CANRO Heating & Cooling repairs, maintains and replaces Burnham ESC series cast-iron gas boilers across Greater Vancouver, with licensed gasfitters based in Burnaby.
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Quick answer: CANRO Heating & Cooling services Burnham ESC series gas boilers throughout Greater Vancouver, from our base in Burnaby. As independent licensed gas contractors (Technical Safety BC gas licence LGA0043870, boiler licence LBP0046450), we handle ESC diagnostics and repair, parts replacement, annual maintenance, and full replacement when a unit reaches the end of its life. Call (604) 359-1081 for same-day service.
Want a straight answer for your home? Call (604) 359-1081 or request a free written quote.
The Burnham ESC is a residential cast-iron, gas-fired hot water boiler with electronic ignition. It belongs to the conventional (non-condensing) class of boilers: a sectional cast-iron heat exchanger, atmospheric-style gas combustion, and efficiency in the low-to-mid 80s AFUE class rather than the mid-90s you get from modern condensing units. The ESC was a common workhorse in hydronic heating systems, and plenty of them are still running in Greater Vancouver homes today, feeding baseboards, radiators and in-floor loops.
Cast-iron boilers like the ESC are known for longevity. With regular servicing, 20 to 30 years of life is realistic, which is why we still see them in older homes across Burnaby, Vancouver, New Westminster, North Vancouver and the Tri-Cities. The trade-off is efficiency: an ESC burns noticeably more gas than a condensing replacement, and as parts age, owners face the classic repair-versus-replace question. CANRO gives you an honest answer either way — we repair ESC boilers that have life left in them, and we quote replacements in writing when they don't.
Because the ESC line has been out of production for some time, servicing one properly in 2026 takes a contractor who knows legacy cast-iron equipment, has parts-sourcing relationships in Metro Vancouver, and holds the right Technical Safety BC licences. That is exactly the work CANRO has been doing since 1999.
Cast-iron boilers usually give warning before they fail outright. If you notice any of the following on your ESC, book a diagnostic visit before a cold snap turns a small fault into a no-heat emergency:
Vancouver's damp climate is hard on older boilers. Mechanical rooms and basements here run humid most of the year, which accelerates corrosion on jackets, flue connectors and controls. An ESC that sailed through its first two decades elsewhere can deteriorate faster on the coast, so local eyes on the equipment matter.
CANRO's Red Seal certified gasfitters diagnose ESC boilers methodically rather than by parts-swapping. A typical diagnostic visit covers combustion and flame quality, ignition sequence, gas pressure, safety controls (high limit, rollout, pressure relief), venting and draft, circulator operation, expansion tank charge, and system water pressure. We test, we identify the actual fault, and we give you a free written quote before any repair work starts.
Because the ESC uses electronic ignition rather than a standing pilot on most configurations, ignition-side faults are among the most common calls we get: a fouled flame sensor, a failing ignition module, or a gas valve that no longer opens reliably. These are usually straightforward repairs when caught early. Section leaks in the cast-iron heat exchanger are the more serious finding — a leaking section on a boiler of this age typically points toward replacement, and we will tell you that plainly rather than sell a repair that won't hold.
During heating season, especially the November-to-February cold snaps when Metro Vancouver demand spikes, we prioritize no-heat calls and offer same-day and after-hours service. We do not publish flat repair prices because ESC faults vary widely; instead you get a diagnostic visit and a free written quote, so you know the cost before we touch a wrench.
Keeping an older cast-iron boiler alive is largely a parts game, and this is where working with a Burnaby-based contractor pays off. CANRO sources ESC-compatible components through Metro Vancouver hydronic and gas-parts suppliers, and many common items are stocked locally or available within a day or two. Parts we regularly replace on ESC-class boilers include:
Where an exact OEM part is no longer available — a reality with any discontinued series — our gasfitters fit approved universal or cross-referenced replacements that meet CSA requirements, and we document what was installed. Every parts job comes with a diagnostic first and a free written quote; we do not guess at prices over the phone.
A licensed CANRO technician can assess it honestly — no supplier quotas, no pressure.
📞 (604) 359-1081Request a free quoteWhen an ESC develops a cracked or leaking section, or when repair costs start stacking up on a 25-plus-year-old unit, replacement is usually the smarter spend. CANRO installs modern replacement boilers — both conventional and high-efficiency condensing models — sized properly for your home with a heat-loss calculation rather than a guess based on the old nameplate.
Replacing a non-condensing cast-iron boiler like the ESC with a condensing unit is not a straight swap, and this is where BC-specific experience matters:
Straight boiler installation in Greater Vancouver typically runs $6,500 to $14,000+ depending on the equipment class and complexity, and full replacement of an existing boiler like the ESC — including removal, venting rework and condensate provisions — typically runs $7,500 to $15,000+. You get a fixed written quote before work begins, and we walk you through the options rather than defaulting to the most expensive box.
An ESC that gets an annual tune-up will outlast and outperform one that doesn't — on a boiler this age, maintenance is the difference between a planned service call in October and a no-heat emergency in January. A CANRO annual service on an ESC-class cast-iron boiler includes:
The best time to book is late summer or early fall, before the first cold snap fills every heating contractor's schedule in the Lower Mainland. Maintenance visits are quoted plainly in advance — no surprise line items.
Rather than quoting error codes — the ESC's controls predate the detailed digital fault displays on modern boilers — it is more useful to describe the fault patterns we actually see on these units in the field:
| Symptom | Likely area | What CANRO does |
|---|---|---|
| Clicks but won't light | Ignition module, spark ignitor, gas valve | Test ignition sequence, verify gas valve operation, replace failed component |
| Lights then shuts off within seconds | Flame sensor / flame-proving circuit | Clean or replace sensor, verify ground and flame signal |
| Rumbling or banging (kettling) | Scale buildup in cast-iron sections | Assess water quality, flush where viable, advise honestly if sections are far gone |
| Water under the boiler | PRV, circulator flange, or section leak | Isolate the source; PRVs and flanges are repairable, section leaks usually mean replacement |
| Pressure keeps climbing, PRV drips | Waterlogged expansion tank or failed fill valve | Test tank charge, replace tank or pressure-reducing valve |
| Some zones cold, boiler runs fine | Zone valve, circulator or air-bound loop | Diagnose the distribution side, purge air, replace failed zone components |
| Frequent high-limit trips | Poor circulation or control fault | Check circulator, aquastat setting and flow before condemning anything |
For ESC repairs and parts replacement, CANRO does not quote dollar figures sight-unseen — faults on a boiler of this vintage vary too much for flat-rate honesty. You pay for a diagnostic visit, then receive a free written quote for the actual fix. For new equipment, our approved ranges are straightforward: boiler installation $6,500–$14,000+ and boiler replacement $7,500–$15,000+, confirmed in a fixed written quote before work starts.
If you are replacing an ESC with high-efficiency equipment, several BC programs may reduce the net cost. The federal Canada Greener Homes Grant closed to new applicants in 2024, but the Greener Homes Loan remains available for interest-free financing of eligible retrofits, and CleanBC and FortisBC both run rebate programs for qualifying high-efficiency heating upgrades. Eligibility rules and amounts change, so we confirm what applies to your specific project during the quote rather than promising numbers up front. CANRO also offers financing options on installations — ask when you call.
CANRO Heating & Cooling is an independent licensed contractor — not a dealer for any brand — which means our advice on your ESC is driven by the state of the boiler, not a sales quota. We have served Metro Vancouver since 1999 from our shop at 7325 6th Street, Burnaby, and cast-iron hydronic equipment is core work for us, not an afterthought.
We serve Burnaby, Vancouver, New Westminster, Coquitlam, Port Coquitlam, Port Moody, North Vancouver, West Vancouver, Richmond, Surrey, Delta, Langley and the surrounding Lower Mainland. Call (604) 359-1081 or email info@canroheat.ca to book Burnham ESC service.
⚠️ Safety note: If you smell gas near your boiler, do not try to relight or troubleshoot it. Leave the building immediately, call FortisBC's emergency line at 1-800-663-9911 from outside, and then call CANRO at (604) 359-1081 once the area is confirmed safe.
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📞 (604) 359-1081Request a free quoteReviewed by the CANRO Heating & Cooling service team — July 06, 2026. Technical Safety BC gas licence LGA0043870 · boiler licence LBP0046450 · Red Seal certified · WorkSafeBC and liability insured · 4.9★ from 85+ Google reviews · serving Metro Vancouver since 1999 · (604) 359-1081.
“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.