How to Hire an HVAC Contractor in Ontario

Hiring an HVAC contractor for furnace replacement or heat pump installation is one of the more consequential home service decisions a Renfrew County homeowner makes. The work is heavily regulated, the equipment is expensive and long-lived, and the grant programs that can reduce your costs significantly require contractors to meet specific criteria. This checklist covers the steps that protect you from substandard work, lost grant eligibility, and safety risk.

Step 1: Verify the TSSA Licence — Mandatory, Not Optional

In Ontario, any contractor working on a gas or oil heating system must hold a valid TSSA licence. For residential gas furnace work, that means at minimum a G2 gas technician licence. For oil furnace work, the technician must hold an Oil Burner Technician (OBT) licence. These are separate credentials — a G2 licence does not authorize oil work, and an OBT does not authorize gas work.

Do not accept a verbal assurance. Look up the contractor's licence yourself at tssa.org using the public licence lookup. Unlicensed gas or oil work is illegal, voids insurance, and creates serious safety risk. If anything goes wrong with unlicensed work — fire, CO leak, equipment failure — you will have no recourse.

Step 2: Verify WSIB Clearance

Request a WSIB (Workplace Safety and Insurance Board) clearance certificate from any contractor before work begins. This document confirms that the contractor is registered with WSIB and current on premiums. If a worker is injured on your property and the contractor is not registered with WSIB, Ontario law may hold the homeowner responsible for the worker's compensation. A clearance certificate eliminates that exposure. Clearance certificates can also be verified directly at the WSIB website.

Step 3: Get Three Written Quotes — Compare Specifications, Not Just Price

For any equipment replacement, obtain at least three written quotes. Each quote should specify:

• The exact make and model of equipment being installed
• The AFUE efficiency rating (for furnaces) or HSPF/COP rating (for heat pumps)
• What labour and materials are included
• Whether permits are included or additional
• The timeline for completion

Comparing quotes without matching specifications is meaningless. An 80% AFUE furnace and a 97% AFUE furnace have meaningfully different long-term operating costs — the cheaper upfront price may cost more over 15 years. When comparing heat pumps, ensure you are comparing cold-climate models rated to −25°C, not standard models that lose efficiency or fail at Renfrew County winter temperatures.

Step 4: Ask About Grant Program Registration

If you are currently heating with oil and considering a heat pump conversion, the OHPA grant can provide up to $15,000 — but some grant delivery mechanisms require that you use a registered/participating contractor. Similarly, the Canada Greener Homes Loan and HER+ programs have specific contractor and equipment requirements.

Before you hire, ask each contractor explicitly: "Are you registered to participate in the OHPA program?" and "Are you familiar with the Greener Homes Loan process for homeowners?" A contractor who is vague or dismissive about grant programs without doing an assessment first is not the right choice for a grant-eligible project. Using an unregistered contractor for a grant-eligible installation may mean losing thousands of dollars in grant funding.

Step 5: Confirm the Permit Process

Ask each contractor who is responsible for pulling which permits:

• TSSA permit — required for gas work; the licensed gas contractor pulls this
• ESA permit — required for electrical connections; the electrical contractor pulls this (may be a subcontractor of the HVAC company)
• Municipal building permit — may be required by your municipality; confirm with the contractor and your local building department

A reputable contractor builds permit costs into the quote and handles the process as part of the job. If a contractor suggests that permits are unnecessary or that you can "deal with it later," that is a red flag. Unpermitted work can create problems when you sell the property or make a home insurance claim.

Step 6: Confirm Equipment Warranty Terms

Major HVAC equipment brands (Lennox, Carrier, Trane, Daikin, and others) typically offer:

• Parts warranty: 10 years (on most components when registered within 60–90 days of installation)
• Heat exchanger warranty: 20 years or lifetime on furnaces

Confirm that the warranty will be registered in your name after installation — some warranties require registration to activate the full term. Ask for written confirmation of the warranty terms and keep the installation documentation.

Step 7: Get the Labour Warranty in Writing

Separate from the manufacturer's equipment warranty, ask for the contractor's labour warranty in writing. This covers defects in the installation itself — improper wiring, incorrect refrigerant charge, poorly sealed connections, and similar workmanship issues. One to five years is a typical range for residential installation labour warranties. Get the specific terms and duration in writing before signing the contract.

Step 8: Confirm Emergency Service Availability

Ask directly: Does the contractor offer emergency after-hours service? What is the response time commitment? Is there an after-hours rate? In Renfrew County, a heating failure at −25°C is a genuine emergency — the pipes can freeze and the home can become uninhabitable within hours. Knowing your contractor's emergency policy before you need it is a reasonable precaution, particularly for rural properties where service distances are longer.

Red Flags: When to Walk Away

Related Pages

• Hiring a Contractor in Ontario — General Guide
• Ontario Contractor Licensing
• OHPA Grant — Oil to Heat Pump
• HVAC Regulations & Licensing