Heating and Cooling in Cambridge, Ontario

We handle residential heating and cooling across Cambridge: repairs, replacements, tune-ups and new installs.

• Furnace repair in Cambridge for no heat, cold air, short-cycling or a furnace that won't stay lit.
• Furnace installation in Cambridge, including older homes that need new venting.
• AC repair in Cambridge and new central air.
• Heat pump installation and ductless mini-splits, which suit older Cambridge houses with little or no ductwork upstairs, plus heat pump repair.
• Water heaters and gas lines for BBQs, ranges and garage heaters, and seasonal tune-ups.

We don't do duct cleaning, boilers or commercial work.

Cambridge was formed in 1973 from Galt, Preston and Hespeler, plus the village of Blair, and the city's housing still reflects that. The age of your house is the best predictor of the HVAC problems you'll have.

Galt. Downtown Galt and the streets climbing up from the Grand River include some of the oldest homes in Waterloo Region, many of them stone or brick from the 1800s and early 1900s. Thick masonry walls make retrofitting ducts hard. Many have had forced air added in stages, so second floors often run cold, and returns may be missing entirely. A ductless mini-split for the upper floor is often a better fix than forcing more air through old ducts.

Preston and Hespeler cores. The older mill-town streets in Preston and Hespeler have a mix of century homes and postwar houses. Expect old chimneys, past fuel conversions, and ductwork that has been extended several times.

Postwar to 1980s neighbourhoods. Much of East Galt, west Galt and the areas between the old cores filled in with bungalows and side-splits from the 1950s through the 1980s. Most are on at least their second furnace. Common issues are tired ducts, undersized returns and AC units added long after the house was built.

1990s to 2010s subdivisions. Fiddlesticks in north Cambridge, the newer parts of Hespeler, and much of the southeast and west of the city were built with builder-grade furnaces and air conditioners. A lot of that original equipment is now at the age where inducer motors, igniters, control boards and AC compressors start to fail.

Natural gas in Cambridge comes from Enbridge Gas, and electricity from GrandBridge Energy (formerly Energy+). Because Enbridge delivers gas here, Cambridge homeowners can usually access both sides of Ontario's main rebate program.

The Home Renovation Savings Program, run by Save on Energy and Enbridge Gas, offers rebates of up to several thousand dollars on qualifying cold-climate heat pumps, plus smaller rebates on things like smart thermostats and insulation. Amounts depend on the equipment and how your home is heated now. Programs change, so check current eligibility before you buy. Our Ontario heat pump rebate guide explains the steps.

A standard furnace replacement on its own usually doesn't qualify for a rebate.

Cambridge shares Waterloo Region's winter design temperature of around -19°C to -20°C, with humid summer heat that can push into the 30s. Low spots along the Grand and Speed rivers can feel colder and damper on still winter nights.

That climate means two things for your equipment. First, sizing matters: an oversized furnace short-cycles and an oversized AC leaves the house damp. Second, humidity control matters in both seasons, especially in older homes with leaky walls in winter and damp basements in summer.

If you're thinking about a heat pump, cold-climate models work in Cambridge winters, and many homeowners keep a gas furnace as backup. Our heat pump vs furnace guide covers the choice.

If your furnace is under about 15 years old and a single part has failed, repairing it is usually the right call. If it's close to 20, needs a major part, and has needed other repairs in the last couple of winters, it's time to plan a replacement on your schedule rather than in a January breakdown.

For air conditioners, an older unit on R-22 refrigerant that springs a leak is rarely worth recharging, since R-22 has been phased out in Canada.

In Galt and Preston century homes, a replacement can involve new venting, a chimney liner for the water heater, or duct changes, so get a quote early. Our furnace replacement cost guide shows typical regional price ranges and what pushes a job higher.

Call 519-498-4710 any time. During the day you'll reach us directly; after hours our receptionist takes your details and we call back to book.

Before you call, check the thermostat batteries and setting, the furnace switch, the breaker and the filter. If you smell gas, get out and call Enbridge Gas from outside. If your furnace has been red-tagged, read our red-tagged furnace guide.

We also serve nearby Kitchener and the townships on our service area page.