Got Questions? We Have Answers

Our primary zone is Ottawa and a 50 km radius — Kanata, Orléans, Barrhaven, Nepean, Manotick, Greely, Carp, and Rockland. For installations (not service calls), we travel up to 200 km, reaching Cornwall, Kingston, Almonte, Casselman, and parts of Gatineau. Travel charges may apply beyond 50 km.

Yes — every HVAC installation and major-equipment quote includes a free in-home assessment. We measure your space, inspect existing ductwork and electrical capacity, calculate the Manual-J heat-load, and present options on the spot. No deposit is required to receive a written quote.

Every DTech technician holds active TSSA G2/G3 gas-fitter and 313D refrigeration-mechanic licences issued by the Ontario government. We carry $5 million commercial general liability insurance, WSIB coverage for all crew members, and we're BBB A+ accredited with a 4.9-star Google rating across 114+ verified reviews.

Scheduled appointments run Monday–Friday, 8 AM – 7 PM, and Saturdays by arrangement. For after-hours emergencies (no heat, gas smell, CO alarm), call our main line — it routes to the on-call technician. Emergency dispatch availability depends on current call volume.

We take Visa, Mastercard, debit, e-transfer, cash, and certified cheque. For installations over $3,000, we offer third-party financing with terms from 36 to 120 months — you can apply during your quote visit and typically receive a decision in minutes.

All DTech installations include a written labour warranty (typically 1–2 years depending on scope). Equipment carries the manufacturer's warranty — 10 years parts on most Lennox and Carrier units, for example. We register the warranty on your behalf at commissioning so you never have to chase paperwork.

It starts with a free in-home consultation where we measure your space and recommend equipment based on your layout, insulation, and budget. Once you approve the quote, we order materials and schedule the install — usually within 1–2 weeks. On install day our TSSA-licensed crew completes the work, passes all required inspections, and walks you through the new system. After that we file every applicable rebate on your behalf and follow up until funds are confirmed.

Yes — we manage the entire rebate process so you receive the maximum eligible amount without chasing forms. That includes scheduling pre- and post-retrofit energy audits when required, submitting applications to programs like the Canada Greener Homes Initiative, Oil to Heat Pump Affordability Program, Ontario Home Renovation Savings Program, and Enbridge rebates, and tracking every claim until payment is issued.

Yes — today's cold-climate models (Mitsubishi Hyper-Heat, Lennox XP25, Carrier Infinity) maintain rated heating output down to −25 °C and continue operating to −30 °C with reduced capacity. We spec systems with an HSPF₂ ≥ 9.0 for Ottawa's climate zone. For the handful of nights each winter that drop below −25 °C, a hybrid setup with a gas-furnace backup kicks in automatically — you don't have to touch anything.

It depends on what you're replacing. Switching from oil: expect 40–60% lower annual heating costs. From electric baseboard: 30–50% savings. From a high-efficiency gas furnace: savings are modest (10–20%) on heating alone, but the heat pump also replaces your AC, which tips the annual math in its favour. We calculate projected savings during your quote using current Hydro Ottawa and Enbridge rates.

As of March 2026, Ottawa homeowners can access: Enbridge/IESO utility rebates (up to $7,500 for cold-climate models), the Home Renovation Savings Program or HRSP (up to $12,500 for combined measures), the Oil-to-Heat-Pump Affordability Program or OHPA (for oil-heated homes), and Ottawa Better Homes 0% financing for income-qualified households. Multiple programs can often be stacked on one project — we map eligibility during every quote.

A well-maintained cold-climate heat pump typically lasts 15–20 years. The compressor is the most expensive component — keeping coils clean, refrigerant charge correct, and defrost controls calibrated protects it. Our maintenance plans include annual heat-pump tune-ups specifically designed for Ottawa's freeze-thaw cycles.

Once a year, ideally in September or October before the heating season starts. A proper tune-up includes cleaning the burner assembly, testing the flame sensor (microamp reading should be 1.5–6.0 µA), checking the heat exchanger for cracks, verifying gas pressure, and inspecting the flue for blockages. Skipping annual service is the #1 cause of mid-winter furnace failures we see.

In Ottawa, a 96% AFUE or higher is the sweet spot — these condensing furnaces extract almost all usable heat from the gas, which matters when your furnace runs 4,600+ heating degree days per year. Models like the Lennox SL297NV (97% AFUE) or Carrier Infinity 59MN7 (98.5% AFUE) are excellent choices. Below 95% is no longer eligible for most rebate programs.

Our rule of thumb: if the furnace is over 18 years old and the repair involves the heat exchanger, inducer motor, or control board, replacement usually makes more financial sense — especially since a new high-efficiency unit qualifies for rebates that offset 20–40% of the cost. For furnaces under 12 years with a single-component failure (igniter, flame sensor, blower capacitor), repair is almost always the right call.

Yes. Our after-hours line connects to the on-call technician. We stock the most common failure parts (hot-surface igniters, flame sensors, control boards, inducer motors, blower capacitors) on every service van, so roughly 70% of no-heat calls are resolved in a single visit — even at 11 PM on a Saturday.

For Ottawa's relatively short but intense cooling season (June–September), a SEER2 rating of 15–17 balances upfront cost against energy savings. Going above 20 SEER2 makes sense mainly if you also want the unit to serve as a heat pump. We calculate payback periods at your quote based on your home's square footage and Hydro Ottawa's current tiered rates.

Central AC units in Ottawa typically last 15–18 years. The condenser coil and compressor degrade faster if the unit runs without annual cleaning — cottonwood fluff, which is heavy in Ottawa every June, clogs outdoor coils and forces the compressor to work harder. Annual coil cleaning is cheap insurance.

Absolutely. Ductless mini-splits are ideal for older Ottawa homes — especially century homes, post-war bungalows, and finished basements — where adding ductwork is impractical or too expensive. A single outdoor unit can feed up to five indoor heads, each with its own thermostat zone. Installation typically takes one day for a single-zone system.

Once a year in May, before the cooling season. The visit includes cleaning the condenser coil, checking refrigerant charge, tightening electrical connections, verifying the contactor and capacitor, and clearing the condensate drain. A clogged drain line is the most common summer service call we get — and it's entirely preventable with annual maintenance.

Standard tank water heaters last 8–12 years in Ottawa (our hard-ish water accelerates anode-rod depletion). Tankless units last 18–25 years because they don't store standing water that causes sediment buildup. The easiest way to extend a tank heater's life is to flush it annually and replace the anode rod every 4–5 years — a $150 service that can add 3–5 years of life.

For households of 3+ people: almost always yes. Tankless units eliminate the 20–30% standby heat loss of a tank heater and never run out of hot water. The upfront cost is higher ($3,500–$5,500 installed vs. $1,800–$2,800 for a tank), but the longer lifespan and lower operating costs typically result in a net savings over 10 years. Smaller households (1–2 people) may not recoup the difference as quickly.

Yes — we handle the full conversion. It often requires upsizing the gas line (from ½" to ¾") and adding a dedicated condensate drain since tankless units produce acidic condensate. If your home has only a 100-amp electrical panel, we may also need to coordinate an ESA-permitted panel upgrade. We scope all of this during the free in-home quote so there are no surprises.

Ottawa logs roughly 2,000 peak sun hours per year — comparable to many southern Ontario cities and better than Germany, which is one of the world's largest solar markets. Solar panels actually produce slightly more electricity in cold, clear weather than in hot conditions because panel efficiency drops as cell temperature rises. Snow shedding is the main winter consideration, which is why we install panels at steeper tilt angles (30–40°) than in warmer climates.

No. A standalone battery can charge from the grid during Hydro Ottawa's off-peak hours (roughly 6.5¢/kWh) and discharge during on-peak periods (roughly 15.1¢/kWh), saving you the rate difference every day. It also provides backup power during grid outages. Pairing with solar increases the savings because you're storing free energy instead of cheap energy.

A standard 10 kWh residential battery (e.g., Tesla Powerwall, Enphase IQ 5P) will run essential loads — fridge, sump pump, modem, lights, and a few outlets — for 10–14 hours. If your solar array is producing during the outage, the battery recharges during the day and can cycle indefinitely. Whole-home backup requires a larger or multi-battery setup — we size this based on your actual panel loads.

Oil heating in Ottawa costs roughly $3,000–$4,500/year for a typical 2,000 sq ft home (depending on oil prices and insulation). A cold-climate heat pump reduces that to $1,200–$2,000/year in electricity. Factor in OHPA and Enbridge rebates (potentially $10,000+), and many homeowners see a 4–6 year payback on the conversion.

We decommission the tank per Ontario TSSA regulations: drain remaining fuel, disconnect lines, remove the tank (indoor or buried), and arrange disposal through a licensed waste hauler. For buried tanks, we coordinate a soil sample if required by your municipality. The OHPA program may cover some or all of these costs for qualified households.

You must currently heat primarily with oil (furnace or boiler), own and occupy the home, and install a qualifying cold-climate heat pump. Income-qualified households may receive enhanced funding. The process: (1) book a DTech quote, (2) we verify your current system and confirm eligibility, (3) we submit the application on your behalf, (4) once approved, we schedule installation. Processing times vary — typically 4–8 weeks for approval.

Ottawa's municipal water registers around 120–140 mg/L hardness (moderately hard). You won't see the dramatic scale buildup common in Barrhaven well water, but a softener still extends the life of your water heater, dishwasher, and washing machine by preventing mineral deposits on heating elements. If you notice white film on glassware or dry skin after showering, a softener is a worthwhile investment.

For duct-connected homes, a MERV-13 media filter (4–5" thick) catches 90%+ of pollen, dust mites, and pet dander without starving your furnace blower of airflow. If you need hospital-grade filtration, a bypass HEPA unit installs alongside your existing ductwork and filters 99.97% of particles down to 0.3 microns. We don't recommend cramming a MERV-16 filter into a standard 1" slot — it restricts airflow and can damage your blower motor.

Standard 1" furnace filters: replace every 60–90 days (more often if you have pets). 4–5" media filters: every 6–12 months. Whole-home HEPA units: annual filter replacement (~$80–$120 for the HEPA cartridge). Water softeners need salt refills every 4–8 weeks and a yearly resin-bed cleaning. Our maintenance plans include filter checks at every visit so you never have to guess.