Heating & HVAC around Lethbridge and Pincher Creek

Guide

Heating an acreage home or shop

Propane or natural gas, a furnace or a boiler, a heated shop slab or a wood stove: here's a plain-language checklist for choosing, permitting and looking after the heat on an acreage.

1. Pick the right system for the building
2. Permits and inspections
3. Propane and gas safety
4. Wood and pellet stoves
5. Fresh air: HRVs

Pick the right system for the building

• A furnace heats with air through ducts. A boiler heats water for in-floor tubing, baseboards or radiators. In-floor heat in a concrete slab is a popular choice for shops and garages.
• Big shops with tall doors also use overhead radiant tube or unit heaters. Ask the contractor to compare the options and running costs for how you'll use the building.
• Ask for a heat-loss calculation for each space instead of sizing from square footage alone.

Permits and inspections

• New gas and heating work needs the right permits, from your municipality or an accredited agency. Alberta: permits and the safety codes system; where to get a permit.
• Check a gasfitter's Alberta certificate with the province's lookup. Alberta tradesperson lookup tool

Propane and gas safety

• Appliances have to be set up for the fuel they burn. Tell your contractor and your propane supplier before you add or swap an appliance. See our Propane Delivery & Installation section.
• Put carbon monoxide alarms near the bedrooms, and have furnaces, boilers and other fuel-burning appliances serviced regularly.
• If you smell gas or propane, leave the building and call your supplier or 911 from outside.

Wood and pellet stoves

• Have a wood or pellet stove installed by a qualified installer, and tell your home insurer before you use it. Many insurers ask for a WETT inspection.
• Have the chimney checked and cleaned regularly, and burn dry, seasoned wood. A Guide to Residential Wood Heating (Government of Canada)

Fresh air: HRVs

• Newer, tighter homes rely on mechanical ventilation, often a heat recovery ventilator (HRV). Clean its filters a few times a year and ask for it to be checked when the furnace or boiler is serviced.

General information only, not legal or safety advice. Rules differ by municipality: confirm with your county and a certified gasfitter. Sources checked October 6, 2026.