Gas Appliance Service near you

Replacing an igniter on a gas dryer or adjusting a water heater burner is gas work, not general appliance repair. In Ontario, the TSSA says only registered fuels contractors are legally authorized to carry out fuels-related work, and its public registry lets you look up a company before booking. In Quebec, the CMMTQ says any work on a gas appliance must go to a specialized contractor that belongs to the corporation. If an appliance repair company is sending someone to a gas appliance, ask whether that person holds gas certification.

In British Columbia, Technical Safety BC requires a permit to install or replace a gas appliance, taken out by the licensed contractor, and it notes that a built-in gas barbecue needs one while swapping an existing plug-in style barbecue doesn't. Other provinces set their own rules through their gas safety authority, so ask the technician what applies when a service call turns into a replacement.

Health Canada advises having fuel-burning appliances inspected by a professional at least once a year, or as the manufacturer instructs. Many households book the furnace in the fall and have the water heater, dryer and range checked during the same visit, while pool heaters and outdoor grills are easier to service at the start of the outdoor season.

Any appliance that burns gas can produce carbon monoxide, and a blocked vent, a damaged heat exchanger or a poorly adjusted burner can send it into the house. Health Canada says the most important place for a CO alarm is in the hallway outside sleeping areas, and advises testing alarms regularly and replacing batteries and alarms as the manufacturer recommends. It also warns never to use kerosene, propane or oil space heaters in an enclosed area unless they are designed for indoor use, which rules out patio and camping heaters in a garage or basement.

A gas smell is a different emergency. Enbridge Gas and Énergir both tell people to leave the building right away, avoid switches, phones and anything else that could spark, and call 911 or the utility's emergency line once outside. If a CO alarm sounds, get everyone into fresh air and call 911 as well, then have a licensed technician check the appliances before anyone uses them again.

Natural gas and propane are supplied at different pressures and burn differently, so an appliance set up for one can't safely run on the other as it is. Converting a range, dryer, water heater or pool heater usually means changing orifices or burner parts and adjusting or replacing the regulator with the conversion kit the manufacturer specifies, then testing for leaks and checking the flame. Some appliances aren't approved for conversion at all, and replacement is then the answer.

Conversions come up when a rural home gets natural gas service, at cottages that run on propane, or when an appliance moves between homes. Each one is licensed gas work in every province, so never swap orifices or regulator parts yourself, even with the kit in hand. Ask the technician to mark the appliance with the fuel it now uses, and keep the invoice with the manual.

Before paying to repair an older heater, grill or water heater, search the Government of Canada's Recalls and Safety Alerts site for the product type and the model number on the rating plate. A recall notice explains the hazard and what owners should do, which can include stopping use until a remedy is available. Registering a new appliance with its manufacturer means you can be contacted if a notice is issued later.

Many manufacturer warranties expect installation and service by a qualified technician, so keep every invoice with the appliance's model and serial numbers. An unlicensed repair can put the warranty in doubt and, after a fire or a leak, complicate an insurance claim.