Heating System Installation in Coquitlam: Furnaces, Boilers, Radiant Floor & Water Heaters

Types of Heating Systems We Install

The right type of heating depends on what your home already has (ductwork, a chimney, a gas line, room on the electrical panel), your budget, and how you want the house to feel. Our heating installation services cover:

• Hot water tank replacement: a new gas or electric water heater sized to your household. Our hot water tank services page covers repairs and the brands we work on. For cost factors and signs it's time, see our replacement cost guide and when to replace a hot water tank.
• Tankless water heater installation: including converting from a tank. A tankless unit heats water only when you turn on a tap, which can reduce energy use in many homes. See our tankless installation guide for what conversion actually involves.
• Electric water heater installation: for homes without natural gas access or where electric makes more sense.
• Furnace installation: gas and electric forced-air systems, sized to your home. That includes high-efficiency furnaces and electric furnaces for homes without gas. Gas furnaces are rated by AFUE (annual fuel utilization efficiency), which tells you how much of the gas becomes heat in your home.
• Boiler installation: including hydronic and radiant floor heating. Hydronic systems heat water and send it through radiators, baseboard heaters, or in-floor loops to warm the house. A boiler can handle both your space heating and your hot water.

If your home uses hydronic heating, or you're considering radiant floor heating for a renovation or addition, a boiler system can supply both your hot water and your floor heat. Warm water runs through tubing under the floor, and the floor itself becomes the heat source. One advantage of radiant floor systems over a forced-air furnace is even heating from room to room. Radiant heating gives consistent warmth across the whole floor, eliminating cold spots that come from a single air register trying to cover a large area. No air is blown around, so less dust moves through the house, which can help indoor air quality.



Underfloor heating is a bigger upfront job than a standard furnace, and in-floor heating is easiest to plan while floors are open during a renovation. A well-maintained radiant system lasts for decades. We've worked with construction companies as a subcontractor on radiant floor installs and are glad to quote a new one directly.

Many older houses in Coquitlam, Port Coquitlam, and Burnaby were built with a gas furnace and a gas water heater sharing one chimney. That works while both appliances send hot exhaust up the same flue. It changes the day one of them is replaced.

A high-efficiency furnace doesn't use the chimney. It vents through plastic pipe out the side of the house and draws its combustion air from the outdoor air. That leaves the water heater alone in a chimney built for two appliances. The flue may not warm up enough to draw well, so exhaust can cool, condense inside the chimney, or spill back into the house. Installers call this an orphaned water heater. The fix is usually a chimney liner sized for the water heater, new venting, or replacing the water heater at the same time as the new furnace.

Older homes raise a few other questions during installation:

• Ductwork. Ducts installed for the old furnace may be undersized or leaky. A new furnace can't fix cold rooms if the ducts can't distribute heat evenly.
• Condensate drain. High-efficiency furnaces produce water as they run, so they need a drain nearby. In a finished basement, that line has to be planned.
• Electrical capacity. Older panels can be short on room, which matters when you move to electric systems like an electric furnace or water heater.
• Sizing. Metro Vancouver winters are mild compared with most of Canada. A furnace matched to the old unit, or sized by guesswork, is often bigger than the house needs. An oversized furnace runs in short bursts, wears faster, and heats unevenly.

Planning a furnace or boiler replacement? Call (604) 873-3753 to book an in-home assessment.

What a Proper Heating Installation Involves

New heating equipment isn't one-size-fits-all, and proper installation is crucial to getting the efficiency and lifespan the equipment is rated for. Our installation process generally looks like this:

1. Inspection and sizing. We assess your home, existing venting and ductwork, and gas or electrical supply to size the new system correctly. An undersized or oversized unit hurts both comfort and energy bills.
2. Permits. Gas installations legally require a permit and a licensed gas fitter in BC. We handle that as part of every gas installation, not as an add-on.
3. Removal of the existing system. Safe disconnection and disposal of the old unit.
4. Installation. Code-compliant venting, gas or electrical connections, and mounting, done by our own licensed technicians to current codes and regulations.
5. Testing and walkthrough. A full test before we leave, plus a plain explanation of what we did and what to expect.

That process, not paperwork for its own sake, is what keeps a gas leak or carbon monoxide risk out of your home. Any home with a fuel-burning appliance should also have a working carbon monoxide alarm.

How to Choose the Right Type of Heating System

There's no single best system. The right type of system depends on what your home already has and what you want from it. A few questions narrow it down quickly:

• Do you have ductwork? Homes with central heating ducts usually stay with a furnace. Adding ducts to a home without them is a big job.
• Do you have a gas line? Gas furnaces and boilers need one. Without gas, an electric furnace or electric water heater is the usual route.
• Do you already have radiators or in-floor heat? Those homes usually stay with a boiler, since the pipes are already in place.
• Are you renovating? Open floors are the best time to add radiant floor heating.
• How long will you stay? High-efficiency furnaces and boilers cost more up front and pay back through lower energy consumption. The longer you own the home, the more of those energy savings you keep.

Energy efficiency matters, but it isn't the whole story. Efficient heating only delivers if the system is the right size and installed properly for your house.

Why Coquitlam Homeowners Choose KCs for Heating Installation

A new heating system should run quietly in the background for many years. Many of the problems that show up early, like short cycling, cold rooms, venting faults, and frequent repairs, trace back to how the system was sized and installed rather than the equipment itself. Getting it right the first time costs less than fixing it later, and it's what gives you reliable heating through the winter.

KCs is a family-run company based on Fawcett Road in Coquitlam, and we've worked on home heating across the Tri-Cities since 1993. Founder Jack Japuncic is a Master Plumber, our gas fitters are licensed, and we're BBB accredited. We also handle heating repair and annual maintenance, so the local team that installs your system is the same one you call later.

Not every old system needs replacing. Age, the type of failure, and how often it has needed repairs all matter. If the unit is fairly new and one part has worn out, a repair is often the better value.

We also install and maintain commercial boilers and furnaces for property managers and businesses, including setting up an ongoing maintenance contract if you want one.

How Long Does a Heating Installation Take?

A typical residential job takes up to eight hours, depending on the unit and how accessible the installation area is. We'll give you a realistic timeframe once we've assessed your home.

Do I Need a Permit for a New Furnace or Water Heater?

Gas work in BC legally requires a permit and a licensed gas fitter. We handle that as part of every gas installation.

How Much Does a New Furnace or Heating System Cost?

It depends on the type of system, its size and efficiency, and what your home needs, such as new venting, a chimney liner, or ductwork changes. Our rates page is a starting point, and we'll give you a price for your home after we've seen it.

Is a High-Efficiency Furnace Worth It?

Often, especially if you plan to stay in the home for years. A high-efficiency furnace turns more of its gas into heat, which lowers your energy bills for as long as you own it. Compare AFUE ratings between models. Keep in mind it vents differently from an older furnace, so the installation has to include a new vent, a condensate drain, and a plan for any water heater left on the old chimney.

What Happens to My Water Heater When I Replace My Furnace?

If the two share a chimney and the new furnace is high-efficiency, the water heater may be left alone in a flue that's too big for it. It then needs a chimney liner, new venting, or a replacement. We check this during the in-home inspection so it isn't a surprise on installation day.

Should I Repair or Replace My System?

It depends on age, the type of failure, and how often it has needed repairs. Our heating repair page and water heater repair guide cover how to think about that decision.

Can You Convert My Tank Water Heater to Tankless?

Yes. It's a conversion rather than a simple swap, usually involving gas line resizing, new venting, and sometimes electrical work. Our tankless installation guide covers what to expect.

Do You Handle Commercial Heating Installations?

Yes, including boiler and furnace installs for property managers and businesses, with ongoing maintenance contracts available.

A new heating system is a real investment, and it should be sized and installed right the first time. Call KCs Plumbing & Heating at (604) 873-3753 or request a free consultation online, and we'll size the right system for your home and budget.

Serving Coquitlam, Port Coquitlam, Port Moody, Burnaby, and New Westminster. Call (604) 873-3753 today. See our full range of heating services for everything we install and repair.

Written by Jack Japuncic, Master Plumber,founder of KCs Plumbing, Heating & Drain Services.