Laars and Burnham are both established North American names, but they built their reputations through different corners of the boiler market.
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Quick answer
Laars has supplied hydronic heating equipment across commercial and residential markets for decades. Burnham carries a longer, cast-iron-rooted history in American boiler manufacturing, with a lineup that now spans legacy-style units and modern condensing models. For a Metro Vancouver homeowner, the more useful comparison is often which brand your installer has serviced more, since both companies offer capable modern equipment.
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Laars' history spans both commercial and residential hydronic equipment, giving installers who've worked across varied building types broad familiarity with its controls, even on a straightforward home installation.
Burnham's roots go back further still, built substantially on cast-iron sectional boiler manufacturing, and the brand's name recognition among homeowners often comes from decades of visible presence in North American basements, including plenty across the Lower Mainland.
Both manufacturers have shifted meaningfully toward condensing, modulating technology in their current residential offerings, moving away from the older on/off cast-iron designs that once defined the category.
The practical difference for a Metro Vancouver homeowner usually isn't the underlying condensing technology itself, which is broadly comparable across reputable brands, but rather which manufacturer's controls and configuration your specific installer knows best.
| Consideration | Laars | Burnham |
|---|---|---|
| Historical strength | Broad commercial-to-residential range | Cast-iron sectional boiler heritage |
| Common scenario locally | New retrofit installation | Like-for-like replacement of an aging Burnham |
| Current lineup | Modulating condensing residential models | Condensing models alongside legacy-style units |
If your existing boiler is an older atmospheric-vent Burnham, switching to a sealed-combustion Laars condensing unit typically means routing new venting to an exterior wall, since the old chimney venting path won't work for the new appliance.
Removing an old cast-iron Burnham often opens up real mechanical room space too, given how large and heavy those older units tend to be compared with a modern wall-hung or compact floor-standing condensing boiler from either brand.
Whichever direction the swap goes, have your contractor confirm gas line sizing against the new unit's input rating before finalizing the quote.
Burnham's long market presence means parts for many models, including older ones, remain fairly accessible across North America, and a large share of gas fitters have worked on the brand at some point in their careers.
Laars parts move through established North American distribution as well, with contractors who've worked across commercial and residential settings generally maintaining solid access to controls and components. Ask your specific installer about typical turnaround times for either brand.
Moving from an old cast-iron boiler to a modern modulating unit of either brand tends to bring steadier, less noisy heat, since modulating technology avoids the aggressive on/off cycling of older designs.
Standby heat loss also typically drops after such a swap, since neither Laars' nor Burnham's current condensing lines hold anywhere near the residual heat of an old cast-iron mass sitting idle between cycles.
If your installer has broad experience across Laars' commercial-to-residential range, that versatility is worth something for less typical system layouts. If you're doing a like-for-like replacement of an aging Burnham and your contractor has deep, specific experience with the brand, staying consistent has its own practical appeal.
As a ballpark, not a quote, a full boiler replacement in Metro Vancouver typically runs $7,500–$15,000+, shaped by venting and piping condition. Get a written, itemized quote from a Technical Safety BC licensed gas fitter before deciding.
Safety note
If you ever smell gas near a boiler or its vent, leave the house first and call FortisBC at 1-800-663-9911 from outside — do not flip switches, light anything, or try to diagnose the smell yourself. Any gas connection, venting change, or combustion adjustment on either brand must be done by a Technical Safety BC licensed gas fitter.
No — Burnham has updated its lineup with modern condensing models alongside its legacy cast-iron reputation. Both brands offer current, capable equipment for a Metro Vancouver home.
No, you can switch to Laars or another brand during a replacement, though venting changes are often needed if the old unit used atmospheric chimney venting. A full assessment will confirm the details.
Burnham has a longer overall manufacturing history rooted in cast-iron boilers, while Laars has a long history spanning both commercial and residential hydronic equipment. Both are well-established, reputable manufacturers.
Often yes, since older cast-iron units are typically large and heavy compared with modern condensing models from either brand, freeing up mechanical room space.
If your current unit vents through a masonry chimney and the replacement is a sealed-combustion condensing model, new venting to an exterior wall is typically required. Your installer will confirm this during the assessment.
As a ballpark, not a quote, expect $7,500–$15,000+ for a full boiler replacement in Metro Vancouver, depending on venting and piping condition. Always get a written, itemized quote.
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