Chimneys

Chimneys serve to discharge flue gases into the outside air via an outlet above roof level. They must be designed in such a way that no flue gases can escape into living areas and the surrounding building components are not exposed to excessive temperatures. In cases where resistance-to-fire requirements exist in accordance with the Building Codes of the federal states (Landesbauordnungen), it must also be ensured that the fire cannot spread to other storeys.

Chimneys are divided into Chimneys for solid fuels and Chimneys for liquid and gaseous fuels.

Chimneys for liquid and gaseous fuels serve to discharge flue gases from the combustion of heating oil or gas.

Chimneys for solid fuels serve to discharge gases from the combustion of solid fuels, such as pellets or briquettes. During the combustion, soot may accumulate on the insides of the building components carrying the flue gas and may lead to soot fires with temperatures exceeding 1,000 °C. For this reason, chimneys for solid fuels must be designed to be resistant to soot fire.

Condensate can form during the combustion of solid, liquid or gaseous fuels. Chimneys designed for operation under these wet conditions must therefore be condensate-resistant and feature condensate drainage.

Regulatory framework

See Fittings, components and thermal insulation products for chimneys and Chimneys for liquid and gaseous fuels.

National procedure

To prepare an abZ/aBG for your construction product, we need an application from you. We recommend that you contact us prior to doing so. Feel free to send us your enquiry informally via email to dibt(at)dibt(.)de or to the competent technical contact listed in the top right.

For a first assessment, please send us the following information:

  • Description of the construction product and its intended field of use
    • e.g. material, configuration, number of sizes, variants, dimensions
    • e.g. use in walls, ceilings, interior construction, building services
  • Description of the construction technique and its field of application
    • e.g. design of walls, ceilings, elements, etc., and interaction of components
    • e.g. application in foundation engineering, reinforced concrete construction, building insulation; as load-bearing or non-load-bearing component; under static and quasi-static loading; fire exposure; other environmental exposures
  • Information regarding impact on regulatory concerns
    • in particular structural integrity, fire protection, health and environment protection, sound insulation as well as thermal performance
  • Explanation of need for an abZ/aBG
  • Contact details
    • preferably email address and/or telephone number, as well as name, organisation/company, and postal address

We will then contact you to clarify the next steps.

If you already hold a DIBt approval and/or construction technique permit and wish to apply for an amendment, supplement, or renewal, please use the form provided below.

European Technical Assessment (ETA)

To start the ETA procedure, please submit the form below. We will then check if the prerequisites for issuing an ETA are met, i.e., in particular, if the product is not fully covered by an existing harmonised standard. If the prerequisites are met, we will check whether a European Assessment Document (EAD) covering the requested assessment scope already exists or still needs to be developed. If an EAD needs to be developed or amended, a complete technical file needs to be established before the procedure can begin.

Voluntary evaluations of fitness for use

Where the relevant harmonised standard is incomplete, economic actors can provide product performance information on a voluntary basis. DIBt offers independent validation and confirmation of such additional performance information in the form of a voluntary evaluation of fitness for use.