Lochinvar offers both standard-efficiency and condensing boilers across a wide range, while Triangle Tube leans specifically toward high-efficiency condensing units built for radiant heating and indirect hot water, making the choice largely about how your home is heated.
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Lochinvar's boiler range spans conventional atmospheric models through condensing units, giving homeowners a choice depending on budget and existing venting. Triangle Tube, by comparison, is positioned more narrowly around high-efficiency condensing boilers built on stainless steel heat exchangers, frequently specified for homes with radiant floor heating or paired with an indirect tank. If your home already has radiant heating loops or you're planning a renovation that includes them, that context matters more to the decision than brand reputation alone, and a licensed technician should evaluate your specific heating distribution system before recommending either.
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Lochinvar's lineup gives homeowners a choice between simpler standard-efficiency boilers and higher-efficiency condensing models, which can be useful when budget or existing chimney venting favours a conventional design over a full condensing conversion.
Triangle Tube is generally associated with the higher end of the condensing market, with a lineup built around stainless steel heat exchangers and strong compatibility with radiant floor heating systems, which demand a boiler capable of modulating output smoothly across a wide range.
Homes with radiant floor heating, whether original to the build or added during a renovation, benefit from a boiler that can modulate its output down low for long, steady heating cycles rather than short bursts. Triangle Tube's condensing lineup is frequently specified in radiant applications for this reason, though Lochinvar's condensing models can also modulate and may suit radiant systems depending on the specific model chosen.
If your home relies on baseboard or forced-air-coil heating rather than radiant floors, this distinction matters less, and the decision comes down more to venting, mechanical room space, and local parts support than to radiant-specific performance.
| Factor | Lochinvar | Triangle Tube |
|---|---|---|
| Efficiency range | Standard-efficiency through condensing | Primarily condensing |
| Heat exchanger | Stainless steel in condensing tier | Stainless steel, commonly documented |
| Radiant heating fit | Depends on specific model | Frequently specified for radiant systems |
| Indirect tank pairing | Available | Commonly paired with indirect tanks |
| Typical positioning | Broad range, budget flexibility | Higher-efficiency focused |
Larger hillside homes in West Vancouver sometimes have radiant floor heating installed in lower-level living spaces or additions, alongside conventional heating elsewhere in the house, which can make a Triangle Tube boiler's radiant compatibility a genuine advantage if the whole system needs to run from one boiler.
These homes also frequently have a domestic hot water demand from multiple bathrooms, so pairing either brand's boiler with a properly sized indirect tank is worth discussing with a technician regardless of which manufacturer you choose.
Both brands' condensing models require sidewall or roof venting suited to lower flue-gas temperatures, using plastic or stainless materials rather than a masonry chimney, and termination clearances need to be checked against current code.
Floor-standing units from either manufacturer need clearance for service access, while wall-hung condensing models can save floor space in a smaller mechanical room. A licensed technician measuring your actual space will determine which format fits before brand becomes the deciding factor.
Lochinvar's wide distribution through Lower Mainland wholesalers generally supports faster parts turnaround for common models, while Triangle Tube's more specialized positioning means parts are still available locally but through a somewhat narrower group of wholesalers and technicians familiar with the brand.
Boiler installation costs for either brand generally fall in the $6,500 to $14,000-plus ballpark, not a quote, with the final number depending on whether radiant zoning, an indirect tank, or venting changes are part of the project.
Annual maintenance on a radiant-compatible condensing boiler from either brand should include a combustion analysis, an inspection of the modulating gas valve and burner, a condensate drain check, and verification that circulator pumps serving each heating zone are functioning correctly.
When a boiler serving a radiant system starts short-cycling or struggling to maintain low-temperature output, a licensed technician should check the modulation range and zone controls before assuming the boiler itself has failed, since control or zoning issues can mimic a failing heat exchanger.
For a homeowner comparing quotes, it's reasonable to ask each contractor directly why they're proposing a specific brand and model for your particular heating distribution, rather than accepting a brand recommendation without that context.
Safety note
If you ever smell gas near a boiler, hear it hissing, or a carbon monoxide alarm sounds, leave the home immediately and call FortisBC at 1-800-663-9911 from outside before doing anything else. Any gas boiler work, including swapping brands, must be done by a Technical Safety BC licensed gas fitter.
Triangle Tube is frequently specified for radiant systems, but certain Lochinvar condensing models can also modulate well for radiant use. A technician should match the specific model to your system's design temperature.
Yes, both Lochinvar and Triangle Tube offer boilers that can be paired with a separate indirect tank for domestic hot water.
Lochinvar's lineup includes standard-efficiency models that can cost less upfront than a condensing-only lineup, though efficiency and venting needs should factor into the comparison too.
It depends on your home's layout and existing distribution system. A licensed technician needs to assess the renovation scope before recommending a specific boiler for a radiant retrofit.
Annual maintenance is generally recommended for both brands, covering combustion performance, the condensate system, and heating zone controls.
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