A Burnaby renovation that touches the mechanical room, adds a suite, or changes floor space almost always changes what the boiler needs to do next.
Tell us what you need—we’ll call you back fast.
Quick answer
A renovation is the right moment to have a licensed gas fitter reassess a boiler, not just relocate it. Burnaby's mix of 1950s-60s bungalows on Capitol Hill and Cascade Heights, split-levels near Deer Lake, and newer infill on smaller lots each change how a hydronic system should be laid out once walls move, floor area grows, or a basement gets finished. CANRO assesses the existing boiler, distribution piping, and venting before recommending whether to keep, relocate, or replace it.
Need a licensed gas fitter for your gas boiler? Call CANRO at (604) 359-1081 — residential natural-gas heating and hot water across Metro Vancouver since 1999.
Most Burnaby renovation calls start with something unrelated to heat: a kitchen bump-out, a finished basement, a second-floor addition over the garage. But once a contractor opens up walls or adds square footage, the existing gas boiler is being asked to do more work than it was sized for, or its old cast-iron radiators end up in a different room layout entirely. A boiler that quietly kept a 1,400 sq ft bungalow on Sussex Avenue comfortable for thirty years may be undersized the moment 400 sq ft gets added at the back.
There's also a mechanical-room problem that's common in Burnaby's older housing stock. Many homes built between the 1950s and 1970s have a boiler tucked into a low-clearance utility room next to the laundry, sized for the equipment of that era. A renovation that finishes the basement or adds a bathroom nearby often means that space needs to be reclaimed, which forces a relocation decision, not just a swap.
Before recommending anything, a CANRO technician walks the renovation plans with the homeowner or contractor and looks at four things: the boiler's remaining condition and age, whether the existing venting can still be used or needs to be rerouted, how the distribution piping (baseboard, radiators, or an existing hydronic loop) will connect to any new zones, and whether the gas line has enough capacity if a second zone or an indirect water tank is being added.
Burnaby's terrain matters more than people expect. Homes on the slopes around Burnaby Mountain and Capitol Hill often have boilers installed on an upper level of a split-entry design rather than a true basement, which changes venting routes and how condensate or combustion air lines are run. Homes closer to Deer Lake and the flatter central areas more commonly have a full basement mechanical room, which gives more flexibility for relocation.
Any change to gas piping, venting, or the addition of a new heating zone during a Burnaby renovation needs a gas permit through the City of Burnaby, inspected separately from the building permit for the structural work. CANRO pulls the gas permit for boiler-related work and coordinates inspection timing with the rest of the renovation trades so the mechanical room isn't the item holding up a final occupancy sign-off.
Not every renovation needs a new boiler. If the existing unit is under roughly 15 years old, in good condition, and has enough capacity for the added load, it can often be relocated within the same mechanical room or extended to serve a new zone with additional piping and a zone valve. If the boiler is older, undersized for the new square footage, or the venting can't be reused without significant rework, replacement during the renovation is usually more cost-effective than doing the work twice.
| Situation | Typical Approach |
|---|---|
| Boiler under ~15 years, adequate capacity | Extend piping, add a zone valve for the new area |
| Boiler needs to move within the same room | Relocate with reworked venting and gas line |
| Boiler is older or undersized for added space | Replace during the renovation, before finishes go in |
| Basement is being finished around the boiler | Confirm clearances and access before drywall closes it in |
A full boiler install during a renovation typically runs $6,500 to $14,000 or more, and a straight replacement of an existing unit runs $7,500 to $15,000 or more, both ballpark figures rather than a quote, and the actual number depends on venting complexity, whether a new gas line run is needed, and the boiler's output. CANRO gives a written quote after seeing the space and the renovation drawings, not before.
Timing matters as much as cost. Boiler work should happen before drywall closes in the mechanical room, and ideally before flooring goes in over new piping runs. Homeowners who loop CANRO into the renovation schedule early, even just for a walkthrough with the contractor, avoid the scenario where a finished wall has to come back out to reroute a vent.
Safety note
If you ever smell gas anywhere near the boiler or its gas line, leave the home right away and call FortisBC's emergency line at 1-800-663-9911 from outside before doing anything else. Don't try to relight a pilot, reset a gas valve, or open up the jacket yourself; gas line, venting, and combustion work on residential natural gas equipment has to be done by a Technical Safety BC licensed gas fitter.
Often yes, if the unit is in decent condition and the new location allows proper venting and clearances. CANRO checks vent run length and combustion air before confirming a relocation is workable.
Not always. It depends on how much heated floor area is being added and whether the existing unit has spare capacity. A load assessment during the planning stage answers this before drywall goes up.
Yes, gas and mechanical work needs its own gas permit through the City of Burnaby, separate from the building permit for the structural renovation. CANRO handles this permit for the boiler portion of the job.
It usually means cutting into new drywall later to fix venting or access problems. It's far cheaper to have a technician review the mechanical room before finishes go in than after.
If the unit is old enough that replacement is likely within the next few years anyway, doing it during renovation avoids a second disruption to newly finished space. CANRO can give an honest read on remaining service life.
Family-run, TSBC-licensed (gas LGA0043870 · boiler LBP0046450), serving Metro Vancouver homes since 1999. Residential, natural gas only.
Call (604) 359-1081 Email info@canroheat.ca“Canro does an amazing job! Super professional and skilled with everything—boilers, furnaces, and AC. Always a pleasure working with them!”
“Five stars for Canro. We needed a replacement of a 30-year-old boiler. A new high-efficiency unit was installed—clean, professional work.”
“I can’t speak highly enough about George, who was recommended for a boiler service call for my parents’ home. George is excellent.”
25+ years keeping Metro Vancouver homes comfortable. Honest advice, upfront pricing, work that lasts.