Fall Furnace Service

Furnace Tune-Up in Toronto: What Gets Checked, What You Can Do Yourself, What It Costs

A tune-up is a yearly inspection and cleaning by a licensed gas technician, done before the cold starts. Here is what the visit covers, the jobs you can safely do yourself first, and the price.

By the Megacity HVAC teamPublished September 21, 2026

Call (416) 286-5665 See Maintenance Plans

Quick Answer: Furnace Tune-Up

A tune-up is a yearly check of the burners, heat exchanger, venting, gas pressure and safety controls, ending with a carbon monoxide reading. At Megacity HVAC a single furnace tune-up is $120 to $180 and takes about an hour. Enbridge recommends an inspection by a licensed contractor at least once a year, before the heating season. Book it before the first cold snap.

Price and visit details are from our maintenance plans page, checked September 21, 2026.

The Visit

What a Technician Actually Checks

Enbridge and Natural Resources Canada describe the same core list for a fall inspection: the combustion and venting system, the condition of the heat exchanger, the safety controls, the fan and the filter (NRCan, Heating with Gas). Here is how that plays out on one of our visits.

Burners and flame sensor. The technician pulls the burner assembly, cleans it and checks the flame sensor. A dirty sensor is a common reason a furnace lights and then shuts off.
Heat exchanger. Inspected for cracks with a camera or mirror. A crack is a safety problem, not a comfort problem.
Gas pressure. Manifold pressure is read against the rating plate on the furnace.
Safety switches. The limit and rollout switches are tested, since they are what shut the furnace down when something goes wrong.
Airflow. The temperature rise across the heat exchanger shows whether airflow is within spec. Blower motor and electrical connections get a look too.
Venting and condensate. On a high-efficiency unit, the inducer and condensate drain are checked and cleared.
Filter and thermostat. Filter replaced, thermostat calibrated.
Combustion and carbon monoxide reading. Taken before the technician packs up.

You should leave with a written report of what was found and what to watch. If a reading is out of spec, you see the number and we explain what it means. A verbal all-clear at the door is not the same thing.

Before the Visit

What You Can Do Yourself

These are homeowner jobs. None of them involves opening the burner compartment or touching the gas line.

Filter. NRCan says to change or clean forced-air filters every three months or when they are loaded, and Hydro One gives about the same interval. Your owner's manual has the final word.
Thermostat and power. Set to heat, fan on auto, fresh batteries if it takes them, and the furnace power switch on. Enbridge and Hydro One list these among the first checks when a furnace will not start.
Space around the furnace. Keep boxes, paint and cleaning products away from it.
Outdoor vents and meter. After every snowfall, brush snow and ice off the furnace intake and exhaust vents with a soft broom. Enbridge warns that blocked vents can cause appliances to malfunction and release carbon monoxide. Do not chip ice off the gas meter. Call Enbridge at 1-866-763-5427 (Enbridge).
Condensate line. If a high-efficiency furnace sits in a garage, attic, crawl space or other unheated area, its manual will warn about the drain freezing. Trane's installation manual states that frozen condensate blocks drains and shuts the furnace down. If the drain or vent freezes, turn the furnace off and call a technician. Do not use a flame on plastic pipe.
Carbon monoxide alarms. Since January 1, 2026, Ontario requires a working alarm on every storey of a home with a fuel-burning appliance, a fireplace or an attached garage, plus one next to each sleeping area. Test monthly (Ontario.ca).

Our furnace maintenance checklist has the full homeowner list, and furnace not working covers what to check if it already quit.

The Price

What a Tune-Up Costs

A single furnace tune-up is $120 to $180. You do not need a plan to book one. If you want the furnace and the air conditioner both handled, with priority scheduling and a discount on repairs that come out of a visit, the maintenance plans come in three tiers, cancel any time and have no lock-in contract. Call (416) 286-5665 for current plan pricing.

That price covers the inspection and cleaning. Parts and repairs are extra and quoted separately. Some manufacturer warranties ask for proof of annual professional service, so check yours. We log each visit against your address and the furnace serial number.

Timing and Limits

When to Book, and What a Tune-Up Will Not Do

Book in September or early October. Once the first cold night hits, service calendars fill with no-heat calls. We cannot promise a slot on a given day in a cold snap, which is the reason to book early.

A tune-up does not turn a worn-out furnace into a new one. Hydro One says a furnace can work reliably for 15 to 20 years, and likely more if it is properly maintained (Hydro One). If yours is in that range, read our guide to old furnace warning signs. For pricing and $0-down lease-to-own options on a replacement, see furnace replacement in Toronto.

Safety

If You Smell Gas or a CO Alarm Sounds

Do not try to find the cause. Leave the house and call 911 for a carbon monoxide alarm, and go back in only after a professional has fixed the problem (Health Canada). For a gas smell, leave, call 911, then Enbridge at 1-866-763-5427. A furnace that is not heating but has no alarms and no odour is a repair call: see furnace repair in Toronto.

Sources: Enbridge Gas, NRCan, Hydro One, Health Canada, Ontario.ca, Trane installation manual 18-CD29D1-14-EN. Price and visit details from megacityhvac.com/maintenance-plans, checked September 21, 2026.

Common Questions

Furnace Tune-Up FAQs

How often should a furnace be serviced?

Once a year, before the heating season starts. Enbridge recommends a licensed contractor inspect your gas appliances at least once a year, and Health Canada gives the same advice for anything that burns fuel. September and early October is the practical window in Toronto.

How long does a furnace tune-up take?

A furnace visit runs about an hour. It takes longer when the burners are dirty or a part needs attention. The technician finishes with a combustion and carbon monoxide reading and leaves you a written report.

How much does a furnace tune-up cost in Toronto?

A single tune-up is $120 to $180 with Megacity HVAC. That covers the inspection and cleaning. Any repair the visit turns up is quoted separately, and you do not need a maintenance plan to book one.

Can I do a tune-up myself?

Part of it. Filters, clear vents, the thermostat and your carbon monoxide alarms are homeowner jobs. The burner assembly, gas pressure, heat exchanger and safety controls are gas work for a TSSA-certified technician. Do not open the burner compartment yourself.

Is a tune-up worth it on a furnace that is already 20 years old?

Yes, for the safety checks alone, because a heat exchanger crack or a bad venting reading is better found in September than in January. It will not make an old furnace new, though. If the technician finds a serious problem, you get the choice of repair or replacement before the cold arrives.

Book Your Fall Tune-Up

TSSA-certified technicians. A written report every visit. Serving Toronto and the GTA.

(416) 286-5665 See Maintenance Plans

Furnace Tune-Up in Toronto: What Gets Checked, What You Can Do Yourself, What It Costs

Quick Answer: Furnace Tune-Up

What a Technician Actually Checks

What You Can Do Yourself

What a Tune-Up Costs

When to Book, and What a Tune-Up Will Not Do

If You Smell Gas or a CO Alarm Sounds

Furnace Tune-Up FAQs

Book Your Fall Tune-Up

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