How to Choose an HVAC Company in Vancouver

Match the licence to the fuel

HVAC covers several regulated trades, and the credential that matters depends on your system. Anything touching gas — a furnace, a gas hot-water tank, a fireplace — must be handled by a licensed gas fitter under Technical Safety BC. Heat pumps and air conditioning involve refrigeration work; electrical connections need an electrician. A legitimate company tells you exactly who holds which ticket, and carries liability insurance and WorkSafeBC coverage on top.

Ask the licensing question even for a simple service call. The companies that dodge it are the same ones that leave you with an unpermitted installation your insurer and future home inspector will both flag.

In this climate, judge them by their heat-pump answers

Vancouver rarely sees deep cold, which is why a properly sized heat pump can carry most homes here year-round — and why heat-pump competence has become the clearest test of a modern HVAC company. Ask what they'd install in your home and why. A good contractor talks about your home's heat loss, ducting (or the lack of it — ductless systems suit many of the city's older, duct-free houses), and cold-weather performance. A weak one just names a brand and a price.

Rebate literacy is part of the test. Provincial and federal programs (CleanBC among them) can meaningfully change the economics of a heat-pump conversion, and a contractor who does this work regularly knows the current programs and paperwork. Be wary of anyone using rebate urgency as a pressure tactic — 'the program ends this week' is a sales line, not advice.

No heat-loss calculation, no deal

Correct sizing is the difference between a system that works for fifteen years and one that short-cycles, dehumidifies poorly, and dies early. That requires an actual heat-loss calculation for your specific house — measurements, insulation, windows, orientation — not a rule of thumb based on square footage or 'what the old unit was.'

This is the single fastest way to separate contractors: ask how they'll size the system. If the answer doesn't involve calculating your home's heat loss, keep looking — an oversized quote is often also a padded one.

Get the scope, permits, and warranty in writing

A proper quote itemizes equipment (with model numbers), labour, electrical work, disposal of the old unit, and who pulls the permit — mechanical and gas work in Vancouver generally needs one, and the contractor, not you, should be handling it. A company that suggests skipping the permit to save money is volunteering to cut corners you can't see.

Separate the manufacturer's equipment warranty from the contractor's labour warranty, and get the labour terms in writing. Equipment warranties often depend on registration and annual maintenance — ask who registers it and what maintenance keeps it valid.

Recognize the replacement-sales playbook

The pattern to avoid: a cheap or free 'inspection' that ends with red-tagged equipment, a same-day replacement quote, and a discount that expires tonight. Legitimate safety issues do exist — but a real contractor explains the specific fault, shows you, and is comfortable with you seeking a second opinion. Pressure to sign on the spot is the tell.

Reviews help here if you read them for the right things: mentions of repairs recommended over replacements, quotes that matched the final bill, and clean permit-and-inspection handling are worth more than any star average.

Frequently asked questions