Furnace maintenance cost in Ontario
A furnace tune-up in Ontario typically costs $120 to $250 before HST, once a year. You are paying for about an hour of testing and cleaning by a gas technician, so what is on the checklist matters more than the price.
- Annual furnace tune-up
- $120 to $250Before HST
- With 13% HST
- $136 to $283What the invoice shows
- How often
- Once a yearLate summer or early fall
- Diagnostic if it breaks
- $100 to $200Before any repair
- Annual furnace tune-upInspection, cleaning, combustion test$120 to $250
- Flame sensor clean or replaceCleaned on a good tune-up$150 to $300
- Hot surface igniterWear can be spotted early$250 to $450
- Pressure switchOften tripped by a blocked drain$250 to $450
- Condensate pumpChecked on high-efficiency furnaces$150 to $350
- Control boardDrain leaks can damage it$500 to $1,100
A tune-up guarantees nothing, but it shifts the odds: common failure parts get cleaned, tested or flagged in September instead of failing in January. Yearly service also helps a furnace reach the top of its expected lifespan, which puts off paying typical Ontario furnace prices for a new one.
On this page
What a proper tune-up includes
Ask for the checklist before you book. A thorough visit for a high-efficiency gas furnace covers:
- Combustion and venting test with an analyzer, including carbon monoxide in the flue gases
- Visual inspection of the heat exchanger for cracks, rust and scorching
- Burners inspected and cleaned, flame pattern checked
- Flame sensor cleaned and igniter inspected
- Gas pressure measured and set to the manufacturer's specification
- Safety controls tested: high limit, pressure switch and rollout switches
- Condensate trap, drain line and pump cleaned and flushed
- Blower motor and wheel checked and cleaned, motor current measured
- Filter checked or replaced, temperature rise across the furnace measured
- Intake and exhaust pipes checked inside and outside
- Thermostat operation confirmed through a full heating cycle
How to tell a real tune-up from a quick look: a real one leaves you with readings, such as temperature rise, gas pressure and the carbon monoxide level in the flue, written on the invoice or checklist. A 20-minute visit that ends with a vacuum and a sales pitch is not a tune-up.
What moves the price
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Furnace and AC in one visit
Can go either way: Higher, but less than two
A combined check costs more than a furnace-only visit, and often less than booking the two separately.
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Introductory offers
Lowers the price: Lower price
Some cheap first visits are a fair way to try a company; others are a way into your basement to sell a furnace. Judge them by the checklist and readings.
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Extra parts
Raises the price: Billed on top
Filters, humidifier pads and condensate pumps are usually extra.
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Worn parts found
Raises the price: Priced as repairs
A worn igniter found on the visit is a separate repair, typically $250 to $450. You can approve it, defer it or get a second price.
Maintenance plans: what they include and how to judge one
Many heating and cooling companies sell maintenance plans. A plan usually bundles some of these: an annual furnace tune-up, often with a spring AC check; priority booking when demand peaks; repair discounts or a waived diagnostic fee; and, on higher tiers, listed parts and labour up to stated limits. To judge the value, price the pieces you would actually use:
Price the visit on its own
If the plan fee is close to one tune-up at $120 to $250, you are prepaying for a visit plus extras. That can be fine; just do not mistake it for insurance.
Read what the repair coverage excludes
Look for exclusions on heat exchangers, refrigerant, ductwork and pre-existing conditions, age limits on older furnaces, and caps per claim or per year.
Check renewal, cancellation and sale terms
Does it renew automatically, can the price rise, what does cancelling cost, and does it transfer if you sell?
Keep it separate from a rental or financing deal
A plan bundled into a rental or loan is harder to cancel on its own. See rent or buy a furnace.
| Option | What you pay | What it usually covers | Suits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pay per visit | $120 to $250 a year | One tune-up; repairs billed separately | Newer furnaces, owners who book on their own |
| Maintenance plan | An annual or monthly fee | Tune-ups, priority booking, repair discounts | Owners who want reminders and faster service |
| Plan with repair coverage | A higher fee | Tune-ups plus listed parts and labour, up to limits | Older furnaces out of warranty |
Plan fees vary widely between companies. Compare the written terms, not the name of the tier.
Is your furnace due for more than a tune-up?
Get a free, no-obligation quote from a participating local heating and cooling company for a repair, or for a replacement if it is time.
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Warranty conditions: check your certificate
Furnace warranties are limited warranties with conditions, and maintenance can be one of them. Some manufacturers and installers ask for proof of professional maintenance with a claim, and damage from neglect, such as overheating behind a blocked filter, can be excluded. Conditions differ by brand and installer, so read your own certificate.
- Register the furnace with the manufacturer within the window stated in the paperwork.
- Keep every tune-up invoice together with its checklist and readings.
- Write down the model and serial number from the rating plate inside the door.
- If your installer gave you a labour warranty, read what it asks of you.
What you can do yourself, and what you cannot
Put these on a calendar:
- Filter: check monthly in winter; replace 1-inch filters every 1 to 3 months. Thicker media filters last longer; follow the label.
- Humidifier: replace the pad once a season, and close the bypass damper or switch the humidifier off for summer.
- Clear space: keep storage and anything flammable, such as paint and solvents, away from the furnace.
- Vents: after snow or freezing rain, clear the intake and exhaust pipes on the outside wall.
- Alarms: test carbon monoxide and smoke alarms monthly and replace them by the date on the unit. Ontario's Fire Code requires a working CO alarm next to sleeping areas in homes with a fuel-burning appliance, a fireplace or an attached garage, and since January 1, 2026, on every storey of the home.
- Drain: look for water around the furnace and check that the condensate pump runs.
Leave these to a gas technician
Burners, igniters, flame sensors, gas valves, gas piping, venting connections and the heat exchanger. In Ontario, furnaces and other fuel-fired appliances must be serviced by a TSSA-registered contractor using certified gas technicians. Ask for the registration number and check it with TSSA's contractor lookup.
The spring check for your air conditioner
Central air shares the furnace's blower and filter, so the indoor half is covered by the furnace visit. The outdoor half needs its own check in April or May, before the first hot week fills every schedule:
- Outdoor coil cleaned or rinsed, fins straightened
- Refrigerant pressures or temperature split checked, with no recharge until a leak is found
- Capacitor and contactor tested
- Coil drain line and condensate pump flushed
- Unit level, with plants and debris cleared away
Your part: keep the outdoor unit clear and change the filter. Already a problem? See AC repair cost.
Is a yearly tune-up worth it?
On a furnace under five years old, an annual visit is mostly safety testing and warranty records. From about 10 years on, it earns its keep, because worn igniters, dirty sensors, noisy inducer bearings and blocked drains show up there first. Most gas furnaces last about 15 to 20 years, and upkeep is one of the few things you control (see how long furnaces last). Skipping a year rarely causes harm on its own, but it can complicate a warranty claim if your certificate asks for records.
The arithmetic is simple: a single no-heat call, $100 to $200 for the diagnostic plus an igniter at $250 to $450, already costs more than a tune-up at $120 to $250, before any after-hours rate. See furnace repair cost for every common repair.
Questions people ask
How often should a furnace be serviced in Ontario?
Once a year is the common recommendation, ideally in late summer or early fall. That catches problems before the first cold night and avoids the busiest weeks. High-efficiency furnaces benefit in particular, because their condensate traps and drains can clog. Your warranty paperwork may also set its own maintenance conditions.
How much does a furnace and AC tune-up cost together?
A furnace-only tune-up typically costs $120 to $250 before HST. A combined heating and cooling visit costs more than that, and often less than booking the two separately; many companies also bundle both into a maintenance plan. Compare offers by the written checklist and the readings promised for each system, not just by the price.
Does a furnace tune-up include duct cleaning?
No. A tune-up covers the furnace itself: combustion, burners, safety controls, blower, drain and filter. Duct cleaning is a separate service with its own price and equipment. Be wary of duct cleaning offers that arrive unasked: in Ontario it is one of the services a business cannot sign you to at your door unless you contacted them first.
Is a furnace maintenance plan worth it?
It depends on the terms. If the plan costs about what one tune-up would, $120 to $250 a year, and adds priority booking or repair discounts, it can be reasonable value for an older furnace. If it is priced like insurance, read the exclusions, claim limits, renewal terms and cancellation fees before you sign, and make sure it is not tied to a rental contract.