Light Commercial HVAC in Ottawa
Rooftop units, offices, shops and restaurants, serviced by licensed gas and refrigeration technicians
- 5.0 · 396 Google reviews
- TSSA & HRAI approved
- 24/7 emergency service
- Family-owned since 2005
Rooftop units, offices, shops and restaurants, serviced by licensed gas and refrigeration technicians
- Free estimates on new installations
- Financing from $49/month (OAC)
- All makes and models serviced
Commercial HVAC for Ottawa small businesses
Light commercial HVAC covers the heating and cooling equipment found in most small business spaces: packaged rooftop units on plazas and strip malls, furnaces and split air conditioners in converted houses and small offices, ductless units, and gas unit heaters in shops and warehouses.
It is a natural extension of residential work. The equipment is larger and the stakes are different, since a failed unit can close a store or send staff home, but the gas, refrigeration and airflow fundamentals are the same.
Our technicians all hold gas and refrigeration (AC) licences, and Oria is TSSA and HRAI approved. We have served Ottawa since 2005.
Light commercial equipment and spaces we work on
We're a good fit for single-site businesses and small multi-unit properties. Typical jobs include:
Rooftop units (RTUs)
Gas-heat, electric-cooling packaged units on flat roofs. We diagnose and repair heating, cooling, economizer and control faults, and plan replacements.
Small offices and clinics
Furnaces, split AC systems, heat pumps and ductless units for professional offices, clinics and converted houses, including zoning for rooms that run hot or cold.
Retail and plazas
Keeping storefronts comfortable for customers and staff, with service scheduled around opening hours where we can.
Restaurants
Heating and cooling for dining rooms, and the HVAC side of kitchen make-up air: heating sections, gas connections and controls.
Shops, garages and warehouses
Gas-fired unit heaters and garage heaters, including the gas line to run them.
Server and equipment rooms
Ductless systems that cool small rooms year-round, independent of the building's main system.
Restaurant make-up air: the basics
A commercial kitchen hood exhausts a large volume of air to remove smoke, grease and heat. Every cubic metre that leaves through the hood has to be replaced, and a make-up air unit (MUA) brings that air back in from outside.
In an Ottawa winter, that replacement air may be −25 °C, so most make-up air units heat it, usually with a gas burner, before it enters the kitchen.
When make-up air isn’t working, you notice it quickly:
- The front door is hard to open or whistles because the building is under negative pressure.
- Smoke and cooking odours spill into the dining room instead of going up the hood.
- Cold drafts blow across the line in winter.
- Gas appliances such as water heaters can backdraft, which is a carbon monoxide risk.
We service the HVAC side: the MUA’s heating section and burner, gas supply, fans and belts, filters, and the controls that tie it to the hood. Hood cleaning and fire suppression systems are specialized trades; we coordinate with the contractors you already use.
Maintenance contracts for commercial HVAC
Commercial equipment usually runs longer hours than home equipment and lives on a roof exposed to Ottawa weather. Scheduled maintenance is the most effective way to avoid an emergency call on a Saturday in January or a July heat wave.
A typical light commercial maintenance contract includes:
- Filter changes on a set schedule, often quarterly, more often in restaurants
- Belt, bearing and motor checks on rooftop units and make-up air units
- Coil cleaning and refrigerant checks before cooling season
- Burner, heat exchanger, venting and gas pressure checks before heating season
- Economizer and control checks so the unit uses free outdoor cooling properly
- Written service records for each unit
Contract scope and pricing depend on the number and type of units, how often they’re serviced, and access. We’ll walk the site and put a proposal together. Our residential maintenance services page explains how we approach tune-ups in general.
Repair or replace an aging rooftop unit?
Repair usually makes sense when the unit is structurally sound and the failure is a single part: an igniter, inducer motor, contactor, capacitor, belt or fan motor. Replacement is worth a serious look when the heat exchanger is cracked, the compressor has failed on an older unit, or repairs keep coming back every season.
Other factors we walk through with you:
Refrigerant.
Older units built for R-22 can no longer be recharged cheaply, since R-22 has been phased out. Newer equipment is moving from R-410A to R-454B and R-32.
Curb fit.
A replacement that matches the existing roof curb avoids roof work; a different footprint may need an adapter curb.
Lease terms.
Many commercial leases assign HVAC repair and replacement to the tenant or the landlord. Check yours before approving major work.
Downtime.
A planned replacement in spring or fall is far easier on a business than an emergency one in January.
We’ll give you the facts on both options and let you decide.
How we handle a commercial job
- 1
Site visit
We look at the equipment, roof access, electrical and gas supply, and talk through how the space is used and when work can happen.
- 2
Clear scope
We tell you what we can do, what it involves and what it costs. If the building needs a large mechanical contractor, an engineer or building automation work, we'll say so.
- 3
Scheduling around your business
Where we can, we plan replacements and maintenance to limit disruption to customers and staff.
- 4
Do the work and document it
We complete the job, test the equipment and leave you records you can share with your landlord or property manager.
What we don’t do
Being clear about limits saves you time. Oria focuses on light commercial work and does not take on large-building systems such as chillers, cooling towers, central boiler plants in large buildings, or building automation systems.
Rooftop unit replacements sometimes need a crane lift, roof work or engineered drawings depending on the building. We’ll identify those requirements up front so there are no surprises.
If you own a small rental or mixed-use property, many of our residential services, such as furnace installation, ductless mini-splits and gas line installation, apply directly.
Light commercial HVAC, done properly
- TSSA and HRAI approved; licensed gas and refrigeration technicians
- Lennox authorized dealer, servicing all makes and models
- 24/7 emergency service available
- Call (613) 866-1869
Frequently Asked Questions
Straight answers from licensed Ottawa technicians. Still have a question? Call us any time.
What counts as light commercial HVAC?
Light commercial HVAC usually means the heating and cooling equipment used by small businesses: packaged rooftop units, furnaces and split air conditioners, heat pumps, ductless systems, gas unit heaters and restaurant make-up air units. It typically excludes large-building systems such as chillers, cooling towers and building automation, which are handled by large mechanical contractors.
Do you service rooftop units in Ottawa?
Yes. Oria services and repairs light commercial rooftop units, including gas heating sections, cooling circuits, economizers, belts, motors and controls. We can also plan rooftop unit replacements. Some replacements need a crane lift or roof work depending on the building, and we identify those requirements during the site visit so you know the full scope before work starts.
What is a make-up air unit in a restaurant?
A make-up air unit replaces the air a kitchen exhaust hood removes. Without it, the building goes into negative pressure, causing hard-to-open doors, smoke in the dining room, cold drafts and possible backdrafting of gas appliances. In Ottawa, most make-up air units heat the incoming air, usually with a gas burner, so it can be brought in during winter.
Do you offer commercial HVAC maintenance contracts?
Yes. A light commercial maintenance contract typically includes scheduled filter changes, belt and motor checks, coil cleaning, refrigerant checks, burner and venting inspections, and written service records for each unit. Pricing depends on the number and type of units, service frequency and access. We walk the site and put a proposal together for your business.
How much does commercial HVAC service cost?
Commercial HVAC pricing depends heavily on the equipment, its size, roof access, and whether work must happen after hours. Because of that, we quote commercial work after a site visit rather than giving a general price. For residential-style equipment in small offices, such as furnaces and split air conditioners, our usual residential price ranges are a reasonable guide.
Do you offer emergency commercial HVAC service?
Oria provides 24/7 emergency service for furnaces, air conditioners, water heaters, humidifiers and HRVs, and we respond to light commercial calls as well. If your rooftop unit or heating stops working, call (613) 866-1869 and describe the equipment so the technician can arrive prepared. Same-day repair service is often available.
Book Service or Get a Free Estimate
Tell us what is going on and we will call you back with honest advice and a written estimate. Financing from $49/month on approved credit.
- Licensed gas & refrigeration technicians
- 5.0 stars from 396 Google reviews
- 24/7 emergency service
5.0 Stars from Ottawa Homeowners
Every review below is from a real Oria customer on Google.
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Serving Ottawa, Gatineau and the Surrounding Area
Based at 925 Longfields Dr in Nepean, our technicians cover the whole capital region.