HVAC Services in Dundas

Dundas sits in a valley at the western end of the lake, cupped by the escarpment, and its old town centre is one of the best-preserved in the region. That history shapes nearly every heating and cooling job here. Many houses in and around the downtown, along King Street and up the hillsides, were built in the 1800s and early 1900s, and a large share still heat with hot water: a boiler in the basement and cast-iron radiators in the rooms.

Keeping old heating systems going

Boiler work in Dundas is a bigger share of the job than in most of the area. Old cast-iron boilers can run for decades, but when they go, a modern condensing boiler, sized properly and set up with outdoor reset, can cut gas use substantially while keeping the radiators. Systems that have run for a century often carry sludge, so flushing and adding a dirt separator protects the new boiler. The boilers and radiant heat page covers the options, including combi boilers that also make hot water.

Cooling a house without ducts

The valley is sheltered and can feel muggy in July and August. Houses with radiators have no ducts to carry central air, so owners usually choose between ductless mini-splits, with a head in each main room, and small-duct high-velocity systems, which thread flexible tubing through closets and attics to small round outlets. Both can be done without tearing open plaster walls. Mini-splits also heat, and many owners use them in spring and fall to give the boiler a rest. See ductless mini-splits.

Line sets and outdoor units on a heritage façade deserve some thought. Running line sets up the back or side of the house, in a painted cover, keeps the street view intact.

Post-war Dundas and Greensville

Away from the core, neighbourhoods such as Pleasant View, University Gardens and Highland Park have more post-war and later housing with forced-air furnaces and central air, and their needs look much like the rest of the city: furnace and AC replacement, tune-ups and the occasional heat pump. Above the escarpment, Greensville and the rural roads around it include homes on propane, oil or electric heat. For those, a cold-climate heat pump is often the most cost-effective upgrade.

What Dundas owners ask for

• Boiler repairs, replacements and radiator work.
• Ductless or small-duct cooling for homes without ducts.
• Gas fireplace service and inserts for old masonry fireplaces.
• Furnace and AC replacement in the post-war neighbourhoods.

Plaster walls and careful installers

Running new pipes or ducts through lath-and-plaster walls is slow, dusty work, and patching plaster to match is a craft of its own. Contractors who work in Dundas often use closets, stair voids and attic spaces to route small ducts or line sets without opening finished walls. Ask how they plan to route everything before you sign, and who is responsible for patching and painting any access holes. A clear answer to that question is a good sign you are talking to someone used to older houses.

Getting a contractor

Use the request form and choose Dundas. If the house has a boiler, say so, and we will pass the request to a contractor who works on hydronic systems regularly. For neighbouring areas, see Ancaster and Waterdown and Flamborough.