South Shore, Massachusetts
No heat, no cooling, or planning a heat pump? Get clear local guidance, then call or send a request to be connected with an independent HVAC contractor who serves your South Shore town.
Start with the problem
Pick the problem that fits. Each guide shows what to check first, what can't wait, and what to ask a contractor.
How it works
Call or fill out the short request form with your town and the problem, whether it's a cold boiler, a dead air conditioner, or a heat pump quote.
We connect you with an independent heating and cooling contractor who serves your town. From there, scheduling and the details of the job are between you and them.
Check the contractor's license, get a written estimate, and decide on your own terms. You never pay us; you pay only the contractor you choose to hire.
Service areas
Each town guide covers the local permit office, the gas and electric companies, and the kind of housing you're likely heating, from Quincy's older two-families to the newer neighborhoods of Plymouth and Bridgewater.
Also on the South Shore: Abington, Avon, Braintree, Canton, Carver, Cohasset, Duxbury, East Bridgewater, Halifax, Hanson, Hingham, Holbrook, Hull, Kingston, Lakeville, Marion, Marshfield, Mattapoisett, Middleborough, Milton, Norwell, Pembroke, Plympton, Rochester, Rockland, Scituate, Sharon, Wareham, West Bridgewater, Whitman. Pages for more towns are on the way; until then, send a request and choose “Another South Shore town.”
Local knowledge
A few local facts that shape heating and cooling decisions, each linked to where it came from.
Quincy · Heating Fuel Mix
Census estimates show utility gas heating about 54.5 percent of Quincy's occupied homes, electricity about 29.2 percent, and fuel oil about 12.3 percent. Gas customers in the city are served by National Grid's Boston Gas.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · Quincy page
Brockton · Older Housing
Old Colony Planning Council's 2026 housing assessment counts 33.4 percent of Brockton's housing units as built in 1939 or earlier. Homes that age often have older boilers, radiators, and chimneys worth a close look during any heating upgrade.
Source: Old Colony Planning Council · Brockton page
Plymouth · Oil Burner Permits
Plymouth Fire Prevention asks that oil burner inspections be requested 10 business days in advance. If you heat with oil, planning a replacement before the first hard freeze keeps the paperwork from becoming a bottleneck.
Source: Plymouth Fire Department · Plymouth page
Bridgewater · Fire Inspections
Bridgewater's fire department inspects oil burner, fuel oil tank, and propane tank installations, and it checks code compliance only. It doesn't certify the tank, the boiler, or the quality of the work, so the hiring decision is still yours.
Source: Bridgewater Fire Department · Bridgewater page
Weymouth · Community Electricity
Through Weymouth Community Electricity, the town arranges electricity supply for eligible residents, while National Grid still delivers the power. Supply rates matter if you're weighing a heat pump, because they shape what it costs to run.
Source: Town of Weymouth · Weymouth page
Hanover · Oil And Propane Rules
Hanover's Fire Prevention Division requires a Form 1 for oil burner installation and for oil tank removal or replacement, followed by a fire department inspection. Propane storage and installation need a separate FP 06 permit.
Source: Town of Hanover · Hanover page
Hire smart
Massachusetts has no single HVAC license. Gas work needs a gas fitter license, oil burner work a Department of Fire Services certificate, ductwork a sheet metal license, and larger refrigeration systems a refrigeration technician license. Most heating and cooling installs need a town permit.
Massachusetts has no single HVAC license, so knowing which credential fits your job is the first step.
Gas furnaces, gas boilers, and gas piping are gas fitter work. Look the license up on the state's occupational license check before the job starts. Check a gas fitter or sheet metal license
Oil burner service and installation call for an oil burner technician certificate from the Massachusetts Department of Fire Services. Verify an oil burner technician certificate (DFS)
The state board says only a journeyperson or master sheet metal worker, with permits from the local building inspector, may do sheet metal work at your home. Read the sheet metal consumer fact sheet
The state refrigeration technician license covers systems over 10 tons, larger than homes typically use. For home AC and heat pumps, ask about EPA Section 608 certification for refrigerant work. See the refrigeration license rule
Most installs and replacements need a town permit, and every job deserves a written estimate. Our hiring guide explains what both should include. Read the hiring guide
Why start here
Town pages cite building departments, fire departments, utilities, and Census figures, so you can check every local fact yourself.
We explain which state credential covers gas, oil, ductwork, and refrigeration work, and link straight to the official lookups.
Calling or sending a request costs you nothing, and you're never required to hire the contractor you speak with.
We're a referral service, not a contractor, and the How It Works page explains how the site is paid for.
Learning Center
Plain-English guides to hiring, permits and planning, written for homes like yours.
Heating and cooling work in Massachusetts is split across several state licenses. Knowing which one matches your system is the fastest way to tell a qualified contractor from a risky one.
Read the guide
A heat pump proposal is only as good as the design behind it. These questions help you compare quotes, protect your rebate eligibility, and avoid a system that's the wrong size for your house.
Read the guideQuestions
Still not sure? Send a short request and a local pro can answer the specifics.
No. We're a referral service: we connect you with independent local heating and cooling contractors, and the contractor you hire does the work and is responsible for it.
No. Calling or sending a request is at no charge. You pay only the contractor you hire, based on the estimate you agree to with them.
Our town guides currently cover Brockton, Quincy, Plymouth, Weymouth, Randolph, Stoughton, Bridgewater, and Hanover. Homeowners in neighboring South Shore communities can call or send a request too.
Leave the house right away without using switches or phones inside, then call 911 or your gas company from outside. Once responders say it's safe, a gas fitter can repair the problem.
You do, and it takes a minute. Massachusetts lists gas fitter and sheet metal licenses on its occupational license lookup, and the Department of Fire Services lists oil burner certificates. We link to both above.
Contractors you're connected with can explain how the program works for your project, and Mass Save's own site lists current offers. Rebates come from sponsoring utilities, so customers of municipal light plants should ask their light department instead.
We don't provide service ourselves, but you can call to reach an independent local contractor, and many take urgent no-heat calls in winter, though availability varies. If you smell gas or a CO alarm sounds, call 911 from outside first.
Get connected
Share a few details and an independent local HVAC contractor who serves your town can follow up about the job. There’s no charge to use this site, and you decide whether to hire anyone.
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