Furnace and air conditioning work in Hastings

The village grew around the mills at the rapids

Hastings began as a village plot that James Crooks surveyed at the Trent River rapids in 1839. Henry Fowlds bought the property in 1851 and expanded the mills, and the village was incorporated in 1874. Much of the housing you see today comes from that first stretch of growth.

That shows up in the basement. A house this old was not built around a furnace. Whatever heats it now was added later, often more than once.

What a technician checks first in an older Hastings house

• The furnace size against the house. Replacements in old homes are often far bigger than the rooms need, so they short cycle and wear out early.
• The ducts. Where they run, whether the joints are sealed, and whether the returns can feed a modern blower.
• The chimney. Whether it has a liner suited to the appliance that vents into it.
• Old wrap on ducts or pipes. It should be tested before anyone cuts or moves it.

Two counties, two gas franchises

The village straddles the Trent near the line between Northumberland and Peterborough counties. Most of it lies in Northumberland, where gas customers are served under the former Union Gas franchise, now part of Enbridge Gas. That is a different franchise from the one that covers Asphodel-Norwood. The furnace works the same either way. When we look at programs for a replacement or a heat pump, though, it helps to know which account you hold, so mention it when you book.

Furnace repair and replacement

No heat in an older house is usually an igniter, a dirty flame sensor, or a limit switch tripping because a clogged filter or a starved return is cooking the heat exchanger. Check the filter and the furnace switch first. Then see furnace repair.

For a new furnace, the size comes from the house, not from the label on the old unit. If a new high-efficiency furnace moves to side-wall venting, the gas water heater can be left alone in a chimney too big for it to draft properly. We look at that on the quote and tell you whether a liner is needed. Work is performed by TSSA-certified gas technicians. More on furnace installation and replacement.

Cooling and heat pumps where the ducts fall short

Central air needs ducts big enough to carry cold air upstairs. Many older homes do not have them. Where they do, central air is the simple answer. Where they do not, a ductless system puts heads in the rooms that need them. A heat pump paired with the existing gas furnace is another route, with the furnace taking over in deep cold. Work is performed by 313A refrigeration and air conditioning mechanics.

Before you call

Check the breaker, the furnace switch and the filter. If the furnace vents through the side wall, look outside and clear any snow off the two plastic pipes. Then book a visit or ask for a quote. The price is written down for you to approve before the work begins.