Furnace, AC and plumbing FAQs
Heating and air conditioning questions, answered
Answers to the questions homeowners ask us most about furnace and AC maintenance, repairs, plumbing and renovations from Donaldson Home Services, an HVAC company in London, Ontario.
Once a year for each system. We recommend furnace maintenance in late summer or early fall and air conditioner maintenance in spring, before you rely on either one every day. Annual maintenance helps catch developing problems early, and some manufacturer warranties require it. Our Membership Plans schedule the visits for you: compare Membership Plans.
We serve London and surrounding communities. Our technicians work out of our shop at 77 Bessemer Rd in London. Don’t see your town? Give us a call; chances are we’re nearby. Find your town in our service area.
Yes. Financing through Financeit is available on approved credit for qualifying furnace, air conditioning and other home comfort projects. You can apply online, and same-day approval is possible in many cases. Donaldson doesn’t approve or decline applications; Financeit does. See how financing works.
Membership Plans cover ongoing maintenance for equipment you already own, with benefits like waived diagnostic fees, a 15% repair discount and priority booking, and you don’t need to have bought your equipment from Donaldson. True Care is a protection program on qualifying new furnaces and air conditioners: it brings parts and labour, diagnostics, annual maintenance with a new filter and priority service together, with coverage for up to 15 years on qualifying systems. Compare Membership Plans, or see what True Care covers.
Donaldson is a local, family-owned company that Jamie and Anna Donaldson founded in 2013. Our own licensed technicians (no subcontractors) give honest recommendations and upfront pricing, and homeowners have given us 4.9 stars across more than 3,000 Google reviews. We’re here to help you make the right decision for your home, not sell you the most expensive option. Read our story.
We plan and complete bathroom renovations for homeowners in London and surrounding communities, from rough-in plumbing to the finished fixtures. Because Donaldson’s plumbers handle the water supply, drainage and venting, layout changes such as moving a toilet, sink, shower or tub can be planned from the start. Your in-home estimate is free. See bathroom renovations.
It depends on the size of the space, the scope of work, layout changes, materials and fixtures. We’ll talk through your plans and give you pricing based on the renovation you have in mind, and your in-home estimate is free and no-obligation. Moving plumbing adds to the scope, so tell us about layout changes early. See our bathroom renovation service.
Make sure the thermostat is set to heat and its batteries aren’t dead, the furnace power switch is on, the breaker hasn’t tripped, the front panel door is closed securely, the filter isn’t clogged and the vents aren’t blocked. Don’t try to relight a pilot light yourself. If your furnace still won’t heat, call us now or see our furnace repair service.
Yes. Modern cold-climate heat pumps are designed to provide efficient heating even when outdoor temperatures drop below freezing. Depending on your home, comfort needs and existing heating system, a heat pump can be used on its own or paired with a furnace as part of a hybrid system. See our heat pump service.
The right size depends on your home and its cooling needs, not just the size of your old unit. Before recommending equipment, Donaldson inspects and measures your home, working out its heat loss and heat gain. A system that’s too big or too small can lead to humidity problems, higher bills and extra wear. Your in-home estimate is free. Learn about AC installation.
There are several possible causes, from restricted airflow and thermostat issues to frozen components or problems within the cooling system. Check that your thermostat is set to cool, your filter isn’t clogged and the AC breaker hasn’t tripped. If that doesn’t solve the problem, the system should be professionally diagnosed. See our AC repair service.
Ice on your AC unit, coil or refrigerant lines can indicate restricted airflow or another cooling-system problem. Turn the AC off and have it inspected rather than continuing to run the system while it’s frozen, and check that the filter isn’t clogged and the vents are open. See our AC repair service.
Yes. We offer 24/7 emergency service. Call us now and we’ll work to get a technician to your home the same day, subject to availability. Call right away for an active leak, a burst or frozen pipe, a sewer backup or a loss of water, and if it’s safe, shut off the water to the affected fixture first. See plumbing repair.
If it’s safe to do so, shut off the water supply to the affected fixture. For a significant leak that can’t be isolated, you may need to shut off your home’s main water supply. Then call us now so we can find and fix the source of the leak. See plumbing repair and installation.
Call a plumber if you notice persistent leaks, clogged or slow drains, low water pressure, unusual plumbing noises, water where it shouldn’t be, recurring toilet problems or changes in your hot water supply. Dealing with a plumbing problem early can often prevent more extensive damage, and you’ll get upfront pricing before any work begins. See our plumbing services.
A recurring clog can be caused by ongoing buildup, material repeatedly entering the drain, or a blockage farther down the line that hasn’t been completely cleared. If a drain keeps slowing or backing up after it’s been cleared, a professional inspection, sometimes with a drain camera, can find the underlying cause. If several drains back up at once, limit water use and call us. See drain cleaning.
It depends on your household’s hot water demand, your existing gas, venting and electrical setup, and the space you have. A tankless system heats water as it’s needed and takes up less space, while a tank keeps a stored supply ready. Switching isn’t always a direct replacement, so we assess your setup first and give you upfront pricing before any work begins. Compare tank and tankless water heaters.
Yes. We offer 24/7 emergency service. Call us now and we’ll work to get a technician to your home the same day, subject to availability. That includes a furnace that stops heating, an air conditioner that quits in a heat wave and urgent plumbing problems, across London and surrounding communities. See emergency furnace repair.
Duct cleaning can be worthwhile when there is noticeable buildup inside the system, after renovation work, when moving into a home, or when it has been a long time since the ductwork was cleaned. The goal is to remove accumulated dust, hair and debris from parts of the duct system that normal household cleaning can’t reach. See our duct cleaning service.
Donaldson’s whole-home duct cleaning includes the supply duct lines, return duct lines, main trunk lines and accessible vents and registers for one HVAC system. Professional equipment is used to remove accumulated dust, hair and debris from throughout the duct system, and there’s no per-vent pricing. See our duct cleaning service.
Most residential duct-cleaning appointments take about 2–4 hours, depending on the size of your home and the layout and complexity of the HVAC system. Whole-home cleaning covers the supply and return lines, main trunk lines and accessible vents and registers for one system, and our technicians leave the work areas tidy. See what duct cleaning includes.
Yes. Dryer vent cleaning is available as an optional add-on to your duct-cleaning service in London and surrounding communities. Availability depends on factors such as the vent material, routing, condition and accessibility, so let us know about your dryer vent when you book. Duct cleaning itself has no per-vent pricing. See our duct cleaning service.
Both provide controlled whole-home ventilation and recover energy from outgoing air. An HRV mainly transfers heat, while an ERV transfers heat and some moisture. The right option depends on your home, HVAC system and indoor conditions. Both can be integrated with many forced-air systems, so Donaldson assesses your equipment first. Learn about HRV and ERV systems.
Yes. Heated indoor air can become very dry during Ontario winters. A whole-home humidifier adds controlled moisture through your HVAC system, helping keep a more comfortable humidity level throughout the home. It needs to be balanced against outdoor conditions: condensation on windows is a sign the setting is too high. Learn about whole-home humidifiers.
Yes, depending on the existing plumbing and the layout you have in mind. Moving a toilet, sink, shower or tub can require changes to the water supply, drainage and venting, so it’s best to involve us at the planning stage, before walls, cabinetry and finishes go in. We’ll assess your plans and explain what’s involved. See renovation and construction plumbing.
Timelines depend on the scope of work, material selections and how complex the renovation is. Plumbing is done in stages: rough-in before the walls close, then the finished fixtures once the space is ready. Once we understand your project, we’ll give you a clearer idea of what to expect. See our bathroom renovation service.
It depends on the age and condition of your furnace, the cost of the repair and whether it keeps having problems. A relatively minor repair usually makes sense on a furnace that’s otherwise in good shape, while repeated breakdowns on an older system can make replacement the better long-term investment. We’ll explain both options without pushing a replacement you don’t need. Compare repair and replacement.
Most furnace installations can be completed in one day, depending on the home, the system being installed and whether any additional work is required. Sizing comes first: the right furnace depends on your home’s layout, insulation, windows and overall heat loss, not just square footage. Your in-home estimate for a new furnace is free. Learn about furnace installation.
Yes. We service all makes and models, including systems we didn’t install. Your technician diagnoses the problem, explains what they find and gives you upfront pricing before any repair begins. Same-day AC repair is available based on availability, with two-hour arrival windows, and demand climbs during heat waves, so call as soon as you notice a problem. See AC repair.
Spring is generally the best time to have your air conditioner maintained. Donaldson recommends booking in April or May, before peak summer temperatures put your cooling system under heavier demand. Annual maintenance is recommended even if your system is working, because it can catch developing issues before hot weather. See what AC maintenance includes.
A ductless mini-split uses an outdoor unit connected to one or more indoor units to provide heating and air conditioning without relying on traditional ductwork. It can be a good fit for homes without ducts, additions, renovated areas and rooms that are hard to keep comfortable. See our ductless mini-split service.
It depends on the water heater’s age and condition, what’s causing the problem, the repair cost and how reliably it meets your household’s needs. Many traditional tank water heaters last around 10 years, but age alone doesn’t decide it: a newer unit with a straightforward issue may be worth repairing. We’ll inspect it and explain both options. See water heater repair and installation.
The City’s Basement Flooding Grant Program may help fund qualifying new sump pit and pump installations that are part of eligible flood-prevention work, and some battery backups may also qualify. Repairs and replacements of existing sump pumps aren’t covered. The City handles eligibility and approval, so wait for approval before any work begins. See sump pump installation.
New testable backflow prevention devices in London need a plumbing permit, and changing an existing testable device’s type, size or location may also need one. Certain testable devices must be tested every year by a tester registered with the City of London. Donaldson can assess what your property needs and give you upfront pricing before work begins. See backflow prevention.
It depends on what you want to improve. A water softener is designed for hard-water minerals such as calcium and magnesium, while a filtration system reduces particular substances depending on the filter, and some homes benefit from both. Municipal water is already treated, but many homeowners add treatment for hardness, taste or odour. See water treatment and softeners.
Rough-in plumbing is the water supply, drainage and venting work completed before walls and finished surfaces go in. Once the renovation or build reaches the right stage, the plumber returns to connect and install the finished fixtures. Planning the rough-in early avoids opening finished walls later, and we’ll give you pricing based on the plumbing work involved. See renovation and construction plumbing.
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Let us know what you need. We’re happy to help with furnaces, air conditioning, heat pumps, plumbing and bathroom renovations.
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