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Heating and cooling emergencies in Erie

Heating contractors and plumbers for breakdowns.

13 pros in Erie

Erie sits on the lake shore, and its winters are long: the 1991-2020 normals give 104.3 inches of snow a year, with 31.8 inches in January alone. January's normal mean high is 35.2°F and the mean low is 21.3°F, so a furnace or boiler that quits in midwinter is a real problem, and a frozen pipe can follow quickly. When you hire for an emergency heating or cooling job, ask first about registration. Pennsylvania's Home Improvement Consumer Protection Act requires most contractors to register with the Office of Attorney General and to give that registration number in ads and contracts, so look for it. Insurance minimums and required contract terms also apply, so ask for a written contract even when you are in a hurry. If the repair involves electrical work inside the City of Erie, the electrician must be licensed by the City, unless you own and live in the single family home and take out a permit and have the work inspected. Ask who will pull any permit.

Source: National Weather Service Cleveland (source, opens in a new tab)

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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 Erie

Does a heating contractor in Erie need to be registered?

Under Pennsylvania's Home Improvement Consumer Protection Act, anyone offering or doing home improvements must register with the Office of Attorney General. Small contractors and large retailers are excepted. Ask for the registration number before work begins, and check that it appears on the contract. Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General (source, opens in a new tab)

What should an emergency repair contract include?

Pennsylvania law requires the contractor's registration number in contracts and sets minimum insurance requirements and required contract terms. Ask for a written scope of work, the parts to be replaced, the total price and how any change will be agreed, even if the repair is urgent. Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General (source, opens in a new tab)

Who can do electrical work on my furnace or heat pump in the City of Erie?

Within the City of Erie, electrical work must be done by an electrical contractor licensed by the City. One exception covers a person who owns and lives in a single family dwelling, provided a permit is taken out and the work is inspected. Ask who is responsible for the permit. City of Erie Code Enforcement (source, opens in a new tab)

How do I compare quotes when my heat has failed?

Even in an emergency, try to get at least two quotes if you can. Compare the same scope: diagnosis, parts, labour, warranty on the repair, and whether registration and insurance are in place. A lower figure that leaves out parts or a permit is not a like-for-like comparison.

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