Richmond boiler replacement · open 24/7
Boiler Installation in Richmond, BCsized for your home, priced before we start
New combi or high-efficiency condensing boiler, sized by a real heat-loss check, with a flat-rate price you agree to before any work starts.
- 5.0 on Google, 47 reviews
- Free in-home estimates
- 1-year workmanship warranty
What does a boiler installation in Richmond, BC involve?
A boiler installation means sizing the new unit from your home’s heat loss, choosing a combi or a boiler with an indirect hot water tank, removing the old boiler, and connecting the new one to your hydronic loops, gas line, venting and condensate drain. Permit and inspection are arranged where required. Public figures from local companies put boiler replacement from about $5,000.
Most boilers we replace in Richmond are not dead yet. They are old, loud, short-cycling, or one part away from a long wait for something the supplier no longer stocks. Better to plan the swap now than during a January cold snap.
Hydronic heat is common in Richmond townhouses and in many newer houses: radiant floors, hydronic baseboards, and a boiler tucked into a garage or a tight mechanical closet. Space matters here. Often the best upgrade is a wall-hung combi boiler that heats the home and makes on-demand hot water, freeing the floor where a tank used to sit. In larger homes with several bathrooms, a boiler plus an indirect tank usually serves the family better.
Ed and the Encano crew size the new boiler from a heat-loss check of your actual home, not from the number printed on the old nameplate. Older boilers were often oversized by a wide margin, and copying that size into a modern condensing boiler wastes gas and makes the new unit cycle on and off. You get the options in plain language, a written flat-rate price, and a clean install.
Signs your Richmond boiler is due for replacement
It is 15 to 20 years old or more
Many boilers reach the end of their service life in that window. Efficiency drops and parts get harder to find.
You have paid for repairs two winters in a row
Repeated calls for the same unit add up fast. Past a point, that money is better spent on a new boiler.
Water around the base or a cracked heat exchanger
A leaking or cracked heat exchanger is usually not worth repairing. It is the heart of the boiler.
Some rooms or floor zones never get warm
Cold radiant zones and lukewarm baseboards can point to a tired or poorly sized boiler, not only air in the lines.
Not enough hot water for the household
If showers run cold when the heat is on, the boiler, combi or indirect tank may be undersized for how you live now.
What a Richmond boiler installation includes
Every install is quoted as one flat price that covers the work below, so the number does not move once we start.
- Heat-loss sizing and system choice
- We check windows, insulation and your radiant or baseboard layout, then recommend a combi boiler or a boiler with an indirect tank, sized for real demand.
- Removal of the old boiler
- We drain the system, disconnect and remove the old boiler and any tank it replaces, and haul it away.
- Piping, pumps and zone controls
- New near-boiler piping, circulator pumps, valves and zone controls so each floor or radiant zone heats evenly. Existing hydronic loops are flushed and reused when they are in good shape.
- Venting and condensate drain
- High-efficiency condensing boilers vent through the wall or roof with sealed piping and produce acidic condensate. We route the vent to code and give the condensate a proper drain, with a neutralizer where it is needed.
- Gas connection and startup
- Gas line connected and tested, boiler commissioned, combustion checked, and thermostat and controls set up. We show you how it works before we leave.
- Permit and inspection where required
- Gas and heating work in BC usually needs a permit. We arrange the permit and inspection where required, so the install is on record for your insurance and resale.
How your boiler replacement runs
- 01
Call or text for a free estimate
Send a photo of the old boiler and its nameplate to (604) 764-2031. We book a visit to see the space, the piping and the hot water setup.
- 02
Heat-loss check and written quote
We size the system, explain combi versus boiler plus tank for your home, and give you a flat-rate price in writing. No work starts until you agree to it.
- 03
Install day
Most straightforward replacements are done in a day or two. We protect floors, keep the work area tidy, and keep you posted if anything changes.
- 04
Startup, walkthrough and clean-up
We commission the boiler, test every zone, show you the controls, clean up, and back the work with our 1-year workmanship warranty.
Boiler replacement cost in Richmond, BC
A new boiler is a big purchase, so here are the typical ranges in Metro Vancouver (public figures from other local companies). The size of the home, combi versus boiler plus tank, how much piping changes, venting route and permits all move the final number.
| What you pay for | Typical range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Boiler or furnace replacementPublic starting figure. Combi units, indirect tanks, extra zones and longer vent runs add to it. | From $5,000 | Public starting figure. Combi units, indirect tanks, extra zones and longer vent runs add to it. |
| Boiler repair (for comparison)Most repairs land around $400; typical $400 to $1,300. Useful when deciding repair or replace. | $150 to $1,800 | Most repairs land around $400; typical $400 to $1,300. Useful when deciding repair or replace. |
| Emergency or after-hours surchargeCommon in public pricing guides. Planning the swap before winter avoids it. | +$150 to $250 | Common in public pricing guides. Planning the swap before winter avoids it. |
These are public market ranges, not Encano’s price list. Your exact price is quoted upfront, in writing, before any work starts.
Sources: Lew Plumbing: boiler and furnace replacement · Lew Plumbing: boiler repair costs in BC · FortisBC: connect to natural gas rebates
Repair or replace your boiler?
We give you the honest answer even when it is the cheaper one. A repair is often the right call on a younger boiler. Here is how we think it through with you.
Repair it when
- The boiler is under about 15 years old and has been reliable until now.
- The fault is a single part like a pump, igniter, pressure valve or sensor, and the part is available.
- The heat exchanger is sound, with no leaks or cracks.
Replace it when
- The boiler is 15 to 20 years old or more and efficiency has dropped.
- You have paid for repeated repairs over the last couple of heating seasons.
- The heat exchanger is cracked or leaking.
- Replacement parts are discontinued or weeks away.
- You want to free up space with a combi or need more hot water than the current setup gives.
Boiler installs in Richmond townhouses and houses
Richmond sits on Lulu Island in the Fraser River delta, close to sea level, with a high water table and a long, damp wet season. Boilers here often live in garages and ground-floor utility rooms, so we check for corrosion at the base, rusted fittings and moisture around the old unit before we plan the new one. Condensate needs a reliable drain path, which takes some thought in a slab-on-grade townhouse.
Strata townhouse complexes in areas like Steveston, Terra Nova and City Centre often have radiant floors fed by a compact boiler in a closet, with strict limits on where a vent can exit. We plan the vent route first and can help you prepare the details your strata may ask for. Older detached homes in Seafair, Broadmoor and Blundell sometimes still run on oil, which is where a switch to natural gas makes sense.
Neighborhoods we work in
- Steveston
- Terra Nova
- Broadmoor
- Seafair
- Blundell
- Garden City
- City Centre
- Brighouse
- Thompson
- Hamilton
- East Richmond
- Riverdale
Plan your boiler swap before the cold snap
The heating season in Metro Vancouver runs roughly October to April. Late summer or early fall is the best time to replace a boiler: you pick the day, and a few hours without heat is no hardship.
If the old boiler quits in the middle of winter, we handle emergency replacements too. We are available 24/7 for emergencies and will talk you through your options while the new boiler is sourced. If you ever smell gas, leave the home and call FortisBC’s 24-hour emergency line at 1-800-663-9911 and 911 from outside. Never ignore a carbon monoxide alarm.
Encano Plumbing is licensed and insured. Gas work: [CONFIRM WITH CLIENT: Technical Safety BC gas contractor licence number and gasfitter class]. Permit and inspection arranged where required.
Ask us anythingWhat customers say about Ed
5.047 Google reviews(opens Google in a new tab)Ed is great, timely, professional, friendly everything you want. Would recommend to anyone. Fair pricing and only recommends what is needed.
John Mondani
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Eddie is super friendly, helpful, and transparent! Always making sure his clients understand what needs to be done and how much it will cost ahead of time.
gustavo de almeida frança
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Eddie was friendly, gave me a good quote, came in early and explained the tasks prior to starting and did an excellent job. Highly recommended.
Makoto Taniguchi
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Second time using Encano Company, and Ed was amazing once again! He's reliable, professional, and gets the job done quickly. Really appreciate the great service highly recommend!
Talitha Nobrega
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Boiler Installation questions
Straight answers. If yours is not here, text it to us.
Open now · 24 hours, 7 days
No heat at 2 a.m.? Call or text. We pick up.
Check the thermostat and the furnace or boiler power switch first, then call or text. Ed or the team answers 24/7 and gives you the price before anyone touches a tool.
Get a free boiler installation estimate
Tell us what is going on. We reply with next steps and a time, and the price is agreed before any work starts.