From waterfront post-war houses to hillside rebuilds, Dundarave runs a wide mix of hydronic systems, and CANRO maintains and repairs them across the neighbourhood.
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Quick answer
Hydronic heating in a Dundarave home circulates hot water from a gas boiler through radiators or radiant floor tubing, and the neighbourhood's steep terrain and coastal exposure mean venting placement and zone balancing deserve more attention than in a flatter, more sheltered area. Older waterfront-area homes and newer hillside rebuilds tend to have quite different systems, so maintenance needs vary house to house.
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Dundarave spans everything from modest post-war houses near the water to substantial architectural rebuilds climbing toward the British Properties, and the hydronic systems in those homes reflect that range. Older waterfront-area houses more often run cast-iron radiators fed by a boiler that has been serviced and partially updated over the decades, while newer builds higher on the hill typically run radiant floor loops zoned room by room with modern controls.
West Vancouver's higher rainfall and the elevation change across Dundarave mean a boiler serving a hillside home works harder through the winter than one closer to the water, which is worth factoring into how often that system should be checked.
| Component | Role |
|---|---|
| Boiler | Heats water for the circulating loop |
| Circulator pump | Moves hot water to radiators or floor loops |
| Zone valves or thermostatic radiator valves | Control heat room by room or floor by floor |
| Expansion tank | Manages pressure as the system heats and cools |
| Pressure relief valve | Protects the closed loop from overpressure |
In older Dundarave homes with cast-iron radiators, each radiator often has its own manual or thermostatic valve, and balancing heat across the house means adjusting those individually rather than relying on a single zone thermostat the way a newer radiant floor system does.
Uneven heat between floors is a frequent complaint on hillside homes, often traced to a zone that is undersized for the heat loss on the exposed uphill side of the house rather than a fault in the boiler itself. On older cast-iron radiator systems, a knocking or banging sound usually means air trapped in the line or a slightly tilted radiator affecting how water drains back through it.
Corrosion at exposed fittings shows up a bit more often in older waterfront-area mechanical rooms given the region's dampness, so a visual inspection of valves and connections during any service visit catches problems before they become a leak.
On homes that have been through a partial renovation, we sometimes find a newer zone tied into an older radiator loop without proper isolation, which can cause the added zone to draw more flow than the original circulator was sized for. That mismatch usually shows up as the newer area heating quickly while the rest of the house lags behind, and correcting it typically means either upgrading the circulator or adding a dedicated pump for the newer zone.
Safety note
If you ever smell gas, hear a hissing sound near a gas line or appliance, or notice soot, a persistent headache, or a yellow or flickering burner flame near your boiler or water heater, leave the house immediately and call FortisBC at 1-800-663-9911 from somewhere safe. Gas piping, venting, and combustion appliances must only be installed or serviced by a Technical Safety BC licensed gas fitter.
It's usually a zoning or heat-loss issue rather than a boiler fault, especially on exposed uphill sides of a house. A technician can rebalance the affected zone or check whether it's undersized for that exposure.
Yes, radiators are typically balanced individually with manual or thermostatic valves and can develop knocking from trapped air or a tilt issue, while radiant floor systems are usually balanced at a central manifold.
An annual check is generally sufficient, though hillside homes running harder through the winter and older waterfront-area homes with more corrosion exposure may benefit from being checked slightly more often.
Trapped air is the most common cause, along with a radiator that has settled slightly out of level over the years. Bleeding the radiator usually resolves it; persistent banging warrants a technician's look.
Yes, additional zone valves or thermostatic radiator valves can be added to better match heat output to each area's exposure, particularly useful on a home with a significant uphill-facing side.
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