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Boiler repair for radiator and in-floor hot-water heat, plus replacement when the old cast-iron unit is finally done. A diagnostic visit is $90–$150, and most boiler faults turn out to be a pump, a valve or a pressure problem in the $150–$800 range rather than a reason to replace anything. Everything is diagnosed and fixed by a TSSA-licensed gas technician.
Boilers are concentrated in the older streets of our service area: the pre-war brick houses of Westdale and the older lots in Old Oakville and Kerr Village where cast-iron radiators were never replaced, and the century homes in Dundas and Ancaster. Many of those boilers are 30 to 40 years old and still running, which says something about boilers and something about how few people are left who know them. Many 'my boiler is broken' calls turn out to be a circulator pump, a stuck zone valve, a failed aquastat or a waterlogged expansion tank — repairs, not replacements.
Pressure is the first thing we check. A closed hydronic system should sit around 12–15 psi cold; if it keeps dropping, water is leaving somewhere — a weeping relief valve, a pinhole at a radiator valve, or a failed expansion-tank bladder that lets the pressure spike and dump through the relief every cycle. Topping up through the fill valve every week is not a fix, it is fresh oxygen-rich water corroding the system from the inside. Why is my boiler losing pressure goes deeper.
When replacement is the right call, the modern option is a wall-hung condensing boiler, often a combi that also makes domestic hot water and frees the floor where the tank stood. Condensing boilers only hit their efficiency numbers with low return-water temperatures, so we look at the radiator sizing and set the outdoor-reset curve for that, rather than running it like the old atmospheric unit. In a century home the answer depends on what the existing radiators can deliver at lower water temperatures, so we measure them before promising a combi will keep up.
Not sure whether to stay with hot water or switch to forced air? Boiler vs furnace in Ontario walks through the trade-offs, and our heating services page covers the rest. For a repair visit, call the shop or book online.
Call for boiler repair when
- Radiators are cold on one floor while the boiler runs — usually a circulator or a zone valve
- The pressure gauge keeps falling, or climbs past 30 psi when the boiler is hot
- Kettling: a rumbling or banging from the boiler as it heats, a sign of scale on the heat exchanger
- Water on the floor under the relief valve or around the pump flanges
- The pilot or igniter will not hold, or the boiler locks out with a fault code
How it works
Cold radiators, dropping pressure, a new noise — tell us what changed and when. We will say whether it is safe to keep running.
We check pressure, purge air, test the circulator and zone valves, inspect the burner and heat exchanger, and quote the fix in writing.
Repairs are finished the same visit when the part is on the truck. If the heat exchanger is leaking on a 35-year-old unit, we give you a replacement quote with the radiators and venting accounted for.
Brands: We repair all residential boiler brands and install condensing and combi boilers; Navien combi units are a frequent choice for homes that also want the tank water heater gone.
Common questions
How long does a boiler last?
Cast-iron atmospheric boilers commonly run 30 years or more; modern condensing boilers are lighter and far more efficient but generally last 15–20 years and depend on annual service. How long does a boiler last explains what shortens or extends that.
Can a heat pump replace my boiler?
Sometimes. Radiators sized for 80°C water do not put out enough heat at the 45–55°C an air-to-water heat pump delivers, so it depends on how oversized your radiators are and how well the house is insulated. We will tell you honestly after seeing the radiators — see can a heat pump replace a boiler.
Why do my radiators need bleeding every year?
Air gets in when the system loses pressure and the auto-fill tops it up, or through a failed air separator. Bleeding treats the symptom; finding the leak or replacing the separator fixes it.
Do you service radiant in-floor systems too?
Yes — the boiler, manifolds, mixing valves and circulators are the same trade. Installing new in-floor loops is covered on our radiant floor heating page.
Is a boiler emergency covered by your 24/7 line?
Yes. A boiler with no heat in January is treated like a furnace no-heat call, with no after-hours or weekend surcharge.