Calgary Boilers & Hot Water Heating Systems — Install, Repair & Service

It's hydronic heating — a boiler heats water, a circulator pump moves it through pipes to radiators, baseboards, or in-floor loops, and the water releases its heat into your rooms before returning to the boiler to be reheated.

The distinction that matters: a hot water heating system heats your **house**. A hot water **heater** heats the water for your taps and showers. Different appliances, different jobs — and the names are close enough that people mix them up constantly.

If you're here about the water from your taps rather than the temperature of your house, you want hot water tanks or water heater repair.

No, and it's the single most common mix-up we field on the phone.

A **hot water heating system** (a boiler) heats your home. A **hot water heater** (a tank, or a tankless unit) heats the water you shower in. A house can have one, the other, or both.

The exception that muddies it: a combi boiler does both jobs from a single appliance. If you have a combi, then yes — your heating system and your water heater are the same box on the wall.

We do all of it, so either way you're in the right place. It just changes which page is useful to you.

Better at some things, worse at others — and it's mostly not a choice, because it depends what your house is already plumbed for.

Hot water heat is quieter (no blower cycling), more even (a warm radiator or floor keeps radiating instead of blasting hot air and stopping), and it doesn't push dust around the house. In-floor radiant in particular is the most comfortable heat available.

A furnace is cheaper to install, and it shares ductwork with air conditioning — which a boiler can't, because there's no ductwork to share.

Most Calgary homes built before the 1990s with radiators or baseboards already have hot water heat, and are generally better off staying on it than converting. Converting from forced air to hydronic is a major renovation-scale project, not an upgrade.

It depends on the unit size, the efficiency rating, and any gas line, venting, or condensate work your mechanical room needs. Combi boilers and hydronic conversions sit at the higher end.

We don't quote boilers over the phone, because a number given sight-unseen is a number that changes on install day. We come out, run the heat-loss calc, and give you a written quote with all-in pricing before any work starts. Financing is available through Financeit with flexible monthly payments.

Sizing depends on square footage, insulation quality, window quality, ceiling heights, and Calgary's −35°C design temperature. We perform a Manual J heat-loss calculation on every install instead of matching the old unit's BTU — old units were often oversized and cost you in efficiency for decades.

Watch for kettling, whistling, or gurgling noises (limescale + air), pressure dropping below 12 PSI, visible water seepage near components, inconsistent room-to-room heating, frequent cycling, climbing gas bills, or display error codes. Yellow burner flames instead of blue indicate dangerous combustion issues — shut the unit down and call us.

Replacement makes sense once a boiler reaches 15-20+ years, when repair costs exceed half the replacement value, when AFUE is below 80% (modern units run 95%+), or when visible rust, corrosion, or heat exchanger cracks are present. We'll give you an honest comparison with the numbers — not a sales pitch.

Once a year, in late summer or early fall before heating season. A real annual service includes heat exchanger inspection + flush, combustion analysis with a calibrated analyzer, safety control checks (pressure relief, low-water cutoff, flame sensor), and gas leak testing on connections.

The Canada Greener Homes Grant was retired in early 2024, and what replaced it is the Canada Greener Homes Loan — interest-free, but a loan, so it spreads the cost rather than reducing it.

Provincial and utility incentives come and go, and eligibility usually requires 95%+ AFUE and professional installation with documentation. We check what's live at quote time. Assume no rebate when comparing quotes, and treat anything you qualify for as a bonus.

Boilers heat water that circulates through radiators, baseboards, or in-floor tubing to warm your living spaces — a closed loop. Water heaters provide potable hot water for showers, dishes, and laundry. Combi boilers do both functions from one unit.

Persistent pressure loss usually means small leaks at pipe joints, radiator valves, or connections that may not be visible. Other causes: defective pressure relief valves, failed expansion tanks, malfunctioning automatic fill valves, or excessive bleeding from radiators. Rapid pressure drops or pooling water needs immediate professional attention.

Yes, but it's a substantial investment — many times the cost of a straight boiler replacement, and it scales with home size and the heat distribution you choose (radiators, baseboards, or in-floor radiant). Most Calgary homeowners pursue conversions during a major renovation, when the floors are already open, to gain zone control, eliminate allergen circulation, and enjoy quieter, more even heat.