Red Tag Relief
(519) 493-1355Technical Standards and Safety Authority
Homeowner in a winter coat looking at a red warning tag in her hand beside a shut-off gas furnace

TSSA-Certified G1 · Greater Toronto Area

Your Gas Is Off. Let's Find Out What It Actually Takes to Turn It Back On.

A red tag means a gas appliance was found unsafe and shut off. Only a certified gas technician can correct the defect and return it to service. Red Tag Relief is a TSSA-certified G1 gas technician serving the Greater Toronto Area.

We read your tag, tell you what you got tagged for, and fix it that visit when it's in gas-trade scope. When it isn't, we bring the right trade in and stay on it. One call instead of five.

Call NowSend a Photo of Your Tag

Same-day site visit across the GTA

Licensed G1 gas technician · 15+ years in gas and mechanical trades

TSSA-Certified G1
Same-Day Site Visit
We Clear It or We Manage It
Greater Toronto Area

First On Site

  1. 01

    We read your tag out loud.

    Type A or Type B, what section of code, what the tech actually flagged. Most people never get told this. You will, before you spend a dollar.

  2. 02

    Most of it gets fixed the same day.

    Spillage. Venting. A dead pilot or thermocouple. A missing shut-off. Bad clearance. If it's gas-side and in scope, we fix it and clear it on that visit.

  3. 03

    If it isn't, we run the rest for you.

    HVAC replacement, refrigeration, electrical, chimney — a short list of contractors we already work with. We book it, we manage it, we don't hand you a phone number and walk.

What Your Tag Means

Type A

Immediate hazard. Appliance shut off and the gas locked. It can't be used again until a certified technician corrects the issue.

Type B

Non-immediate hazard. You've been given a deadline to correct it. Miss it and it escalates. Work out your Type B deadline.

Either way, only a certified gas technician can legally clear it. That's where we start.

Type B deadline calculator

When the deadline passes, nothing happens on its own — the defect is still there and the file is still open. An inspector or the utility can return, escalate the tag to Type A and lock the meter, which adds a utility attendance to your schedule before heat comes back.

Insurers can also treat a known, uncorrected gas defect as grounds to deny a claim. A red tag is written evidence that you were told.

Book before your deadline

The deadline printed on your tag always governs. This is a planning aid only. Red Tag Relief is not affiliated with Enbridge Gas or the Technical Standards and Safety Authority.

More on Type B deadlines and what happens when one passes

Common Reasons People Get Tagged

  • Flue gas spillageOften fixable same day
  • Blocked or improper ventingOften fixable same day
  • Failed pilot or thermocoupleOften fixable same day
  • Missing or improper gas shut-off valveOften fixable same day
  • Gas leak at a joint or connectionOften fixable same day
  • Improper appliance clearanceOften fixable same day
  • Cracked heat exchangerUsually needs replacement
  • Unsafe or non-code installationDepends on scope
  • Chimney or liner failureUsually needs a specialist

If the unit is done, we say it's done. We're not selling you a repair that won't hold.

Send the tag. Get a real answer.

Photograph the tag and the appliance. You'll know what you're looking at before anyone shows up in your driveway — and before anyone quotes you.

Tag type

Who We Work With

Homeowners

No heat. No hot water. Gas off. That’s the whole emergency.

Landlords & Property Managers

You're on the hook to restore heat fast. We move at that speed.

Realtors & Real Estate Lawyers

A red tag stalls your closing. We clear it and hand you the paperwork.

Clearance for a closing

Restaurants & Commercial Kitchens

A tagged kitchen is a closed kitchen. Same-day commercial response.

Commercial kitchen help

Home Inspectors & HVAC Techs

Found a tag you don't service? Send it. Referral arrangements available.

Send a referral

Process

  1. 01

    Call, or send a photo of the tag

  2. 02

    We diagnose it and give you the price

  3. 03

    Certified repair, done on site

  4. 04

    Tag cleared, appliance back on, paperwork in your hand

Red tag questions, answered

What does a red tag on a furnace mean in Ontario?

A red tag means a gas technician or utility inspector found the furnace unsafe under CSA B149.1 and took it out of service. The tag states the defect and its type. The furnace stays off until a certified gas technician corrects the defect, tests the appliance, and returns it to service.

What's the difference between a Type A and Type B red tag?

A Type A tag is an immediate hazard: the appliance is shut off on the spot and the gas may be locked at the meter. A Type B tag is a non-immediate hazard, so the appliance can often keep running while you correct the defect within the deadline written on the tag.

Who can legally remove a red tag?

Only a certified gas technician can clear a red tag, after correcting the defect and testing the appliance. Homeowners, general contractors, electricians and handymen cannot. G2 certification covers appliances up to 400,000 BTU/h input; G1 certification covers any input rating, including commercial equipment.

How long does it take to get a red tag cleared?

Most correctable defects — venting, vent connectors, piping joints, valves, clearances, combustion air — are cleared in a single visit and the appliance goes back into service that day. Parts on order or a chimney liner add days. A locked meter needs the utility to re-attend before restart.

How much does it cost to clear a red tag?

Cost depends on the defect. Small corrections like a thermocouple, valve or vent connector sit at the low end. Chimney liners and venting rebuilds sit in the middle. A cracked heat exchanger usually means replacing the appliance, which is the top of the range. See the cost page for current figures.

Can I turn my own gas back on after a red tag?

No. Restoring gas to a tagged appliance yourself is unlawful in Ontario and voids insurance coverage if something goes wrong. If the utility locked the meter, only the utility can unlock it. The appliance itself must be corrected and returned to service by a certified gas technician.

Does a red tag mean I need a new furnace?

No. Replacement is only required when the defect cannot be corrected, and in practice that is almost always a cracked or failed heat exchanger. Venting, spillage, gas piping, control and clearance defects are corrected on the existing appliance and the furnace goes back into service.

Can a red tag stop a house sale from closing?

It can. Lenders and lawyers usually want proof that heat and hot water work before funds move. A tag found at inspection is typically handled with a holdback or a signed correction record from a certified gas technician. Clearing it quickly is what keeps the closing date intact.

Is a landlord required to fix a red tag?

In Ontario a landlord is responsible for maintaining a rental in a good state of repair, which includes heat and hot water. A red tagged furnace or water heater falls to the landlord to correct, not the tenant. This is general information, not legal advice.

What happens if I ignore a Type B red tag?

The deadline on the tag passes and the hazard remains. The utility or an inspector can return, escalate the tag to Type A, and lock the meter. Insurers can also treat a known uncorrected gas defect as grounds to deny a claim. Correcting it before the deadline is cheaper.

Where we work

Call Now — Gas Off?