Heating and cooling in Hamilton
Furnace and air conditioning service in Hamilton
Furnaces, air conditioners and heat pumps in Hamilton, explained in plain words by technicians who look at the house first: how old it is, what the ductwork is like and how the furnace vents.
What kind of heating does a Hamilton house have?
Hamilton is about 11.1 km from Waterdown, and HVAC Waterdown works on furnaces, central air, ductless systems and heat pumps across the city. Snow on side-wall vents and long cold stretches are a big part of winter service calls, and we explain what is happening in your house and write the price down before any work begins.
A lot of Hamilton furnace calls in winter start the same way: the heat was fine yesterday, it snowed overnight, and now the furnace will not stay lit. HVAC Waterdown comes in from Waterdown to sort out problems like that, along with the rest of the heating and cooling work a house needs.
Why does snow shut off my furnace?
A high-efficiency furnace usually breathes and exhausts through two plastic pipes low on an outside wall. The Hamilton Psych Hospital climate station recorded a normal annual snowfall of 119.0 cm for 1971-2000, with 38.8 cm in January and 31.0 cm in December. Snow in those amounts can drift right over pipes that sit close to the ground, and the furnace's safety switch will shut it down rather than run without proper air.
What to do:
- Find the two pipes outside and clear snow and ice away by hand, gently.
- Turn the furnace switch off, wait a moment and turn it back on.
- If the pipes ice up again and again, the termination may need to be raised or moved. That is a job for a gas technician, not a shovel.
Keep a working carbon monoxide alarm near the bedrooms. The Ontario Fire Code requires one next to each sleeping area in a home with a fuel-burning appliance, a fireplace or an attached garage. If it sounds, get everyone outside and call 911.
What does a Hamilton winter do to a furnace?
The same station's 1971-2000 normal daily average is -5.3 °C in January, and it has recorded an extreme minimum of -27.0 °C in both January and December. Long runs at full output wear on inducer motors, igniters and blower bearings, and a furnace near the end of its life often gives out in exactly that kind of weather.
If you notice short cycling, cold air from the registers, banging at start-up or a burning smell that does not fade, book a furnace repair. Work is performed by TSSA-certified gas technicians.
Is it time for a new furnace?
When a repair would be a big share of the cost of a new unit, or the heat exchanger is cracked, replacement usually makes more sense. A new furnace should be sized to the house and its ducts, and the venting needs a proper look, including what happens to the water heater if it shares a chimney. See furnace installation and replacement, and read is a heat pump worth it in an Ontario winter if you are thinking about a hybrid set-up.
And in summer?
For central air that is not cooling, leaking or tripping the breaker, see air conditioner repair. Work is performed by 313A refrigeration and air conditioning mechanics. Houses with radiators or small ducts can often take a ductless system; see air conditioning installation.
How do I book?
Tell us what is happening on the contact page, or ask for a quote on new equipment. You see the written price and approve it before work starts.
Communities we serve
- The Delta
- Corktown
- Bartonville
- North End
- Central
- Rosedale
- Normanhurst
- King's Forest
- Buchanan
- Albion Falls
- Ryckmans
- Hamilton Beach
- Ryckmans Corners
What can we help with in Hamilton?
Furnace repair in Waterdown
Furnace repair in Hamilton
Furnace repair for houses in Hamilton, from older homes with converted chimneys to newer builds with side-wall venting.
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From Griffin Survey to Waterdown South
Furnace installation and replacement in Hamilton
We install and replace high-efficiency furnaces in Hamilton, sized to the house and its ducts, with a written price before work starts.
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Central air repair in Waterdown
Air conditioner repair in Hamilton
HVAC Waterdown repairs central air conditioners in Hamilton, from older houses with retrofitted ducts to newer homes with shared condensate drains.
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From Griffin Survey to Waterdown South
Air conditioning installation in Hamilton
We install central air and ductless systems in Hamilton, matched to the age of the house and the ductwork it already has.
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From Griffin Survey to Waterdown South
Heat pumps in Hamilton
HVAC Waterdown repairs and installs cold-climate heat pumps and hybrid systems in Hamilton, sized to the house and its ductwork.
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From Griffin Survey to Waterdown South
Furnace and AC maintenance in Hamilton
Seasonal furnace and air conditioner tune-ups for homes in Hamilton, matched to the age of the house and the system in the basement.
Learn moreQuestions from Hamilton homeowners
The vent pipes on the side of my Hamilton house are buried in snow. Is it safe to clear them myself?
Yes, clearing snow by hand or with a soft brush is safe and often all it takes. Avoid hitting the pipes with a shovel, since cracked plastic venting needs a technician. Once they are clear, switch the furnace off and on. If it still will not light, the pipes keep freezing, or your carbon monoxide alarm sounds, stop and get help; for an alarm, go outside and call 911. See furnace repair.
I live in a designated heritage house. Can I add a new vent or an outdoor unit?
Possibly, but check first. Waterdown has 121 designated heritage properties, most of them in the old village core, and changes to the outside of the house, such as a new side-wall vent for a high-efficiency furnace or an outdoor air conditioning unit, may need the City of Hamilton's approval. Sometimes a different layout, like running the vent to a side or rear wall, keeps the street face untouched. Contact the City's heritage staff before you commit, then look at the options on our air conditioning installation page.
What decides the cost of a furnace repair?
Mostly the part that failed and the time it takes to find the fault. Cleaning a flame sensor or replacing a worn igniter sits at the small end. An inducer motor, a control board or a blower motor costs more, and a cracked heat exchanger is the expensive one, often the point where a new furnace makes more sense. Age matters too, because parts for older furnaces can be harder to find. You see a written price and approve it before any part goes in. For the full breakdown, read what goes into the price of a furnace repair or a new furnace.
Nearby towns we also visit
Along with Hamilton, HVAC Waterdown looks after furnaces and air conditioning in Burlington, Dundas and Flamborough.
- Heating and cooling in Burlington
- Heating and cooling in Dundas
- Heating and cooling in Flamborough
- Heating and cooling in Ancaster
- Heating and cooling in Milton
- Heating and cooling in Oakville
- Heating and cooling in Stoney Creek
- Heating and cooling in Binbrook
- Heating and cooling in Caledonia
- Heating and cooling in Grimsby
- Heating and cooling in Brantford
- Heating and cooling in Smithville
- Heating and cooling in Beamsville
Is the furnace or air conditioner acting up in Hamilton?
Tell us about the house and the problem, and we will arrange a visit with a written price before any work begins.