, read November 2026, including VAT. Rules are summarised in our own words as general information.

How it gets done

A sweep and quick service usually takes under an hour and leaves no mess.

Check and sheet
The stove, the room and the alarm are checked; the area is covered.
Sweep the flue
Baffle out, the liner brushed, soot vacuumed, the cowl checked.
Service the stove
Seals, firebricks and baffles inspected and replaced if worn.
Test and certify
A draw test and a certificate for your records and insurer.

Common questions about stoves

How often should a log burner be swept?: At least once a year, and up to every three months while in use when burning wood, following HETAS advice. Heavy use or damp wood means more often.
How much does it cost to sweep a log burner?: Typically £70 to £100 for a lined flue with a certificate. Servicing the stove and new seals are extra.
Does my insurer need a sweep certificate?: Many home insurance policies expect the chimney to be swept regularly. Keeping certificates makes a claim after a chimney fire much easier.
Can a log burner be swept from inside?: Usually yes, with the baffle removed. Some installations are swept from the top or through a hatch in the register plate.
What does a stove service include?: Typically new door and glass seals where needed, checks of firebricks, baffles, grates and the door catch, and cleaning the glass.

Get a quote for your stove

Start with a postcode. A few details about the room and the chimney (or the lack of one) let a fitter give you a sensible first figure before they visit.

Free to use. We tell you which registered installer we have in mind before anyone else sees your details.

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Where is the house?

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