Quincy · No Heat
Lost heat in a Quincy condo, two-family, or house by the water? Leave first for gas or CO, work out whose system it is, then call to reach an independent heating pro who serves the city.
Quincy, Massachusetts
In Quincy the first question on a cold night is often not what broke but who owns it. Fewer than half of the city's homes are owner-occupied, and only about a third are single-family detached houses, so the boiler or furnace that heats your rooms may belong to a condo association, a landlord, or the owner of the other half of a two-family.
Quincy also leans on electricity more than most South Shore communities. Close to three in ten homes heat with it, which means a winter power outage can be a no-heat emergency all by itself, even when nothing in the house has failed.
Whatever the setup, gas and carbon monoxide come first: if you smell gas or an alarm sounds, get outside and call 911 or National Grid from there. Then call or send a request, and South Shore HVAC Finder will connect you with an independent heating contractor who works in Quincy. We don't do the repairs ourselves.
When every unit in a condo or two-family loses heat together, the shared boiler is the likely cause, and the association or the other owner needs to know right away.
Electric baseboard or wall heaters that don't come back once the lights do can point to a tripped breaker or a failed thermostat on that circuit.
Some frost on an outdoor unit is normal in winter, and it clears in defrost cycles. A unit sealed in solid ice, or one showing an error, needs a technician.
Any boiler, furnace, or oil tank that was under water after a coastal storm should stay off until it has been checked.
Local knowledge
These local facts decide which first step makes sense in a Quincy home.
Electric Heat
Recent Census survey figures covering 2020 to 2024 put utility gas at about 54 percent of occupied Quincy homes, electricity near 30 percent, and fuel oil around 12 percent. In an electric-heated unit, an outage or a tripped breaker leaves the rooms cold with no equipment failure at all, so check the power before assuming the heater is broken.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau
One Utility For Both
Quincy's natural gas comes from National Grid's Boston Gas company and its electricity from National Grid as well. A gas odor is reported to 911 or National Grid from outside the building, and an outage goes to the same company, so keep that account number where you can find it in the dark.
Source: Mass.gov
Shoreline Basements
The Adams Shore coastline, including Houghs Neck, is where most of Quincy's repetitive-loss flood properties are. If storm water has reached a basement boiler, furnace, or oil tank, leave the system off until a technician has inspected the controls and burner.
Source: Mass.gov
Right now
Take these one at a time, and skip anything that doesn't feel safe.
Walk out with everyone, including pets, and call 911 or National Grid once you're outdoors. In a condo building, knock on neighbors' doors on your way out if an alarm is sounding.
If your heat comes from a shared boiler, call the condo manager, association, or other owner before anyone books a contractor. Two companies working on one boiler, or work nobody approved, makes things slower and costlier.
With electric heat, see whether neighbors lost power too, then look for a tripped breaker. Reset a tripped breaker one time; if it trips again, leave it off and say so when you call.
Clear drifted snow away from the outdoor unit and its base with a broom. Don't chip at ice on the coil, which bends the thin fins.
What to expect
Plan for access before the technician arrives. Close-built Quincy streets can mean a walk from the nearest parking spot, and a condo's mechanical room is often locked, so arrange a key or a building contact ahead of time.
Quincy's Inspectional Services Department has moved all of its permits online, and its Plumbing and Gas Department issues fuel gas permits under the state's fuel gas code. Oil burner, storage tank, and propane installation permits go through the Quincy Fire Department's online portal. A repair may need no permit, but new equipment almost always does, so ask which ones apply.
In a condo, the contractor may need the association's sign-off before replacing anything shared, and the master deed or bylaws usually say who pays. Get that answer early so a rushed decision doesn't land on the wrong person.
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.
Tell the contractor whether you have a shared gas boiler, an oil furnace, electric baseboard, or a heat pump. Different equipment calls for different skills, and the right description saves a trip.
Gas work needs a Massachusetts gas fitter license, oil burners a Department of Fire Services certificate, and ductwork a sheet metal license. The state's occupational license check and the DFS verification site let you confirm them.
For shared equipment, ask that the estimate go to the association or other owner as well, so the person approving the work sees the same scope and price.
Costs
The kind of system matters most: a failed thermostat on a baseboard circuit is a different job from a shared boiler that won't light or a heat pump with a refrigerant problem. Time of day and the need to coordinate a building full of owners also affect the bill.
Ask how the visit is charged before booking, and get a written estimate before anything beyond diagnosis. In a condo or two-family, settle in writing who is paying before the work starts, especially if the repair benefits more than one unit.
More help in Quincy
Every page below is written for Quincy homes. Or start from the Quincy hvac guide.
Learning Center
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.
If the heat comes from a shared boiler or furnace, call the association or manager first, since they usually arrange and pay for work on common equipment. If your unit has its own system, you can call or send a request here to be connected with an independent heating contractor.
A breaker may have tripped when the power came back, or a thermostat may have reset. Check the panel for a tripped breaker and reset it once; if it trips again or the heaters stay cold, leave it and call for help.
Light frost is normal, and the unit melts it off in defrost cycles that can look like steam. Solid ice that doesn't clear, a unit buried in snow, or an error code on the indoor unit are reasons to call.
The Quincy Fire Department handles oil burner, above-ground tank, and propane installation permits through its online portal. Gas piping and gas appliance permits come from the Inspectional Services Plumbing and Gas Department.
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