The Glebe, Ottawa
Heating & cooling in The Glebe
The Glebe is one of Ottawa's older neighbourhoods, south of Centretown and bordered by the Rideau Canal, about 5 km from our shop. Many of its brick homes date from the early 1900s and still heat with hot-water boilers and radiators.
- HRAI member
- TSSA affiliated
- Licensed technicians
- Free estimates
01Local knowledge
What we see in Glebe homes
Much of the Glebe was built in the early 1900s: brick and frame two- and three-storey homes on narrow lots. Many were designed for hot-water heat, and cast-iron radiators are still common. Those systems are durable, but the boiler driving them may be decades old and far less efficient than a modern condensing model.
Replacing an old boiler is not a simple swap. The new boiler has to suit the size and water volume of the radiator system, and a condensing boiler needs its own venting and a condensate drain. We look at the radiators, the piping and the chimney before quoting, because the existing setup often determines which boiler makes sense.
Without ducts, central air is the hard part in a Glebe house. Ductless mini-splits add cooling through small refrigerant lines rather than new ductwork, and they can heat on mild days so the boiler runs less. Many of these homes also have an original wood-burning fireplace that can take a Napoleon gas insert.
02Common jobs
What The Glebe homeowners call us for
Boiler replacement
Condensing boilers sized to existing cast-iron radiator systems.
Boilers 02Ductless mini-splits
Cooling for multi-storey homes with radiators and no ducts.
Ductless Mini-Splits 03Gas fireplace inserts
Napoleon inserts for original wood-burning fireplaces.
Gas Fireplaces 04Annual boiler service
Yearly checks for boilers, circulator pumps and expansion tanks.
Maintenance & Tune-Ups03Where we work
The Glebe and nearby
- Centretown
- Old Ottawa South
- Old Ottawa East
- Dow's Lake
- Little Italy
About 5 km from The Glebe
How do you cool a three-storey house with radiators and no ducts?
Usually with a ductless mini-split system: one or two outdoor units and indoor heads on the floors that need them. The top floor is normally the priority, since that's where the heat collects.
Should we replace our old boiler with a furnace?
Usually not. Adding ductwork to a finished older home is disruptive, and radiators give comfortable, even heat. Most owners are better served by a new high-efficiency boiler plus ductless cooling.
Our radiators are warm at the bottom but cold at the top. What's wrong?
That's usually trapped air. Bleeding the radiators often fixes it, but if it keeps happening the system may have a pressure or expansion tank problem we should check.