Frequently asked questions

Newer Caledonia homes, like those in Avalon, usually have a high-efficiency furnace that draws air in and sends exhaust out through two plastic pipes in the side wall. Drifted snow over those pipes, or frost building on the exhaust, makes the furnace shut down for safety. Clear both pipes by hand. Look at the condensate drain line for ice or a kink. Then switch the furnace off and on at its service switch. If it shuts down again, book a furnace repair.

It depends on the part that failed. A dirty flame sensor or a clogged filter is a small job. An inducer motor, blower motor or control board costs more. A cracked heat exchanger is the most expensive fault, and on an older furnace it usually points to replacement instead. Prices change with the furnace model and parts availability, so a figure without a diagnosis is a guess. Caledonia Furnace writes the repair price down for you to approve first. Note the symptom and the furnace's age, then book a furnace repair.

The houses around Edinburgh Square and Caithness Street are Caledonia's oldest. Most were built for wood or coal and later converted to oil or gas boilers, gravity systems or add-on forced air. Technicians expect worn boilers and radiators, cramped retrofitted ductwork, possible asbestos wrap on old pipes or ducts, and a chimney that needs a liner once the equipment changes. Do not disturb white or grey wrapping on old pipes. Point it out at the visit, then read about furnace installation and replacement.

There is no single answer. It depends on which fuels reach your house, how well the house holds heat and what each fuel costs that year. Sealing drafts and adding attic insulation help whatever the system. On natural gas, a high-efficiency furnace is the usual choice. Off the gas main, a cold-climate heat pump is worth a look. A hybrid lets the heat pump carry milder days while a furnace covers the coldest ones. Ask for running costs based on your own house. See heat pumps.

Start with the simple things. Is the thermostat set to heat and above room temperature, with fresh batteries? Is the furnace service switch on, and the breaker on? Is the blower door panel fully closed? On a high-efficiency furnace, are the side-wall pipes clear? You can reset the furnace once by switching it off and back on. If it locks out again, stop resetting it, because repeated lockouts point to a real fault. The common furnace problems guide lists what to check.

First check the thermostat fan setting. On ON, the blower runs between heating cycles and moves cool air. Set it to AUTO. If the air stays cold during a call for heat, the burners have probably stopped. A clogged filter can overheat the furnace and trip the limit switch. A dirty flame sensor shuts the burners off seconds after they light. On high-efficiency units, a blocked condensate drain trips a pressure switch. Change the filter, then book a furnace repair if the cold air continues.

Often, yes, but not always through the existing ducts. The original ducts in older Caledonia houses north of the river were sized for heat, and they are often too small for central air. The oldest homes near Edinburgh Square have cramped ductwork added later. Forcing central air through small ducts gives noise and hot upstairs rooms. A ductless system puts indoor heads in the rooms that need them. Work is performed by 313A refrigeration and air conditioning mechanics. Note which rooms run hottest, then read about air conditioning installation.

On the furnace, a tune-up covers cleaning and testing the burners, flame sensor and igniter, inspecting the heat exchanger, and checking the venting and the gas pressure. On high-efficiency units it also includes flushing the condensate trap and line. Newer sealed homes also need the ventilator filters cleaned, which is easy to forget. On the air conditioner, it covers the outdoor coil, the indoor drain and the refrigerant system. Many manufacturer warranties require yearly maintenance, so keep the records. See furnace and AC maintenance.

In Ontario, gas appliances may only be installed, serviced or repaired by a registered contractor under Ontario Regulation 212/01. The work follows the CSA B149.1 Natural Gas and Propane Installation Code, which covers gas piping, venting, clearances and combustion air. That rules out handyman work on burners, gas lines and vent pipes. Work is performed by TSSA-certified gas technicians when Caledonia Furnace takes on a gas job. Before anyone opens a gas line, ask how the work meets that code, then read about furnace installation and replacement.

The Ontario Fire Code requires a working carbon monoxide alarm next to each sleeping area in any home with a fuel-burning appliance, a fireplace or an attached garage. In Caledonia that covers nearly every house with a gas or propane furnace, a gas water heater or a wood stove. Press the test button on each alarm and replace any unit past the date on its label. If an alarm sounds, get everyone outside and call the fire department from there. Once the house is clear, book an appliance check through furnace and AC maintenance.

Houses in the Shetland Street area usually had a standard-efficiency furnace venting into the chimney beside the gas water heater. A high-efficiency furnace vents through the side wall instead. That leaves the water heater alone in a chimney sized for two appliances. Its exhaust cools, condenses and may not draft properly. Look for rust or white crust around the water heater's draft hood, or water at the base of the chimney. Ask whether the chimney needs a liner, and read about furnace installation and replacement.

Caledonia is in Haldimand County's natural gas franchise area, served by Enbridge Gas, which took over Union Gas. Most houses in town are on the main. Parts of rural Haldimand are not. A proposed Enbridge Gas expansion project for Haldimand – Dunnville shows the network still does not reach everywhere. Homes off the main heat with propane, oil or electricity, and the equipment and venting differ. Check outside: a gas meter means natural gas, a tank or fill pipe means propane or oil. Off the main, read about heat pumps.

A gas furnace with central air shares one set of ducts, and it is the usual setup in Caledonia homes on natural gas. A heat pump heats and cools with one outdoor unit. It can be ducted or ductless, and it is often paired with a furnace as a hybrid. A boiler heats water for radiators or in-floor loops, which is common in the oldest houses. The guide to the three common systems explains which one your house likely has.

Programs open, change and close, so any list goes out of date quickly. In recent years, incentives have mostly gone to heat pumps and home energy upgrades rather than standard furnaces or central air on their own. Some programs require an energy assessment before the work starts, and you can lose eligibility by skipping it. Check the current federal, provincial and utility programs before you sign anything. Keep the invoice, model numbers and installation date. Current rebates are checked when quoting heat pumps.