Frequently asked questions

This is one of the most common winter calls in newer Bethany homes, such as those in Woodland Hills. Their furnaces vent through two plastic pipes in the side wall, and a drift over those pipes makes the furnace shut itself off as a safety step. Peterborough A, the nearest Environment Canada station, averages 151.2 cm of snow a year, with January the snowiest month. Gently clear snow and ice from both pipes by hand, then switch the furnace off and on at its service switch. If it still will not light, book a furnace repair visit.

It depends on the part. Many repairs are small, such as a flame sensor that needs cleaning, a worn igniter or a blocked condensate line. Larger jobs involve the blower motor, the inducer motor, the control board or, at the far end, the heat exchanger. The technician finds the fault first and gives you a written price, and nothing is fitted until you approve it. Write down what the furnace is doing and any pattern on its status light, then ask for a quote.

Houses on Glengarry Road and Davis Street date from the 1870s to 1890s and were first heated with wood or coal stoves, so their ducts were added later and often squeezed into tight spaces. When a new high-efficiency furnace vents through the side wall, the brick chimney may need a liner or a new vent for anything still using it, such as a water heater. None of this needs to be rushed. Note which rooms run cold, then read about furnace replacement.

In Bethany's older houses, heat often struggles to reach every room because ducts were fitted after the house was built, with long runs and few returns. In newer homes the cause is more often a blocked filter, closed registers or furniture over a return. Start with the simple things: change the filter, open every register and keep returns clear. If one room still lags, a technician can check airflow and the duct layout and explain the options. Note which rooms and when, then book a maintenance visit.

Most no-heat calls come down to a short list: a dirty filter that makes the furnace overheat and shut down, a flame sensor coated with residue, or a worn igniter. In newer homes with side-wall vents, a frozen condensate line or a snow-blocked pipe is just as likely. These are usually modest repairs. Larger failures, such as a heat exchanger or control board, are less common. For a calm walk through the usual faults, read what usually goes wrong with a furnace.

Most gas furnaces do not have a single reset button. The usual reset is the service switch, which looks like a light switch on or near the furnace: turn it off, wait a minute, then turn it back on. Older oil furnaces often have a red reset button on the burner; press it once only. Pressing it again and again can flood the burner with oil. If the furnace will not stay on after one reset, leave it off and arrange a furnace repair visit.

Check that the thermostat is set to cool and below room temperature, then look at the breaker panel and the filter. Make sure the outdoor unit is clear of leaves and grass clippings. If the breaker trips a second time, leave it off rather than resetting it again. Water pooling near the furnace often points to a blocked condensate drain. Work is performed by 313A refrigeration and air conditioning mechanics. When the simple checks do not help, book an air conditioner repair.

Parts of Bethany are served by small municipal systems, Manorview and Woodfield, and the City of Kawartha Lakes can place them under water restrictions during dry periods. An air conditioner's condensate drain does not draw on the water supply; it carries away moisture the coil pulls from the air. A flow-through furnace humidifier does use water, but it is usually off in summer. If a notice comes out, follow the city's guidance, and ask about your humidifier during seasonal maintenance.

Once a year suits most homes: the furnace in early fall before the cold arrives, and the air conditioner in spring. A visit covers things like the burners, the flame sensor, the condensate line and the side-wall vents. Many manufacturers also make regular service a condition of their warranty, so keep the paperwork. Between visits, check the filter every month or two during heavy use. Put a reminder in your calendar, and see furnace and AC maintenance.

In Ontario, gas and propane appliances must be installed, serviced and repaired by a contractor registered with the Technical Standards and Safety Authority, under Ontario Regulation 212/01. Installations follow the CSA B149.1 Natural Gas and Propane Installation Code. Work is performed by TSSA-certified gas technicians. Correct installation also helps keep a manufacturer's warranty valid. Before anyone works on a gas line or appliance in your home, ask to see their registration, and read more about how Bethany Heating works.

Yes, if your home has a fuel-burning appliance such as a gas furnace or water heater, a fireplace or an attached garage. The Ontario Fire Code requires a working carbon monoxide alarm next to each sleeping area. Alarms wear out, so check the date on the back and press the test button. If an alarm sounds, get everyone outside first and call emergency services from there. The appliance can be checked once everyone is safe. Test your alarms this week, and book a furnace check if one has gone off.

It depends on where you live. The City of Kawartha Lakes, which includes Bethany, has a natural gas utility, and the Ontario Energy Board has approved an expansion project that builds pipelines from Cavan-Monaghan into the city. Homes beyond the gas lines heat with propane or oil. The furnace set-up and the venting differ with each fuel, so it matters before any replacement. Check your bill or your tank, tell us which fuel you have when you get in touch, and see furnace installation and replacement.

Possibly. Part of Highway 7A was rebuilt in the 1910s and 1920s after the 1911 fire, and some buildings there are designated under the Ontario Heritage Act. Outside changes such as a new side-wall vent or chimney work may need to be checked with the municipality first. These buildings often started with coal-fired furnaces or boilers, so venting usually needs planning anyway. Check your building's status with the City of Kawartha Lakes before work is scheduled, and see furnace installation and replacement.

Programs for heat pumps and high-efficiency equipment do come and go, and their rules change. Rather than promise a rebate, the technician checks which programs are open when you are comparing options. A cold-climate heat pump with the furnace kept as backup is a common set-up for Bethany winters, but the right choice depends on the house and the fuel you have. For a plain comparison, read heat pump, high-efficiency furnace or both.