HVAC FAQ, 70 Common Questions Answered

We're obviously biased, but the honest answer is: pick a contractor who is TSSA-certified for gas work, ECRA/ESA licensed for electrical, runs a Manual J load calculation on every install, gives you a fixed written quote (not an estimate), and uses their own crew (not subcontractors). IKAD Mechanical meets all five and has served 1,200+ Halton homes since 2010. Compare us against any other local contractor on those five tests, see our credentials and our recent projects.

Yes. Our shop is on Upper Middle Rd East in Oakville and we service the full Halton Region, plus Mississauga, Hamilton and Brampton. Burlington is 15-25 minutes from our shop, Milton 20-30 minutes, Mississauga 15-35 minutes, Hamilton 25-45 minutes, Brampton 30-45 minutes. No travel surcharge to any of these cities. See per-city details on our service area pages.

Yes. IKAD Mechanical has been family-owned and operated since 2010. The owner answers the phone, runs site visits, and is on most install jobs. No commissioned salespeople, no franchise model, no subcontracted installs. We're TSSA G2/G3 certified, ECRA/ESA licensed, HRAI members, carry $5M liability insurance and WSIB. Read our story.

Same-day no-heat and no-cool service is typical for Oakville and Burlington during business hours, often within 2-4 hours of your call. Other Halton cities (Milton, Halton Hills) and Peel/Hamilton are typically same-day or next-day. We keep emergency dispatch slots open every winter and summer. Call (905) 491-6943 or request urgent service online.

Three reliable sources: (1) Google Business Profile (search 'IKAD Mechanical Oakville'), where reviews can't be filtered by the business, (2) HomeStars, where reviewers are verified, see our HomeStars profile, and (3) the BBB. Avoid contractor-website testimonials in isolation, anyone can curate those.

Yes. TSSA G2 gas fitting (commercial scope), TSSA G3 (residential), ECRA/ESA electrical licensing, HRAI membership, $5M general liability insurance, WSIB coverage. Documentation is shareable on request, ask at quote stage if you'd like copies.

Three questions answer most of it: are they TSSA-certified gas fitters (mandatory for any gas work in Ontario), are they ECRA/ESA licensed (electrical), and do they have a verifiable HRAI membership or BBB profile. Then ask whether they do a Manual J load calculation, whether installs are done by their own crew or subcontractors, and whether the workmanship warranty is written into the contract. If any of those answers are vague, keep looking, see IKAD's certifications and credentials.

Yes. IKAD Mechanical holds TSSA gas-fitting certifications (G2 and G3), ECRA/ESA electrical licensing, and HRAI membership. We carry $5M liability insurance and WSIB coverage on every job site. We can share certificates of insurance and license numbers with property managers and builders on request, contact us for the documents.

Yes, diagnostic visits are $145–$185 during business hours and $250–$350 after hours or on weekends. That covers the technician's travel, time on site, and a written diagnosis. If you proceed with the repair or install, we credit the diagnostic fee against the work.

Yes. We don't subcontract installs. The person who quoted you is part of the same team that shows up on install day, and your install lead stays with the job through commissioning and the owner walkthrough.

Always. Every quote is itemized, equipment model number, capacity, all materials, labour, removal of old equipment, permits where applicable, and a fixed price (not 'estimated'). Quotes are valid for 30 days.

E-transfer, cheque, credit card (a small processing fee applies on credit), and HVAC financing through our Canadian finance partners. We typically take a deposit (10–25%) on order and the balance on completion of the install.

Yes, on-site estimates for residential equipment replacements are free across our service area (Halton, Peel, Hamilton). For custom-home mechanical design and large commercial scopes we charge a small design fee, which is credited against the install if you go ahead.

In order of impact: (1) replace a furnace older than 18 years with a 96%+ AFUE unit, (2) add a smart thermostat and use scheduled setbacks, (3) seal the worst duct leaks (whole-home is typically $850–$1,500 and pays back in 1–2 winters), (4) bring an Ecobee or Nest into the loop with multiple room sensors, (5) consider a hybrid heat pump pairing on your next AC replacement.

Three real reasons: (1) equipment tier, entry-level vs premium can be a $2,500 spread on the same nameplate BTU, (2) what's included, some quotes hide gas line, venting, permit and disposal as 'extras', (3) the contractor's overhead and crew model. A 30% spread is normal. A 60% spread usually means one of those quotes is leaving something off.

Yes, and we recommend it. We'll happily review another contractor's quote for free and tell you whether the equipment is sized correctly and what's missing. We won't trash-talk competitors, we'll just walk you through the numbers.

When the financing is genuinely 0% (like the Canada Greener Homes Loan), yes, almost always. When it's a 'pay-over-time' card with double-digit interest, the math is rarely better than putting it on a low-rate line of credit. Read the rate disclosure before signing anything.

Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning. In a residential context it usually means your furnace (heating), your AC or heat pump (cooling), the ductwork and air handler that moves air through the home, and any associated ventilation (HRV, ERV, range hood, dryer vent).

Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency, the percentage of gas energy your furnace converts to usable heat over a typical heating season. A 95% AFUE furnace turns 95 cents of every dollar of gas into actual home heat. Today's high-efficiency tier in Halton is 95%–98% AFUE.

Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio, the cooling output a unit produces divided by the electrical energy it uses over a season. Higher SEER = lower electricity per ton of cooling. A 16 SEER unit costs roughly 18% less to run than a 13 SEER unit. Current code minimum in Ontario is 14 SEER2 (the newer rating standard).

A furnace burns natural gas to create heat. A heat pump moves heat that already exists in outdoor air (yes, even cold air has heat in it) and pumps it inside. In summer a heat pump runs in reverse and acts as an AC. Heat pumps are typically 2–3× more efficient than furnaces at moderate temperatures, less efficient below -10°C, which is why hybrid systems are popular here.

Properly sized and maintained, a high-efficiency natural-gas furnace lasts 18–25 years in this climate. We see plenty of well-cared-for 22-year-old units still running safely. Aggressively short-cycled, oversized, or never-tuned units often fail at 12–15 years. See 2026 furnace replacement pricing.

12–18 years for a typical Halton home. The compressor is the wear part, most failures we see are either refrigerant leaks (fixable) or compressor seizure (replace the unit). Annual maintenance, especially coil cleaning, adds real years. See our AC services.

Tank water heaters: 10–13 years on average. Hard-water areas (most of Halton) trend toward the lower end if the anode rod isn't replaced. Tankless units: 20–25 years with annual descaling, about double the tank lifespan.

If both are 14+ years old, yes, almost always. The combined install is cheaper than two separate jobs, the equipment is matched (capacity and coil compatibility), and you don't end up with a brand-new AC bolted to an aging coil that fails in 2027. Rebate stacking is also better when both are done together.

Every 1–3 months for 1-inch standard filters, every 6–12 months for 4-inch and 5-inch media filters. Run the AC, have pets, do construction nearby, or open the windows often, change more frequently. Check by holding the filter up to a light: if you can't see light through it, replace it. If you have ongoing airflow problems, duct sealing may be needed.

Once a year is the right cadence, ideally in early fall, before the first cold snap. We check gas pressure, burner condition, heat exchanger integrity, draft, blower current, and swap the filter. About 80% of January no-heat calls we run are from systems that haven't been tuned in 3+ years, see our no-heat troubleshooting if yours stops.

MERV 8–11 is the sweet spot for most Halton homes. MERV 13 catches more (good for allergies and pet households) but can overload the blower on some older systems, we check static pressure before recommending it (often paired with an air balance). MERV 16 / HEPA is rarely the right answer at the furnace level; better to add a dedicated air purifier.

Filter changes and outdoor coil cleaning, absolutely. Anything that involves opening the burner compartment, touching the gas valve, or disturbing the heat exchanger should be a TSSA-certified gas fitter. Improper service can void your warranty and create a safety hazard.

Less often than home-services companies push it. Healthy ducts in a home with decent filtration get cleaned every 7–10 years. Get it done after renovations, in a newly-purchased home where you don't know the history, or if you can visibly see dust drift from supply registers. Skip the $99 'special', proper cleaning takes 3–4 hours and uses truck-mounted vacuum equipment, see our duct work page.

Three common causes: (1) thermostat is set to 'On' instead of 'Auto' so the blower runs even when there's no call for heat, (2) the furnace ran a flame-failure cycle and is now venting residual heat before locking out, (3) a flame-sensor or igniter has failed and the burner isn't lighting. Check the thermostat first; if the burner won't fire, see our furnace no-start checklist or call us.

Almost always a refrigerant issue or a frozen evaporator coil. Set the thermostat to 'fan only' for 1–2 hours so the indoor coil thaws, then try again. If it blows warm again, the system is either low on refrigerant (leak) or has a compressor problem, needs a tech.

When the furnace or AC fires up, runs briefly (under 5 minutes), shuts off, then fires again a few minutes later. It's usually a sign the unit is oversized for the space, or there's a sensor / pressure-switch issue. Short-cycling cuts equipment life dramatically, fix it. Common cause in Halton homes: a 100k BTU furnace installed in a house that needs 60k, see our furnace sizing approach.

Most common cause is restricted airflow, a clogged filter or closed registers. Second most common is low refrigerant from a leak. Turn the system off immediately when you see ice, let it thaw for 2–3 hours, replace the filter, and try again. If it freezes again, call us.

21°C (70°F) when home, 18°C (64°F) when sleeping or away. Each 1°C reduction in the setpoint saves roughly 2–3% on heating cost over a season. Setting a smart thermostat to handle this automatically usually saves $80–$200/year vs leaving it constant.

23–25°C (73–77°F) is comfortable for most. Setting it lower than 22°C drives AC run-time up sharply and the indoor humidity benefit plateaus. If you find 25°C uncomfortable, the issue is usually humidity, not temperature, a dehumidifier or a properly-sized AC fixes that.

Heat Recovery Ventilator, a device that brings fresh outdoor air into the home while recovering 70–80% of the heat from the air being exhausted. In a tight modern Halton home (post-2010 build, or a deeply weatherized older home), an HRV is required by code and important for indoor air quality. In a leaky 1970s home, you're getting the same effect through every window, adding one is overkill. We commission HRVs as part of our custom home mechanical packages and air balancing service.

30–40% in winter, 45–55% in summer. Below 30% in winter you get static, sore throats, and cracked wood; above 45% in winter you get condensation on windows. Most Halton homes need a whole-home humidifier (Aprilaire 600 is our go-to) in winter and a working AC plus possibly a dehumidifier in summer.

Yes, for what they're designed to do, capture airborne particulates and some VOCs. They don't replace ventilation (an HRV does that) or solve a moisture problem. We install whole-home Aprilaire and HoneywellAir units that work with your existing ductwork; portable HEPA units are fine but only clean the room they're in.

Mixed verdict, honestly. UV-C at the coil is genuinely useful for stopping mold growth on the evaporator (especially in humid summers). UV-C installed in-duct for 'sterilizing air' has weaker evidence, air moves too fast through the chamber for full sterilization. We'll install one if you ask, but we don't recommend it as a default upgrade.

Ecobee Premium (with the room sensors) is what we install most often in Halton. Excellent integration with Enbridge HER+ rebates, smart-home compatibility, and the Ontario time-of-use schedule support. Nest is a close second, slightly prettier UI, slightly less compatibility with multi-stage modulating equipment. Honeywell T-series is fine and cheaper if you don't need room sensors.

If you have a C-wire (look for a 'C' terminal on your existing thermostat with a wire attached), yes, it's a 20-minute job. If you don't have a C-wire (common in older Halton homes), DIY gets tricky and requires a power-extender kit or pulling a new wire. We install thermostats for $185–$285 including the unit when bundled with other work.

Most homeowners save $80–$200/year, mostly from scheduled setbacks during work hours and overnight. The savings drop to near zero if your previous thermostat was already programmed well. The bigger wins are comfort (geofencing pre-warms before you get home) and visibility into when your system runs.

You can't smell CO, that's why detectors exist. Symptoms in your household (headaches that go away when you leave the house, unexplained nausea) are red flags. Visible cracks in the heat exchanger, a yellow/flickering burner flame instead of a steady blue, or soot around the furnace are physical signs. If your CO detector ever sounds: leave the house, call Enbridge (1-866-763-5427), then call us.

Ontario law requires a CO detector adjacent to every sleeping area in any home with a fuel-burning appliance or attached garage. We recommend additionally: one on each floor, one within 5 metres of the furnace, and not directly above a heating vent (false readings). Replace them every 7–10 years even if the test button still works.

Yes, every municipality in Halton (Oakville, Burlington, Milton, Halton Hills) requires a mechanical permit for a furnace replacement that involves new gas piping, venting changes, or a different fuel type. A direct one-to-one replacement on existing piping sometimes doesn't require a permit, but TSSA inspection is still applicable. We pull permits as part of every install, you don't lift a finger.

As of 2025/2026 the HRS program (which replaced Enbridge HER+ in January 2025) no longer requires a pre/post energy audit, that was the big simplification. You apply through the program portal, install with a participating contractor (we are), submit the invoice and equipment specs, and the rebate is direct-deposited. Currently up to $7,500 for a cold-climate air-source heat pump. Note the May 31, 2026 registration deadline, see our 2026 Ontario rebate guide.

Earliest at concept/permit stage, latest at framing. The decisions that matter most, mechanical room size and location, zoning layout, in-floor heating runs, HRV duct paths, gas piping route, are 5–10× harder to change after drywall. We do early-stage design consults for custom builders across Halton.

Yes, renovations and additions are some of our most common work. We extend ductwork, add zoning, integrate in-floor radiant in new bathrooms, run gas piping for new fireplaces or BBQs, and balance the existing system to the new layout. We coordinate with your GC's schedule and don't slip.

Yes, IKAD Mechanical is based at 2275 Upper Middle Rd E in Oakville. We've served the town since 2010 with 1,200+ Halton homes. Same-day, often same-hour response across all Oakville neighborhoods including Glen Abbey, Bronte, Joshua Creek and Old Oakville.

Most Oakville furnace replacements installed are $3,800 to $7,200. Single-stage 95% AFUE is the budget end, modulating 98% is the top end. See our brand-by-brand 2026 pricing guide for the full breakdown.

Glen Abbey, Joshua Creek, Bronte and Old Oakville top the list, plus rapid growth in The Preserve, West Oak Trails, and Palermo West. Every Oakville postal code is within 5 to 15 minutes of our Upper Middle Rd East shop, see our Oakville HVAC page for full neighborhood detail.

Yes, IKAD Mechanical is 15-25 minutes away in Oakville and is in Burlington multiple days a week. Family-owned since 2010, TSSA G2/G3 certified, HRAI member. We serve Aldershot, Roseland, Headon Forest, Tyandaga, Alton Village, Mt Nemo, Lowville, Kilbride and downtown Burlington.

Mitsubishi Hyper-Heat is our most-installed cold-climate heat pump in Burlington (best low-temp performance). Daikin Aurora and Lennox SL25XPV are also strong. Best paired with a gas furnace in a hybrid configuration for Halton winters.

Yes, long steep driveways in Mt Nemo, Lowville and Kilbride are our most common snow melt market in Burlington. We design for the slightly higher snow loads above the escarpment.

Yes, IKAD Mechanical reaches Milton in 20-30 minutes from our Oakville shop, no travel surcharge. We specialize in fixing builder-grade HVAC mistakes (oversized AC, missing upstairs returns, crushed flex duct) plus custom-home mechanical packages north of Derry.

The #1 builder-install mistake in Milton subdivisions is oversized AC plus undersized upstairs returns plus crushed flexible ducts behind drywall. Most cases resolve through air balancing plus return-air addition, no equipment changes needed. Full diagnostic in our upstairs hot/cold guide.

Yes, custom builds in Brookville, Campbellville and along Bell School Line regularly include full mechanical packages from us, Manual J, zoning, HRV/ERV, in-floor radiant, hybrid heat pumps, snow melt. See our custom home HVAC page.

Yes, IKAD serves Georgetown core, Acton, Glen Williams, Limehouse, Norval, Hornby, Stewarttown and Ballinafad. Many rural Halton Hills properties are on propane (not natural gas) or oil. We handle propane-to-gas conversions, oil-to-gas, and oil-to-cold-climate-heat-pump conversions. See our Halton Hills service page.

Off-grid cold-climate heat pump (Mitsubishi Hyper-Heat, Lennox SL25XPV) with electric resistance backup. Expensive propane plus the new Home Renovation Savings Program rebate (up to $7,500) makes the math compelling for rural Halton Hills more than anywhere else we serve.

Yes. Cast-iron radiator boiler service (some 60+ years old), heritage boiler-to-modern-condensing-boiler upgrades keeping the original radiators, and adding forced-air to homes that never had ducts are routine downtown Georgetown work.

Yes, IKAD Mechanical serves Mississauga from our Oakville shop with no travel surcharge. Particularly strong on commercial (plaza rooftops along Hurontario, restaurant kitchens) plus residential furnace/AC in Mineola, Lorne Park, Erin Mills, Meadowvale and Churchill Meadows.

Yes. We hold Planned Maintenance contracts on plaza buildings and restaurants across Mississauga, run rooftop replacement, make-up air sizing, commercial kitchen hood install, gas piping and 24/7 emergency response.

Usually within 2-4 hours during business hours, same day for PM-contract clients. We carry replacement compressors, capacitors, contactors and common parts in our trucks for one-trip repairs.

Yes, IKAD Mechanical reaches Hamilton in 25-45 minutes from Oakville. Strong mix of heritage downtown row house ductless installs, Hamilton Mountain budget furnace replacements, Ancaster and Dundas custom builds, and commercial work.

Yes. Downtown Hamilton row houses without ductwork are our biggest ductless mini-split market outside Halton. Mitsubishi Hyper-Heat multi-zone systems for 2-3 bedroom row houses, line sets routed through closets to minimize plaster-wall impact.

Yes. Kitchen hoods, make-up air, rooftop replacements, daycare ventilation upgrades are weekly Hamilton work. TSSA-certified for gas piping and exhaust ductwork.

Yes, IKAD Mechanical reaches Brampton in 30-45 minutes from Oakville. Particularly strong on industrial fitouts along the Steeles-Airport Road corridor plus residential in Bramalea, Mount Pleasant, Springdale and custom builds in Castlemore.

Yes. Industrial tenant fitouts, warehouse heating (Reznor, Modine unit heaters), make-up air for commercial kitchens, and commercial-grade rooftop replacement are routine Brampton work. We fabricate ductwork at our Oakville shop and ship to Brampton sites.

From signed proposal to commissioning, most single-tenant fitouts in Brampton industrial condos take 2-3 weeks depending on permit timing and equipment availability. We hold our schedules and don't slip dates.