Who to hire for a gas heater that needs servicing

Short answer

A licensed gasfitter with a gas appliance endorsement — in practice a plumber holding both. Ask specifically for a carbon monoxide spillage test as part of the service, because a heater can run, heat the room and still be venting combustion products into it.

Plan itThere is time to get more than one quote, which is where the money is.

What to do before anyone arrives

  1. Find the make, model and age of the heater. Some specific models have been the subject of safety notices and a competent technician will know which.
  2. Note whether anyone in the house has had headaches, nausea or flu-like symptoms that improve when they leave the house. That is the symptom pattern for carbon monoxide and it should be said out loud when you book.
  3. Check whether the flue is obstructed outside and whether anything has been built, planted or stacked near it since the last service.
  4. Book it before the first cold week, not during it.

What to ask when you book

  • Does the service include a carbon monoxide spillage test, and will you give me the reading in writing?
  • Do you hold the gas appliance endorsement as well as the gas licence?
  • If it fails, will you tag and disconnect it on the spot? A heater that fails a CO test should not be left usable.

What changes the price

No dollar figures here: this directory holds no price data and an invented range is worse than none. What follows is what makes one of these jobs cost more than the same job next door, which is the part you can actually use when comparing quotes.

  • Whether it is a routine service or a repair.
  • Parts availability for older units, which is often the deciding factor between repair and replace.
  • Flue work, which can turn a service into a roof or wall job.

What you can do yourself

Is this licensed work?

Gasfitting is licensed separately from plumbing, and servicing gas appliances generally requires a further endorsement on top of the gas licence. Ask which they hold; 'I'm a plumber' does not answer the question.

There is no national register. Search the licence number with the regulator for the state the work is happening in.

Licensing thresholds and certificate requirements differ by state and change with amending regulation, so this page describes the mechanism rather than quoting a figure. The regulator’s own page is the current answer.

Common questions

Who should I hire for a gas heater that needs servicing
A licensed gasfitter with a gas appliance endorsement — in practice a plumber holding both. Ask specifically for a carbon monoxide spillage test as part of the service, because a heater can run, heat the room and still be venting combustion products into it.
How often should a gas heater be serviced?
Manufacturers and state safety regulators commonly recommend every two years, and every year for older units and for rental properties in some jurisdictions. If nobody can tell you when it was last done, it is due.
Do I need a carbon monoxide alarm as well?
An alarm is a useful second line and it is not a substitute for a service, because it tells you about a failure that has already happened. The spillage test tells you whether the appliance is venting correctly now. Sensible households have both.

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Who to hire for

General information about who does what, not advice about your specific job. Licensing, consumer law and council rules differ by state and change; the regulator for your state is the current source. More guides to hiring a tradesperson.