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Heating and cooling emergencies in Ottawa

Heating contractors and plumbers for breakdowns.

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Ottawa–Gatineau has seen what a long outage does to home heating. In January 1998, freezing rain and ice pellets toppled power lines, trees and poles across the Ottawa area. On May 21, 2022, a derecho interrupted power for 180,946 Hydro Ottawa customers on the day itself, and a further 11,528 were affected in the days after because of storm damage. When the power is out, a furnace or heat pump can fail or sit idle in cold weather, and pipes are at risk. The Insurance Bureau of Canada says that if your furnace or heat pump breaks, you should shut off the water supply and drain the pipes to help prevent freezing. When you hire, the river matters: on the Gatineau side, the Régie du bâtiment du Québec says a contractor with an RBQ licence provides a financial guarantee in the event of litigation, and it offers a tool to check a licence. Ask for the licence number, a written quote, and what is covered before work starts.

Source: Hydro Ottawa (source, opens in a new tab)

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What to know in Ottawa

  • Hydro Ottawa's After the Storm report on the May 2022 derecho says that at the peak of the aftermath, 180,000 Hydro Ottawa customers were without power.

    Hydro Ottawa (source, opens in a new tab)

  • From Jan. 5 to 10, 1998, freezing rain and ice pellets hit a wide swath of eastern Canada, including the Ottawa area. The heavy ice toppled power and phone lines, trees and poles.

    CBC News (source, opens in a new tab)

Before you hire

  1. Have fuel-burning appliances such as a furnace or boiler inspected by a professional at least once a year.

    Source: canada.ca (source, opens in a new tab)

  2. Get written quotes from at least three contractors for the same work, and check references from recent clients.

    Source: ised-isde.canada.ca (source, opens in a new tab)

  3. Put it in a written contract: the work, price, deposit, start and finish dates, warranty, permits and clean-up. Paying cash to skip it leaves you no recourse.

    Source: ised-isde.canada.ca (source, opens in a new tab)

Questions about hiring in Ottawa

What should I do if my furnace or heat pump breaks in winter?

The Insurance Bureau of Canada says to shut off the water supply and drain the pipes to help prevent freezing. Do this while you wait for a technician, and tell the company about the frozen-pipe risk when you call so they can plan the visit. Insurance Bureau of Canada (source, opens in a new tab)

How can I check a contractor's licence on the Gatineau side?

The Régie du bâtiment du Québec offers a tool to check a contractor's licence. It says hiring a contractor with an RBQ licence provides a financial guarantee in the event of litigation. Ask for the licence number before you agree to any work. Régie du bâtiment du Québec (source, opens in a new tab)

What should a quote for a repair include?

Ask for a written quote that names the equipment, describes the work and parts, says what the warranty covers, and states whether the visit is an emergency call. Get the same details from each company so you can compare quotes on equal terms.

Why plan for heating trouble after a storm in Ottawa?

Storms here have caused long outages. The 1998 ice storm toppled power lines and poles, and the May 2022 derecho interrupted 180,946 Hydro Ottawa customers on the day. Know who you would call, and keep your contractor's licence details on hand. Hydro Ottawa (source, opens in a new tab)

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