With any household the safety of the residents is of huge importance. A reg tagged furnace indicates that the current furnace installed in the home is unsafe for operation. It gets its name from the colour of the tag placed on the furnace by the diagnosing technician indicating that the heater is no longer usable with either a replacement or repair. To be clear, the HVAC technician who is examining the furnace does not have a choice but to place a red tag on the furnace if it is indeed dangerous in any way to operate. If a technician did not place a red tag on a unit he or she knew was dangerous he or she would likely lose their license.

In most instances a red tag placed on a furnace by a qualified company is valid. There are however many times where a red tag should not have been placed on a heater. The two most common reasons for a misplaced red tag are:

1. The technician is looking to sell the customer a new furnace and is using a red tag to force a decision.
2. The technicians expertise is limited and they are unaware if the unit is safe or not to operate. This is the more common situation.

Regardless of the reason for a red tag the customer always has the right to get a second opinion as to what is required (either repair or replacement). A second HVAC dealer can remove a red tag placed by another company or technician.