Lochinvar offers wide-ranging product breadth, while HTP is known for stainless heat exchangers and combined heat-and-hot-water configurations.
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Quick answer
Lochinvar is a large American manufacturer with a broad lineup spanning light-commercial to residential, supported by an extensive dealer network. HTP is recognized for stainless steel heat exchanger construction and models often paired with indirect hot water tanks for combined space heating and domestic hot water. Both work well in a Metro Vancouver home; the more relevant question is often whether you want a single appliance handling both heat and hot water, or separate dedicated equipment.
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Lochinvar's approach is breadth: dozens of model variations across output ranges, meant to give an installer a fit for almost any residential or light-commercial layout without having to switch manufacturers mid-project.
HTP took a narrower, more specific path, building a reputation around stainless steel heat exchanger construction and configurations designed to pair neatly with an indirect hot water tank, which is why techs often bring the brand up specifically when a homeowner wants combined heating and hot water from one system.
Before comparing brand specs, decide whether you want a single unit covering both space heating and domestic hot water, or whether you'd rather keep those two jobs on separate equipment. That decision affects sizing, mechanical room layout, and long-term serviceability more than the manufacturer's name.
HTP's stainless exchanger models are frequently chosen specifically for combined setups, where the boiler needs to handle a hot water draw on top of its normal heating load without a noticeable dip in either. Lochinvar can be configured the same way with a separate indirect tank added alongside a dedicated space-heating boiler.
| Consideration | Lochinvar | HTP |
|---|---|---|
| Catalogue style | Wide range of sizes and configurations | Narrower, exchanger-focused specialty lineup |
| Typical configuration | Boiler plus separate indirect tank | Combined heat-and-hot-water models available |
| Where installers mention it most | General residential and light-commercial retrofits | Households prioritizing simultaneous heat and DHW |
A household where multiple people shower in the morning while the heat is also calling puts real simultaneous demand on a combined system — this is exactly the scenario HTP's stainless exchanger models are often sized around, and it's worth describing your household's actual morning routine to your installer in detail.
If Lochinvar with a separate indirect tank is the chosen route instead, tank sizing becomes its own calculation, based on first-hour hot water demand rather than the boiler's heating output — a mismatch here shows up as running out of hot water, not as a heating problem.
Either configuration needs a mechanical room reassessment before ordering equipment, since an indirect tank adds meaningful floor space that a single combined unit wouldn't require.
Sealed combustion venting applies to both brands, and vent length limits become more restrictive the further the mechanical room sits from an exterior wall — measure this early rather than assuming a placement will work.
A combined heat-and-hot-water unit typically draws more gas at peak demand than a heating-only boiler of similar size, so your contractor should confirm the existing gas line and meter can handle the higher combined load before finalizing either quote.
Stainless exchangers are generally considered resistant to certain types of corrosion, but they aren't immune to scale buildup from hard water or damage from incorrect system pressure — annual maintenance still matters regardless of exchanger material.
For a combined system specifically, ask your technician to check the priority logic during the annual visit — confirming that domestic hot water calls are still being handled correctly alongside space heating as the system ages.
If your household regularly stacks hot water demand on top of heating calls and you like the idea of one appliance handling both, HTP's tank-pairing reputation makes it worth a serious look. If you'd rather size heating and hot water independently with more flexibility to swap either component later, Lochinvar plus a separate indirect tank keeps those systems cleanly divided.
As a ballpark, not a quote, a full boiler installation in Metro Vancouver runs $6,500–$14,000+, with an indirect tank adding to that total when needed. Walk through your household's actual hot water habits with a Technical Safety BC licensed gas fitter before choosing a configuration.
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.
Not necessarily, but a household with heavy simultaneous hot water and heating demand is exactly the scenario a combined HTP-style system is often sized for. A separate boiler and indirect tank sized correctly can handle the same demand too.
No. Stainless exchangers still need annual maintenance and can be affected by hard water scale or incorrect system pressure, regardless of the material's general corrosion resistance.
An indirect tank is sized based on your household's first-hour hot water demand, while the boiler is sized based on your home's heat loss. Both calculations should be done separately by a licensed installer.
Sometimes, since peak combined demand can exceed what a heating-only boiler of similar size would draw. Your contractor should confirm your existing gas line and meter capacity before installation.
It's possible but usually requires reworking piping and mechanical room layout, so it's worth deciding on your preferred configuration upfront with your installer rather than switching later.
As a ballpark, not a quote, expect $6,500–$14,000+ for a full boiler installation, with an indirect tank adding to that total if needed. Get a written, itemized quote after an in-home assessment.
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