When I was 18 years old my boyfriend and I purchased our first home in the Greater Toronto Area. Our daughter was just over 1 year old and it was the perfect little home for us. Being a young adult you take for granted the basic things in our everyday lives. Like having a furnace, every house comes with one… Right?
During our home inspection, the large wood stove in the basement was lusciously placed with stone up to the ceiling. A centrepiece that lured us into the “This is the coziest basement! We should buy this house.” mindset. A fully finished basement was a must. We were young, had a toddler and in no way did we want to endure any renovation costs. Especially with another baby on the way.
Once fall crept in and cooler nights required more blankets, I asked hubby to turn on the furnace. Then we both had a puzzled look on our face…
There was no furnace.
Wood Stove Woes And Duct Dreams
After realizing we completely missed the fact we have no furnace in the house, we started buying wood for the wood stove. Turns out the gorgeous basement centrepiece was our only means to a warm happy wife.
We spent the majority of our winter in the basement, keeping warm. I cannot count how many times I had to pull out my hairdryer to keep pipes from freezing. I needed to find a furnace ASAP. More importantly, I needed to find a company that does furnace installation in the Greater Toronto Area. As much as I loved watching my husband light a mesmerizing fire, it wasn’t safe with toddlers running around.
For those wondering: “How did we manage through the summer unaware of the lack of furnace?” Our house has ductless air conditioners on each floor. Hence why the phantom furnace predicament hadn’t come up until then. I was cool and calm all summer long.
Furnace Installation Quotes
Spring was the perfect time to get online and do some research about furnace installations, costs, products and the dreaded renovations to repair the drywall. Turns out the installation can be pretty quick! The company is in and out in a day. Music to my ears! I was dreading having to keep a toddler entertained and contained while nursing a adorable bottomless pit.
We went with a local company that gave us the most confidence and that the furnace installation process would be flawless. The GTA has many options to choose from, so do your research and get a Fully Certified and Licensed HVAC Technician.
Companies with more experience aren’t always the best. Those companies can hire sloppy workers and not blink and eye.
Google reviews are high on the priority check list.
- Fully Certified
- Licensed Technicians
- Emergency Services 24/7
- Google Reviews
- Payment Plans
Furnace Installation in the GTA
Once we had our natural gas line installed from the road, it was time to have our furnace installed. I had cleared out my storage area in our laundry room to make space for the furnace. It was a nice bonus that when they were brining the gas line into the house we had choices as to where we would like it to go to. It didn’t feel like we were losing square footage, and it was in the back corner mostly unseen.
The ducts were pretty mess free as well. The company had attached the intake vent onto the ceiling drywall, we just had to have a bulk head built around them. Way better than having the ceiling torn off and rebuilt. The output vents ran easily between the joists to the rooms above. We had zero messes to clean up from this installation upstairs.
Thermostat Heaven
I never understood the fascination husbands had with thermostats until now. It was installed in our hallway to ensure we had a good gauge on the temperature in the house. This GTA company was on point with all the details.
We purchased one with an app for our phone… If you can do this option… Do it! Not only does it make it easier to sneak those degrees without hubby hearing my tippy toes nearing the thermostat… I can cool or heat the house when I’m not home.
The Licensed Technician told me a story about a family that went on a tropical vacation during the winter. (Living in Toronto, Ontario, I can tell you it gets bitterly cold.)
While the family was away, a cold front came through. The furnace wasn’t put to a high enough temperature to keep the basement pipes from possibly freezing up. Problem solved instantly from their phone. Amazing!
My Thoughts?
Installing a furnace in a completely finished basement wasn’t how I planned to spend our savings.
Nonetheless, it wasn’t even a horrible experience!
I was able to keep my kiddos upstairs and happy while the furnace installers did their magic. Even when the technician came upstairs to drill holes for the floor vents, they were quick and clean. Which is a huge plus for a momma who wants zero more messes to contend with.
When the HVAC company finished installation they gave me the payment plan papers. I know this might sound silly, when a payment plan is available, it is a sign that the company isn’t going to just disappear afterward. It indicates trust, and I need that.
They assured me that any problems that may come about in the future, they would be only a phone call away. Their google reviews backed that claim up leaving us feeling like they were the best company for the job.
My big burly caveman can now retire from wood stacking and burning. And I can relax knowing I can slyly change the temperature to “mom” temps.
