HVAC Repair & Maintenance

Most HVAC calls in Metro Vancouver are one of a handful of problems: no heat on the first cold night of the fall, a heat pump that blows cool air or ices over, a furnace that short cycles, a boiler that loses pressure, or a system that suddenly gets loud. A service call covers the technician's travel and diagnosis, and a good one ends with a clear written finding and a price for the fix before any parts are ordered.

Annual servicing is the cheapest way to avoid those calls. Technical Safety BC recommends having every home heating appliance serviced once a year regardless of fuel, and for gas appliances that means a certified gas fitter working for a licensed gas contractor. A proper tune-up checks combustion, venting and the heat exchanger on a gas furnace or boiler, tests the carbon monoxide levels, cleans the burners and flame sensor, checks refrigerant pressures and the defrost cycle on a heat pump, cleans the coils and condensate drain, and replaces or checks the filter.

Vancouver's wet climate adds its own list: outdoor units need clear drainage and a raised pad so they do not sit in water, condensate lines clog with algae, and heat pumps run defrost cycles far more often here than in drier climates. If your home has a fuel-burning appliance, the City of Vancouver requires working carbon monoxide alarms near the bedrooms, which is worth checking at the same visit.