Furnace questions from Hamilton homeowners, answered

A diagnostic visit is typically $99 to $149 in the Hamilton area and is credited against the repair when you go ahead. Common fixes, parts and labour: a hot-surface igniter $200 to $350, a flame sensor $150 to $250, a capacitor $150 to $250, a pressure switch $200 to $350, an inducer motor $450 to $800, a blower motor $500 to $950, a control board $450 to $850. You get the exact price in writing before any part is fitted, and after-hours calls are quoted on the phone before anyone is dispatched. Details on the furnace repair page.

Common causes are a dirty filter restricting airflow, a failed hot-surface igniter or flame sensor, a tripped limit switch from overheating, or a thermostat set to "fan on" rather than "auto". Check the filter and thermostat first; if the burner is not lighting, call for a repair. The causes in order, and what you can check yourself, are in why is my furnace blowing cold air?

Short cycling is most often an oversized furnace, a clogged filter, a faulty flame sensor or a thermostat problem. It wastes gas and wears out the igniter and blower. It is worth a service call rather than living with it.

Installed, for a typical Hamilton house in 2026: about $4,500 to $6,000 for a 96 percent single-stage furnace, $5,500 to $7,500 for a two-stage model, and $7,000 to $9,500 for a modulating furnace with a variable-speed blower. The size of the unit, the venting and ductwork, the gas line and the thermostat move the number. The quote is the installed price in writing with nothing added on the day. The full breakdown is in what a new furnace costs in Ontario.

A well-maintained gas furnace typically runs 15 to 20 years. A mid-efficiency unit from the 1990s is at the end of that range now, and a high-efficiency furnace installed around 2010 is approaching it. Three things shorten the life: skipped annual maintenance, an oversized unit that short-cycles, and a clogged filter that overheats the heat exchanger. Past 15 years, repairs become more frequent and parts harder to find, and a new 96 percent furnace usually pays back part of its cost in lower gas bills. The one fault that ends a furnace at any age is a cracked heat exchanger. We will tell you plainly whether a repair or a replacement makes more sense for your unit; the full reasoning is in how long does a furnace last?

It depends on the square footage, insulation, windows, ceiling height and how the ductwork is laid out, not just on what was there before. Many older homes have furnaces that are oversized, which short-cycles the burner and wears it out. We run a proper heat-loss calculation before quoting a replacement.

In Ontario, yes for most homes. A 96 to 98 percent AFUE condensing furnace uses roughly 15 to 20 percent less gas than an older 80 percent mid-efficiency unit, and any current rebates can offset part of the price. Ask us to run the numbers for your bills when you request an installation quote.

Usually, yes. We inspect the ductwork for leaks, sizing and condition as part of every installation quote, seal what needs sealing, and only recommend duct changes when the existing system cannot move the air the new furnace needs. Where it can be fixed, duct sealing and balancing is a far cheaper job than new ducts.

Air conditioners and air-source heat pumps are not on our service list today; ask when you call, because that may change. We do service the gas furnace side of a hybrid (dual-fuel) system, and if you are weighing a heat pump against a high-efficiency furnace we will give you an honest read on the operating cost for your house. The rebates guide explains where the current incentives sit.

Ask when you request a quote. Financing options and current rebate programs change through the year, and we will walk you through what applies to your installation. What is open now is summarised in the furnace rebates guide.

Once a year, ideally in early fall before the heating season starts. An annual tune-up keeps the warranty valid on most new furnaces, catches worn parts before they fail on the coldest night of the year, and keeps the burner running at the efficiency it was sold at. The full checklist is in how often should you have furnace maintenance?

Inspection and cleaning of the burners, flame sensor and igniter; a combustion analysis to check the flue gases; a test of the heat exchanger for cracks; inspection of the blower, belts and motor; checks of the gas pressure, safety switches, venting and condensate drain; a filter change; and a written report of anything that needs attention. A full tune-up takes about an hour and is typically $129 to $199 in the Hamilton area.

Read the contract for the buy-out clause: most rental agreements let you buy the tank at a price that falls with its age, or return it. If the tank is more than eight or ten years old, returning it and installing an owned unit is usually the better money. We install the owned water heater, disconnect the rental for pickup, and handle the paperwork; at $30 to $50 a month the switch pays for itself in two to four years. The steps are in getting out of a water heater rental in Ontario.

Most often the pilot is out, the thermocouple or thermopile has weakened and will not hold the valve open, the wall switch or remote has failed, or the pilot assembly is clogged with dust after a summer idle. All are a short fireplace service visit; book it in early fall before the first cold evening, because November is when the calls pile up.

Yes. Rural properties without natural gas service, in Flamborough and the edges of Ancaster especially, are often on propane; we install, convert and service propane furnaces, boilers, water heaters and fireplaces. Mention propane when you call so the technician brings the right parts.

A cast-iron boiler often runs 25 to 35 years; a modern wall-hung condensing boiler 15 to 20 with annual service. Replacement is usually worth it when a cast-iron unit needs a major repair, because the condensing boiler that replaces it cuts the gas bill by a quarter or more and takes a fraction of the space.

Often, yes. A combination boiler supplies both the radiators or in-floor heat and the domestic hot water from one appliance, which removes the tank and any rental on it. It suits homes with moderate hot-water demand; a large household with several bathrooms may still be better with a separate indirect tank. We size it from your hot-water use, not just the heating load. See boilers and radiant heating.

The gas line itself does not need a municipal building permit in Ontario, but it must be installed by a TSSA-certified gas technician, pressure-tested and, for a new appliance, inspected. Some appliances, such as a standby generator or a pool heater, bring their own electrical or building permits. We handle the gas side and tell you what else applies. See gas lines.

A straightforward barbecue line from an existing basement supply to a deck quick-connect is typically $350 to $700 installed in the Hamilton area. Longer runs, a pool heater or a standby generator need larger pipe and are quoted in writing after a look at the house. Every run is pressure-tested and inspected. See gas lines.

No. We seal, balance, repair and extend ductwork, and we fit media filter cabinets, but we do not offer duct cleaning. In most houses sealed ducts and a good filter do more for the air than cleaning does. See ductwork and air filtration.