In short
- Nepean was its own city from 1978 until it joined Ottawa in 2001; about 186,600 people lived there at the 2021 Census.
- Its population went from 3,744 in 1951 to 64,606 in 1971, so many streets date from those two decades.
- HomeStars' Ottawa guide puts HVAC labour at $75–$150 an hour, about $110 on average.
- Since 1 January 2026, Ontario's Fire Code requires a CO alarm on every storey of a house with a fuel-burning appliance.
Typical prices in Ottawa
| Job | Typical range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Igniter replacement | $150–$300 | One Ottawa firm’s published list |
| Blower motor replacement | $400–$1,200 | One Ottawa firm’s published list; variable-speed motors cost more |
| Diagnostic or service call | $80–$200 | One Ottawa firm’s published list |
| Boiler repair | $250–$600 | HomeStars Ottawa page; routine boiler maintenance $100–$200 |
| Electric baseboard to central gas | $10,000–$16,000 | HomeStars Ottawa guide |
Sources. One Ottawa firm’s published furnace repair price list, seen 29.10.2026. HomeStars, How Much Does HVAC Cost in Ottawa?, seen 29.10.2026. HomeStars, Boiler repair in Ottawa, seen 29.10.2026. Rebates: Home Renovation Savings, Heat pumps, seen 29.10.2026. CO alarms: Ontario, Carbon monoxide safety, seen 29.10.2026. Gas work: TSSA, Be fuels-wise, seen 29.10.2026. Door-to-door sales: Ontario, Rules for businesses entering contracts with consumers at home, seen 29.10.2026. Asbestos: Health Canada, Planning a renovation? Asbestos, seen 29.10.2026. Permits: City of Ottawa, Projects not requiring building permits, seen 29.10.2026. Area facts: Wikipedia, Nepean, Ontario and its neighbourhood articles, read 29.10.2026.
A township that became suburbs after the war
Nepean Township dates from 1792. Ottawa annexed Westboro, the township’s old seat, in 1950, and the centre moved to Bells Corners. Fast suburban building on farmland followed. Census counts show 3,744 residents in 1951, 19,753 in 1961, 43,919 in 1966 and 64,606 in 1971. Nepean became a city in 1978 and merged into Ottawa in 2001.
Crestview is mostly bungalows, the style of the 1950s and early 1960s, and Skyline houses date from the early 1950s to the 1970s. Manordale started in the late 1950s, Parkwood Hills in 1959, and Bayshore in 1963. Trend Village followed in 1964 to 1968, Craig Henry from 1971, Tanglewood from 1975, and Centrepointe from 1984. Barrhaven, south of the Greenbelt, has its own page.
What a house of that age tells the technician
A 1950s bungalow has likely had several furnaces by now. The ducts, the chimney and the gas line may date from the first heating system in the house. Before a swap, ask how the new unit will vent and whether the gas water heater that shared the old chimney needs its own solution. Put the answers on the written quote.
HomeStars’ Ottawa guide puts replacement of an older system at $5,000–$15,000, new or upgraded ductwork at $1,000–$5,000 and an electrical panel upgrade at $200–$2,000. For the full replacement picture, see furnace replacement.
Boilers, baseboards and older conversions
Some houses heat with water. HomeStars’ Ottawa boiler page puts routine maintenance at $100–$200 and most repairs at $250–$600, more for older, high-efficiency or combi units. More on that work is on the boiler repair page.
Houses with electric baseboards are a separate case. HomeStars’ Ottawa guide prices a switch from baseboard electric to central gas at $10,000–$16,000. A cold-climate heat pump is the other route, and heat pump rebates for homes on electricity, oil or propane reach $7,500 through Home Renovation Savings.
Repair figures to set beside a quote
One Ottawa firm publishes its furnace repair ranges: flame sensor $100–$200, igniter $150–$300, thermostat $150–$350, control board $300–$600, gas valve $300–$800, blower motor $400–$1,200 and heat exchanger $1,500–$2,500 or more. Its diagnostic fee sits at $80–$200. Ask which part failed and why.
Old insulation near the equipment
Health Canada says asbestos was used in building materials, insulation among them, in some homes built before 1990. Every era listed above falls before that year. Where old wrapping on pipes or ducts has to be opened up, Health Canada advises a professional test first and removal only by someone qualified. Mention it in the request so the company plans for it.
Gas, CO alarms and offers at the door
TSSA says furnaces and fuel-fired appliances in Ontario must be maintained by TSSA-registered contractors, who must employ certified gas technicians. Ontario’s Fire Code requires a CO alarm next to each sleeping area of a house with a fuel-burning appliance, a fireplace or an attached garage, and since 1 January 2026 on every storey as well, including storeys without bedrooms. If an alarm sounds, get everyone out and call 9-1-1 from outside.
Door-to-door offers have their own rules. Since 1 March 2018, Ontario restricts home sales of furnaces, air conditioners and water heaters unless you started the contact, and when you invited the company, a signed contract carries a 10-day cooling-off period.
Who handles your request
Ottawa Heating Desk forwards your Nepean request to one independent local heating company. That company phones you, looks at the furnace or boiler, quotes the job and does the work.
Questions to ask the company
- Does Nepean, including my street off Merivale, Baseline, Woodroffe or Greenbank, fall inside your area?
- Will the diagnostic fee be credited if I go ahead with the repair?
- If the furnace is replaced, how will the gas water heater on the same chimney vent afterwards?
- What is your TSSA registration number, and is the technician coming a certified gas technician?
- Can you put parts, labour, HST and any after-hours charge on a written quote before work starts?
Have this ready for the call
- Neighbourhood and postal code, for example Crestview, Skyline, Manordale, Craig Henry, Trend-Arlington or Centrepointe
- The decade the house was built and any heating changes you know of: oil to gas, new ducts, a heat pump added
- Heating type: forced-air furnace, hot water boiler with radiators, or electric baseboards
- Photos of the furnace or boiler label, the venting, and the water heater beside it
- Where the equipment sits and how a technician reaches it: basement stairs, a crawl space or a utility closet
- Any old wrapped pipes or ducts you have noticed near the equipment
Questions people ask
Which parts of Ottawa count as Nepean?
The former City of Nepean ran west of Ottawa’s inner core and took in neighbourhoods such as Bells Corners, Centrepointe, Craig Henry, Crestview, Bayshore, Manordale and Parkwood Hills, plus Barrhaven to the south. Give your postal code and nearest main road.
My bungalow is from the late 1950s. Is the furnace in it that old?
A furnace that old would be rare, since one Ottawa firm treats a furnace past its fifteenth winter as approaching the end of its life. Send a photo of the label so the company can read the model and age before the visit.
We heat with a hot water boiler. Is that a different trade?
Heating companies service boilers too, and the gas side falls under the same TSSA rules as a furnace. Say boiler in the request and mention radiators or in-floor loops.
Is an after-hours repair in winter priced differently?
Usually. One Ottawa firm’s published list adds $50–$150 for after-hours, weekend and holiday furnace calls, and HomeStars’ Ottawa boiler page cites a 20–30% premium for emergency or after-hours boiler service.
Can a heat pump go into an older Nepean house that heats with oil or electric baseboards?
Home Renovation Savings offers $1,250 per ton, up to $7,500, for a cold-climate air source heat pump in a home heated with electricity, oil, propane or wood. A participating contractor applies for pre-approval before the install.
Does adding central air or a heat pump need a City permit?
The City of Ottawa lists installing air conditioning units and heat pumps among projects that need no building permit, except on designated heritage buildings and in Heritage District Overlays. The work must still meet the Ontario Building Code and the Zoning By-law.
