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Pilotiko for heating, ventilation and air conditioning
Two peak seasons, two kinds of breakdown, and customers who all call the same week: HVAC is won or lost in the calendar.
Pilotiko helps a Quebec heating, heat pump and air conditioning company spread preventive maintenance before the peaks, keep room for breakdowns during the first cold snap and the first heat wave, and give each call to a technician holding the right qualification, with human approval before anything is sent.
In short
- Maintenance is booked in the shoulder seasons so techs are free when breakdowns hit.
- Each tech carries their qualifications (gas, oil, refrigeration, halocarbons); assignment uses them.
- Written repair estimates are drafted by the quotes agent and reviewed by you.
- Door-to-door sales of heating or AC maintenance contracts are prohibited: your appointments start with a customer request.
Why does an HVAC calendar overflow twice a year?
In Quebec, the first night below zero and the first heat wave make everyone's phone ring at once. In October and November it's furnaces that won't start, sooty oil burners and heat pumps icing up. In June and July it's air conditioners and heat pumps that no longer cool.
April–May and September are when preventive maintenance should happen. They are also when shops lose hours because nobody followed up with customers in time. A skipped tune-up becomes a January emergency, at the worst possible moment.
| Months | Main work | Calendar strategy |
|---|---|---|
| April and May | AC and heat pump maintenance, installs | Fill maintenance days before the heat |
| June to August | AC breakdowns, ductless heat pump installs | Keep a daily service block |
| September | Furnace, burner and boiler maintenance | Book tune-ups before the first frost |
| October to February | Heating failures, iced heat pumps, ventilation | Emergencies first, installs pushed back |
Which qualifications does a repair technician need?
According to the Office de la protection du consommateur, it depends on the equipment: master pipe mechanic for heating and heat pumps, an RBQ refrigeration licence for air conditioning.
The Office states that heating systems and heat pumps are repaired by master pipe mechanics holding a CMMTQ licence, and that anyone repairing an air conditioning system must hold a refrigeration licence from the Régie du bâtiment du Québec [1]. The RBQ splits these specialties into separate subclasses within the 15 series [2].
On top of that comes the environmental qualification on halocarbons. The Commission de la construction du Québec describes a course of at least 7 hours on Quebec and federal rules, emissions and recovery practices; refrigeration mechanics who don't hold it get a notice before their competency certificate is renewed [3].
| Subclass | Official title | Typical job |
|---|---|---|
| 15.1 | Pulsed air heating systems | Furnace and ducts |
| 15.2 and 15.3 | Natural gas burners; oil burners | Burner service |
| 15.4 | Hydronic heating systems | Boiler and hot-water baseboards |
| 15.7 and 15.8 | Residential ventilation; ventilation | Air exchanger |
| 15.9 and 15.10 | Small refrigeration systems; refrigeration | Air conditioner, heat pump |
What does consumer law say about door-to-door sales and repair estimates?
Two OPC rules shape how you take bookings. Itinerant merchants are not allowed to enter into contracts concerning heating or air conditioning appliances, including maintenance or warranty contracts [1]. Your maintenance visits therefore need to come from a customer request, for example through your booking link.
And a repair person must provide a written estimate to repair an air conditioner or heat pump when the repair is expected to cost more than $50 [1]. Pilotiko's quotes agent drafts that estimate from your rates; your tech or office reviews it.
How does Pilotiko help an HVAC team day to day?
In the virtual office, Dispatch shows today's breakdowns, Workshop and Warehouse show the parts and filters to prepare, and Quotes holds estimates waiting for approval. You can see at a glance whether fall is already full.
A job ties together the customer, the service (heat pump maintenance, burner cleaning, AC start-up), the technician and the address. The online calendar only offers free slots; one person never has overlapping jobs.
Each tech carries skills such as natural gas, oil, refrigeration and halocarbons. An AC call isn't offered to someone without the refrigeration skill unless a manager overrides it. Reports then show each tech's real workload, week by week.
How many tune-ups can you book before the first cold snap?
Which objections do HVAC customers raise?
- "Why pay for maintenance if it works?" Show the cost of a January emergency call in your maintenance quote.
- "A salesman came by offering a maintenance contract." Remind them that door-to-door sales of such contracts are prohibited [1]: it's a trust point for you.
- "You're charging for the estimate?" The OPC says it should be free unless the cost was stated beforehand [1]. Put your policy on the service.
What doesn't Pilotiko do yet?
Frequently asked questions
Who can repair a heat pump in Quebec?
According to the Office de la protection du consommateur, heating systems and heat pumps are repaired by master pipe mechanics holding a CMMTQ licence. Electrical work on the unit requires a CMEQ licence.
Do you need a refrigeration licence to fix an air conditioner?
Yes. The Office states that anyone repairing an air conditioning system must hold a refrigeration licence from the RBQ. The RBQ's refrigeration subclasses are 15.9 and 15.10.
Can someone sell a furnace maintenance contract door to door?
No. Itinerant merchants cannot enter into contracts concerning heating or air conditioning appliances, including maintenance or warranty contracts.
Is a written estimate required before a repair?
For an air conditioner or heat pump, yes, when the repair is expected to cost more than $50. The estimate should be free unless its cost was announced beforehand.
What is the halocarbon environmental qualification?
A course of at least 7 hours, recognized by Quebec's environment ministry, covering regulations, emissions and recovery of halocarbons. The CCQ notifies refrigeration mechanics who don't hold it before their certificate renewal.
Sources
- Office de la protection du consommateur, Before having a heating or air conditioning system repaired (accessed on October 15, 2026).
- Régie du bâtiment du Québec, Specialized contractor's licence subclasses (accessed on October 15, 2026).
- Commission de la construction du Québec, Formation pour la « Qualification environnementale : halocarbures » (accessed on October 15, 2026).
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