SolvedCommercial HVAC
Repair or replace a 17-year-old rooftop unit in Toronto?
Asked by Mia Parkerin Toronto, Ontario· 7/30/2025· 418 views
I'm in Toronto, Ontario and dealing with a 17-year-old rooftop unit in our townhouse. Over the past few service calls, it has been cooling the space unevenly during occupied hours and we're now noticing the system sounds normal at startup but never quite settles into a steady cycle.
One contractor quoted C$444 for repair, while another jumped straight to a C$17,407 replacement because of the age. The weather here has been dealing us swing-season humidity, so I do not want to wait too long, but I also do not want to approve the wrong scope.
If you were comparing bids on this, what would you want checked first? I especially want to know how much weight you would give to economizer settings, supply temperatures, occupancy schedules, and sensor calibration.
commercialrtucontrols
12 Answers
45
✓ Accepted Answer
From a contractor side, I would not approve a major repair or replacement without test results that line up with the symptoms. For a rooftop unit that is cooling the space unevenly during occupied hours, the first things I would ask for are economizer settings, supply temperatures, occupancy schedules, and sensor calibration. If the contractor is recommending bigger work, ask them to explain which measurement supports that recommendation and whether they ruled out airflow or controls first. In Toronto, Ontario, pricing can move around, but the diagnostic process should still be clear.
32
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The price range alone does not tell you enough. Ask what was tested, what failed, and which assumptions are built into the quote. For a rooftop unit that is cooling the space unevenly during occupied hours, the first things I would ask for are economizer settings, supply temperatures, occupancy schedules, and sensor calibration. If the contractor is recommending bigger work, ask them to explain which measurement supports that recommendation and whether they ruled out airflow or controls first. In Toronto, Ontario, pricing can move around, but the diagnostic process should still be clear.
30
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The price range alone does not tell you enough. Ask what was tested, what failed, and which assumptions are built into the quote. For a rooftop unit that is cooling the space unevenly during occupied hours, the first things I would ask for are economizer settings, supply temperatures, occupancy schedules, and sensor calibration. If the contractor is recommending bigger work, ask them to explain which measurement supports that recommendation and whether they ruled out airflow or controls first. In Toronto, Ontario, pricing can move around, but the diagnostic process should still be clear.
26
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If this landed on my schedule, I would want to document the core readings first and then explain exactly why the repair does or does not make economic sense. For a rooftop unit that is cooling the space unevenly during occupied hours, the first things I would ask for are economizer settings, supply temperatures, occupancy schedules, and sensor calibration. If the contractor is recommending bigger work, ask them to explain which measurement supports that recommendation and whether they ruled out airflow or controls first. In Toronto, Ontario, pricing can move around, but the diagnostic process should still be clear.
24
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Before signing anything, I would ask the technician to show the readings and explain which number actually supports the recommendation. For a rooftop unit that is cooling the space unevenly during occupied hours, the first things I would ask for are economizer settings, supply temperatures, occupancy schedules, and sensor calibration. If the contractor is recommending bigger work, ask them to explain which measurement supports that recommendation and whether they ruled out airflow or controls first. In Toronto, Ontario, pricing can move around, but the diagnostic process should still be clear.
15
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From a contractor side, I would not approve a major repair or replacement without test results that line up with the symptoms. For a rooftop unit that is cooling the space unevenly during occupied hours, the first things I would ask for are economizer settings, supply temperatures, occupancy schedules, and sensor calibration. If the contractor is recommending bigger work, ask them to explain which measurement supports that recommendation and whether they ruled out airflow or controls first. In Toronto, Ontario, pricing can move around, but the diagnostic process should still be clear.
12
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We used the directory reviews to filter out firms that were vague about what they had actually tested. That saved us a lot of time. We had a related issue with our rooftop unit in Toronto. Once we forced every quote into the same format, the decision got much easier because the weak recommendations stood out immediately.
Claire Walker·7/31/2025
11
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Before signing anything, I would ask the technician to show the readings and explain which number actually supports the recommendation. For a rooftop unit that is cooling the space unevenly during occupied hours, the first things I would ask for are economizer settings, supply temperatures, occupancy schedules, and sensor calibration. If the contractor is recommending bigger work, ask them to explain which measurement supports that recommendation and whether they ruled out airflow or controls first. In Toronto, Ontario, pricing can move around, but the diagnostic process should still be clear.
11
0
From a contractor side, I would not approve a major repair or replacement without test results that line up with the symptoms. For a rooftop unit that is cooling the space unevenly during occupied hours, the first things I would ask for are economizer settings, supply temperatures, occupancy schedules, and sensor calibration. If the contractor is recommending bigger work, ask them to explain which measurement supports that recommendation and whether they ruled out airflow or controls first. In Toronto, Ontario, pricing can move around, but the diagnostic process should still be clear.
7
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I would compare how clearly each contractor explains the diagnosis, not just the price. The clearer company ended up being the better hire for us. We had a related issue with our rooftop unit in Toronto. Once we forced every quote into the same format, the decision got much easier because the weak recommendations stood out immediately.
Samuel Kelly·7/31/2025
2
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We used the directory reviews to filter out firms that were vague about what they had actually tested. That saved us a lot of time. We had a related issue with our rooftop unit in Toronto. Once we forced every quote into the same format, the decision got much easier because the weak recommendations stood out immediately.
Laura Murphy·7/30/2025
2
0
I would compare how clearly each contractor explains the diagnosis, not just the price. The clearer company ended up being the better hire for us. We had a related issue with our rooftop unit in Toronto. Once we forced every quote into the same format, the decision got much easier because the weak recommendations stood out immediately.
Priya Mitchell·7/31/2025