Is your wood fireplace illegal? Dracon standards come into force in the winter of 2025

The view of the crackling fire in the fireplace is for many Poles the quintessence of home warmth and relaxation, especially in long winter evenings. Unfortunately, shortly this idyllic image for thousands of homeowners can only become a memory. The real revolution in heating regulations is coming. Government and local governments, under force from EU directives and alarming air quality data, introduce new, highly stringent emanation standards. Already this winter, at the turn of 2025 and 2026, many popular fireplaces and wood stoves will become illegal. This is not a distant future – it is simply a change that will actually affect the home budgets and comfort of life of Poles in the coming months. The owners of older equipment must prepare for costly modernisation or replacement, and ignoring the fresh regulations will entail severe financial penalties, reaching up to respective 1000 zlotys. There's little time to act.

Why the revolution? Eco-design and local anti-smog resolutions

Sudden tightening is not accidental. This is the consequence of many years of action at both European and national level. The main driver of change is the EU Directive, known as Ecodesign (Ecodesign), which imposes very stringent energy efficiency requirements and emanation limits (PM), nitrogen oxides (NOx) and carbon monoxide (CO) requirements on heating equipment manufacturers. The aim is to destruct from the marketplace the alleged ‘couchs’ – devices that emit into the atmosphere immense amounts of harmful substances which are the main origin of smog.

However, the key to homeowners are local anti-smog resolutions, adopted by the Sejm of individual voivodships. They specify circumstantial dates and rules for the withdrawal of old boilers and fireplaces. Although the schedules vary from region to region (the most restrictive regulations apply, among others, in Małopolska, Silesia and Mazovia), the overall trend is clear. Winter 2025/2026 is the deadline for many to adapt to fresh legal realities.

Is your fireplace in danger? See what disqualifies him

How do I check whether our home fireplace will shortly be on the “black list”? There are respective key criteria that will let to rapidly measure the situation. If your device meets even 1 of the following points, you will almost surely gotta take action before the upcoming heating season.

• Age of device: Fireplaces installed before 2015 seldom meet any modern issue standards.
• No data plate: Each modern device must have a description with information about the manufacturer, model, power and, most importantly, about the standards met (seek the sign ‘Ecodesign’ or ‘Ecodesign’). Her absence is an emergency signal.
• Open construction: conventional open furnaces are highly inefficient and emit the most pollutants. Under the fresh regulations, they will be completely banned as the main heat source.
• No Class 5 certificate or Ecodesign: It's the most crucial document. If your fireplace or fireplace insert does not have a certificate confirming compliance with PN-EN 13229 and the Ecodesign Directive, its continued usage will be illegal.

Do you have an illegal fireplace? These are available solutions and costs

To say our fireplace doesn't meet standards doesn't necessarily mean disaster. There are respective paths of action, though each involves spending. The crucial thing is not to wait for the last minute.

1. Replacement to a modern device: This is the most reliable and recommended solution. The modern Ecodesign certificated fireplace insert costs between 5 000 and 15,000 PLN, depending on the power and the manufacturer. This includes installation costs (approx. 2 000 – 4 000 zł). The advantage is advanced efficiency (more than 80%) and minimal dust emissions.

2. Electrostatic installation: In any cases, it is possible to modernise the existing fireplace by installing a peculiar device that ‘catches’ exhaust dust. The cost of specified an electrofilter is an expense of between 4,000 and 8,000 PLN. This solution keeps the old cartridge, but requires additional space in the chimney installation.

3. full resignation and change of heat source: You can besides choose to destruct the fireplace for wood and replace it with, for example, a gas fireplace, a biocomminone (which mainly serves as a decorative function) or invest in a heat pump. It is worth checking the anticipation of obtaining backing from programmes specified as Clean Airwhich support thermomodernisation and exchange of heat sources.

The penalties will be severe. Controls utilizing drones already this winter

The authorities announce that there will be no discount tariff for those who ignore the fresh rules. Since the winter of 2025, increased inspections by the city police and peculiar inspectors are expected. More and more will be utilized to verify what we smoke at home drones equipped with smoke detectors. If the usage of an extra-class fireplace is found, the owner is threatened with a mandate of up to PLN 500. If the case goes to court, the fine can even go up to PLN 5 000.

The end of an era of inefficient old fireplaces becomes a fact. Although this involves unplanned expenditure for many owners, this is simply a step essential in the fight for clean air for all of us. It is worth checking the documentation of your device present and planning possible actions to avoid legal and financial problems in the upcoming heating season.