Up to 250,000 lowest-emissions-class boilers still operating in Czechia will be banned from autumn

There are still up to 250,000 lowest-emissions-class boilers in the Czech Republic, and their operation will be banned from this September. It is already clear that operators will not manage to replace a significant proportion of them in time. Fines for heating with an environmentally unfriendly boiler can reach CZK 50,000 and may be imposed repeatedly. The Association of Heating Technology Companies has drawn attention to the issue. Companies reminded households that they can apply for a subsidy for environmentally friendly heating systems until the end of August.

This year’s replacement of lowest-emissions-class boilers—that is, boilers that do not meet the requirements for emissions class 3 or higher—will affect at least one in every 20 households in Czechia. According to statistics from the Ministry of the Environment, around 150,000 such boilers are currently in operation, but the association estimates that the actual figure is up to 100,000 higher. Their operation will be banned from September 1.

Companies have pointed out that households can use a government subsidy to replace an old solid-fuel boiler. However, applications can be submitted only until the end of August.

The subsidy can be used to replace old boilers with new, more environmentally friendly heating systems, such as heat pumps, biomass boilers and other options. Despite the approaching application deadline, there is no need to rush when choosing a specific system. „Fortunately, it is possible to submit the application even when we know only the type of system we want to choose in the future—for example, a heat pump. I can then arrange the design, installation, assembly and commissioning over the next 24 months,“ said Vojtěch Formánek of Master Therm.

In that case, however, households will need to bridge the period between taking the old boiler out of service and installing the new system by using an alternative form of heating, such as a wood-burning stove. Formánek also warned that it is worth taking time to choose a specific type, especially when it comes to a heat pump, since assessing its suitability and then selecting the right model, including preparing the design documentation, takes several weeks.