Replacing a furnace in Ottawa
Tell us the age of the furnace, what failed and what the house runs on. One independent Ottawa heating company gets the request, calls you, and quotes the new furnace after a look at the house.
In short
- 01A replaced furnace costs $4,000–$7,500 installed on a Canada-wide HomeStars guide.
- 02A natural gas furnace runs $3,800–$10,000 installed on HomeStars' installation guide.
- 03Since June 2024, Ontario bans registering a notice of security interest (NOSI) on a home for a furnace or air conditioner.
- 04Selling a furnace at your door is restricted in Ontario unless you started the contact.
Typical ranges
Source HomeStars, How Much Does Furnace Replacement Cost?, Canada-wide, updated 21.08.2026, seen 29.10.2026. HomeStars, Furnace Installation Cost, Canada-wide, updated 21.08.2026, seen 29.10.2026. HomeStars, Furnace Repair Cost, heat exchanger figures, seen 29.10.2026. Rules: Ontario, Notices of security interest, Ontario, Rules for businesses entering into contracts at a consumer’s home and Ontario, Guide for home renovation businesses, seen 29.10.2026. Rebates: Home Renovation Savings, seen 29.10.2026.
What to ask before you book
- Q1What size and efficiency do you propose, and how did you work out the size for my house?
- Q2Does the price include removing the old furnace, venting, gas connection and any duct changes?
- Q3Is this a purchase, a rental or a financing plan, and what do I owe if I sell the house?
- Q4What is your TSSA registration number, and who does the gas connection?
- Q5Can I have the model, the total with HST and the payment schedule in a written contract?
Before the visit
- Age of the current furnace, from the label or the house papers
- What failed, and what the technician said on the last visit, if you have it in writing
- Any plan for central air or a heat pump at the same time
- Any rental or financing agreement on the current furnace
- A clear path to the furnace room and the outside wall where the vents exit
Before you ask for a quote
A replacement quote is only as good as what the installer knows. Put these in the request:
- What the furnace runs on. Natural gas, electric, oil or propane. A switch from one fuel to another is a bigger job.
- Age and failure. The last repair, and what the technician found. A written note from the last visit saves a second diagnosis.
- What else should change. Central air or a heat pump at the same time, a new thermostat, a finished basement on the duct route.
The installer will want to see the house to size the furnace. Ask how they worked out the size, and compare that line between quotes.
What the quote should list
A Canada-wide HomeStars guide puts a replaced furnace at $4,000–$7,500 installed, with a basic model at $3,000–$4,500 and up and a high-efficiency unit at $4,000–$6,750 and up. Labour alone adds $1,000–$3,500 and up. Duct changes, when needed, add $1,000–$5,000.
Ask for each of these as a line: the furnace model, labour, removing the old unit, venting, the gas connection, any duct work, the thermostat, permits, and HST. Two quotes compare only when they cover the same lines.
Buy, rent or finance
A furnace can be bought outright, rented or bought on a financing plan. Ask which one you are signing. If there is an existing rental, find the agreement before the new furnace goes in. Ontario no longer lets a NOSI be registered on your title for it, but the province says the ban leaves an existing contract in place, and the business keeps its rights under it.
Ontario requires a written agreement for home renovation work worth more than $50. If the contract carries an estimate, the final bill can go at most 10% above it unless you sign a change. The province recommends a deposit of 10% of the total or less.
Signed at home: your 10 days
When you invite a company to your home and sign a contract there for a furnace, an air conditioner or duct cleaning, Ontario requires a signed cover page that sets out your rights. You then have 10 days to cancel without reason or penalty, counted from when you receive your written copy.
Gas work on the new furnace is for a TSSA-registered contractor with a certified gas technician. With a new fuel-burning appliance in the house, check your carbon monoxide alarms: since 1 January 2026 the Ontario Fire Code requires one on every storey.
Who you are dealing with
Ottawa Heating Desk is a request service. We pass your request to one independent Ottawa heating company. That company calls you, quotes the furnace and installs it.
Questions
01When does a repair stop making sense?
A cracked heat exchanger is the usual turning point. A Canada-wide HomeStars guide puts the part alone at $500–$1,200 and notes that on a system older than ten years the repair can approach the price of a new furnace. The same guide says a furnace should stay off with a cracked exchanger.
02Can a salesperson sell me a furnace at my door?
Since 1 March 2018, Ontario restricts selling furnaces, air conditioners, water heaters and duct cleaning at a consumer’s home unless the consumer started the contact. A contract signed after an unsolicited visit is void, and the consumer can keep the goods with no obligation.
03My old furnace rental put a notice on my house title. Is it still there?
Ontario’s Homeowner Protection Act, law since 6 June 2024, deems all consumer NOSIs on land titles expired. They can still appear on title documents, but the province says the land is unaffected. The province adds that the ban leaves an existing rental contract in place.
04Is there a rebate for a new gas furnace?
The Home Renovation Savings site, seen 29.10.2026, lists rebates for heat pumps, insulation, windows and doors, smart thermostats and solar. A gas furnace on its own is absent from that list. For an Enbridge Gas customer heating with natural gas, a cold-climate air source heat pump can bring up to $2,000.