Frequently Asked Questions – Heating
A.R. Mechanical provides residential and commercial heating repair, maintenance, and installation across North Bay and the surrounding area. That includes furnaces, boilers, heat pumps, humidifiers, air cleaners, rooftop units, packaged units, and ductwork. The shop is at 49 Lakeshore Dr., North Bay, ON P1A 2A4. Call (705) 472-6117 or email admin@ar-mechanical.ca.
A.R. Mechanical is a locally owned HVAC and plumbing company serving homes and businesses in North Bay, Ontario. The team is licensed gas technicians (G3, G2, and G1) who install and service furnaces, boilers, heat pumps, air conditioners, and related comfort equipment. Reviews often mention same-day response and direct follow-up from the owner.
Yes. A.R. Mechanical handles residential, commercial, and light industrial heating work in North Bay. That covers single-family homes, triplexes and rentals, offices, and packaged or rooftop commercial systems. A planned Membership Program is available for both homes and businesses
A.R. Mechanical serves North Bay and nearby communities in the Nipissing region. If you are in Callander, Powassan, Sturgeon Falls / West Nipissing, or another nearby town, call the office to confirm travel and same-day availability.
Call (705) 472-6117, email admin@ar-mechanical.ca, or use the contact form on ar-mechanical.ca. Office hours are Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. For no-heat emergencies in winter, call as early as possible so a licensed technician can be dispatched
A.R. Mechanical prioritizes no-heat calls during the heating season and has provided same-day service for EXISTING customers. Hours are listed as weekday business hours, so after-hours availability can vary — call (705) 472-6117 and describe the problem so the office can schedule the next available licensed tech.
A furnace that blows cold air usually has an ignition, flame-sensor, thermostat, filter, or limit-switch problem — or it has locked out after several failed start attempts. Replace a dirty filter first and check that the thermostat is set to Heat. If it still blows cold, shut the system off and book a licensed technician; running a failing gas furnace can create a safety issue.
The most common no-start causes in North Bay winters are a tripped switch, dead thermostat batteries, a clogged filter, a failed hot-surface igniter, or a dirty flame sensor. Check the furnace switch, breaker, and thermostat first. If those are fine, do not keep resetting the unit — a licensed gas technician should diagnose it.
Have a licensed technician inspect and tune your furnace once a year, ideally in early fall before the first hard freeze. North Bay winters put a long, heavy load on heating equipment. Annual service catches dirty sensors, weak igniters, unsafe venting, and carbon monoxide risks before a January breakdown.
A proper tune-up includes inspection of the heat exchanger and flue, cleaning or checking the flame sensor and igniter, verifying gas pressure and combustion, testing safety controls, checking the blower and filter, and confirming the thermostat and condensate drain. A.R. Mechanical also offers planned maintenance through its Membership Program
Most furnace repairs in Ontario fall in a few hundred dollars once a technician is on site; simple parts such as an igniter or flame sensor are typically on the lower end, while blower motors, control boards, and heat exchangers cost more. Exact pricing depends on the brand, part, and whether the call is during business hours. A.R. Mechanical diagnoses first and quotes before major work.
Replace the furnace if it is about 15–20 years old, the heat exchanger is cracked, efficiency is poor, or a major repair approaches half the cost of a new high-efficiency unit. In North Bay, a replacement also lets you consider a cold-climate heat pump or a hybrid heat-pump-plus-furnace system and current Ontario rebates.
A professionally installed high-efficiency gas furnace in Ontario commonly lands in the mid-thousands, with the final price set by size (BTU), AFUE rating, brand, venting, and ductwork. Ask A.R. Mechanical for a written quote after a home visit so the unit is sized for your North Bay house, not a generic square-footage chart.
Yes — a cold-climate air-source heat pump is designed to heat well below freezing and keep running in the −15°C to −25°C range that North Bay sees in mid-winter. Output drops in the coldest snaps, which is why many local homes use a hybrid setup: the heat pump handles most of the season and a gas furnace covers extreme cold. More on Heat Pumps
A hybrid (dual-fuel) system pairs a cold-climate heat pump with a gas furnace. Above a set outdoor temperature, the heat pump runs because it is more efficient. Below that “balance point,” the furnace takes over. It is a common upgrade for Enbridge gas customers in Northern Ontario who want lower bills without giving up backup heat.
Yes. Under Ontario’s Home Renovation Savings program, a qualifying cold-climate air-source heat pump can receive about $500 per ton (up to $2,000) if the home is primarily heated with Enbridge natural gas, or about $1,250 per ton (up to $7,500) if the home is heated with electricity, oil, propane, or wood. Ground-source (geothermal) rebates can be higher. Pre-approval is required before install, and amounts can change — confirm current rules with your AR Mechanicals staff.
Often yes, if the furnace, ductwork, and electrical panel can support it. Adding a matched heat pump to a serviceable furnace is a typical hybrid conversion in North Bay. A.R. Mechanical will check furnace condition, duct sizing, and panel capacity before quoting.
Yes. A.R. Mechanical services and replaces residential and commercial boilers, including hydronic and hot-water systems. Local reviews specifically mention boiler replacements on rental properties and faster response than large utility-owned service plans.
Yes. Licensed G1/G2/G3 gas technicians can work on natural gas and propane appliances, including furnaces, boilers, and related equipment. Confirm fuel type when you book so the right parts and permits are planned. Contact AR Mechanical
A.R. Mechanical services a wide range of furnaces, boilers, heat pumps, humidifiers, air cleaners, rooftop units, and packaged systems. Bring the make and model (usually on a sticker inside the furnace door) when you call so the technician can arrive prepared.
A well-maintained gas furnace typically lasts 15–20 years. North Bay’s long heating season and dusty or humid indoor air can shorten that if filters are ignored and annual service is skipped. Regular maintenance is the cheapest way to get a full lifespan. More on our Membership Program
Short cycling (turning on and off every few minutes) is usually a dirty filter, oversized equipment, a blocked flue or intake, an overheating heat exchanger, or a failing limit switch. It wastes fuel and stresses parts. Book service if it continues after a filter change.
A healthy gas furnace flame should be mostly steady and blue. A yellow, flickering, or lifting flame can mean incomplete combustion, dirty burners, or a venting problem and may produce carbon monoxide. Turn the furnace off and call a licensed technician. Install working CO alarms on every floor.
Yes. Every North Bay home with a gas furnace, boiler, or other fuel-burning appliance should have working carbon monoxide alarms, especially near bedrooms. A cracked heat exchanger or blocked flue can leak CO with little warning. Annual combustion and heat-exchanger inspection is part of safe maintenance.
A red tag is a formal notice from a licensed technician that a gas appliance is unsafe to operate. The unit must stay off until the defect is corrected and the tag is cleared. Never ignore a red tag, and be wary of door-to-door “inspection” pitches — in Ontario, unsolicited door-to-door HVAC sales are restricted.
Owning is usually cheaper over the life of the equipment because rental contracts add monthly fees for years. Several North Bay customers switched from large rental providers to A.R. Mechanical for a purchased boiler or furnace and reported lower monthly costs plus faster local service. Compare the buy-out, remaining term, and a local install quote before you renew a rental.
Yes. A.R. Mechanical designs and installs duct configurations to match the heating system. Uneven rooms are often caused by leaky or undersized ducts, closed registers, or a system that was never balanced after a renovation. A site visit is the only accurate way to quote duct repairs.
Yes. Whole-home humidifiers and air cleaners are part of the heating-side service list. In a dry North Bay winter, a working humidifier reduces static, dry sinuses, and wood shrinkage; a neglected humidifier pad or drain can also cause no-heat or water-damage calls
It is a planned maintenance agreement for homes and businesses of any size. Members get scheduled inspections and tune-ups so furnaces, boilers, and cooling equipment last longer and fail less often in peak season. Ask the office what the current membership includes when you book.
Clear a path to the furnace or boiler, move storage off the unit, and make sure pets are secured. Have your thermostat preferences and any rebate paperwork ready. A typical furnace swap is often completed in one day; hybrid heat-pump jobs can take longer if electrical or line-set work is needed.
Heating work on gas appliances in Ontario must be done by licensed gas technicians. A.R. Mechanical hires G3, G2, and G1 licensed fitters for install and service. Always ask to see licensing on any gas job, and never allow unlicensed “inspectors” to work on your furnace. Contact AR Mechanical today
Service the furnace or heat pump every year, change filters on schedule, seal obvious duct leaks, use a programmable or smart thermostat, and close unused rooms only if the system was designed for it. If the furnace is old, a high-efficiency replacement or a hybrid heat pump is usually the largest long-term saving. Insulation and air sealing multiply those savings.
A local shop can usually get a technician to your door faster, quote purchase instead of a multi-year rental, and follow up in person. A.R. Mechanical customers have cited same-day service, lower monthly costs after leaving a rental boiler plan, and direct contact with the owner.
A.R. Mechanical
49 Lakeshore Dr., North Bay, ON P1A 2A4
Phone: (705) 472-6117
Email: admin@ar-mechanical.ca
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m. (closed weekends)
Website: ar-mechanical.ca
A proper tune-up covers the filter, indoor coil, outdoor condenser, condensate drain, refrigerant pressures, electrical connections, capacitors, contactor, blower, and thermostat. Cleaning the outdoor coil and clearing the drain prevent many mid-summer no-cool calls.


