Boiler & Tankless Systems
Boiler replacement, tankless conversions and hydronic heating for North Shore homes, sized properly, vented properly, and commissioned so the whole house heats evenly.
The heating plant is the heart of the house, it should be sized for yours
Most of the boilers we replace on the North Shore are two things at once: worn out, and far bigger than the house ever needed. An oversized boiler fires in short bursts, never settles into its efficient range, and wears out its ignition and pump years early. It is the most common fault we find, and it is entirely avoidable.
We start every boiler job with a room-by-room heat-loss calculation for your house, actual wall, window, insulation and exposure numbers, designed to a North Shore cold day. That number decides the appliance. Frequently it comes back at half the rating of the unit being replaced.
From there we handle the whole system: gas line sizing and venting to BC code, zoning so the addition and the bedrooms behave independently, and a full commissioning with combustion readings written down and left with you.
What a properly sized system actually gives you
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Even heat, no cold rooms
Correct sizing plus real zoning means the upstairs bedrooms and the addition finally hold temperature instead of running five degrees behind the rest of the house.
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Lower running cost
A modulating boiler that reaches condensing mode delivers the efficiency you paid for. A short-cycling one never does, which is why oversizing costs money every month it runs.
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A system that lasts
Ignition components and circulators are rated in cycles. Cut the cycling and a boiler that would have failed at ten years comfortably reaches fifteen to twenty.
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Paperwork handled
Permits where a permit is required, combustion readings on a commissioning sheet, and the FortisBC rebate forms completed with you so the credits actually get claimed.
From first visit to a commissioned system
- 01
Site visit and heat-loss calculation
We measure the house rather than the old boiler, rooms, windows, insulation, exposure, and confirm what your gas line and venting can actually support.
- 02
Fixed written quote
One price, itemised, including venting, gas work and permits. If we think you need less than you asked for, we will say so in writing.
- 03
Installation
Typically one to two days. We protect the route in and out, keep the water off for as short a window as we can, and leave the mechanical room tidier than we found it.
- 04
Commissioning and handover
Combustion tested, zones balanced, outdoor reset curve set for your house. We walk you through the controls and leave the readings and the manuals with you.
Is this your house?
Homeowners with an aging or oversized boiler, anyone converting from a tank to tankless, and owners of older North Shore houses where some rooms never quite get warm.
Homeowners who had this done
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“Our 1978 boiler finally gave up in the middle of a cold snap. North Wave came out the same afternoon, got us running on a temporary fix, then did the full replacement the following week. They actually measured the heat loss for the house instead of just matching the old unit, the new boiler is roughly half the size and the upstairs bedrooms are warm for the first time since we bought the place.”
Marta Lindqvist
Boiler replacement · Lynn Valley, North Vancouver
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“Converted us from an old tank to a tankless unit. What I appreciated was that they talked me out of the bigger model I thought I needed and explained exactly why, gas line capacity, not marketing. Quote was fixed, the price at the end was the price on the quote, and they handled the FortisBC rebate paperwork with me.”
Devon Oyelaran
Tankless conversion · Lower Lonsdale
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“No heat, minus six outside, two small kids in the house. I called at seven in the evening expecting a machine and got a person. They walked me through shutting things down safely on the phone and were here before nine. Turned out to be a failed circulator, fixed that night.”
Jess Whyte
Emergency no-heat call · Edgemont Village
What people ask before replacing a boiler
How long does a boiler replacement take?
A straightforward like-for-like swap is usually one day. If the venting route changes, the gas line needs upsizing, or we are adding zones, plan on two. You are without heat only for part of the work, and we will tell you which part before we start.
My boiler still works. How do I know when to replace it?
Age plus behaviour. Past about fifteen years, watch for short-cycling, rising gas bills, repeated ignition faults or parts becoming hard to source. If a repair costs more than a third of a replacement on a unit that old, replacing is usually the better spend.
Do I need a permit?
Gas work and most boiler replacements require a permit on the North Shore. We pull it and handle the inspection. Be wary of any quote that is cheaper because it skips this, it can affect your insurance and your home sale.
Can you keep my existing radiators?
Usually yes. Cast-iron and panel radiators are typically fine and often work better with a modern condensing boiler because it can run lower water temperatures. We check their output against the heat-loss numbers and tell you if any one room falls short.
Are there rebates available?
FortisBC runs equipment and annual-maintenance rebates, and CleanBC programs apply to some system types. Eligibility depends on the equipment and on the contractor being registered before you sign, so ask about it at quote stage, not after. We complete the paperwork with you.
The rest of what we do
- Pool & Hot Tub Heating Pool heaters, hot tub hookups and spa heating run off a properly sized boiler, so the pool is warm when you want it without doubling your gas bill. See this service →
- Residential Plumbing Repairs, repiping, fixtures, drains and water heaters for North Shore homes, done by the same licensed crew that looks after the heating, so nothing gets passed off. See this service →
Get a fixed quote on your boiler
Send us the make, model and rough age of your boiler and what it is doing wrong, we can usually tell you over the phone whether you are looking at a repair or a replacement.