Guide · Maintenance
Radiant and boiler maintenance: a simple yearly checklist.
Radiant floors need very little, but the boiler, pressure and controls that feed them need a yearly look. Here’s what to check yourself, what the annual service covers, and when to call.
The short version
- A hydronic radiant system needs very little, but a yearly professional check of the boiler, pressure and controls keeps it honest.
- TSSA recommends fuel-burning appliances be inspected annually by a TSSA-registered fuel contractor1.
- Between visits, a few quick homeowner checks catch most problems early.
- From January 1, 2026, Ontario homes with a fuel-burning appliance need carbon monoxide alarms on every storey2.
01 · What needs care
What in a radiant system actually needs maintenance
The loops in your floor are sealed and have no moving parts. What needs attention is everything that feeds them: the boiler, the system pressure, the pumps and the controls. On a snow-melt system, the glycol in the outdoor circuit gets tested too.
That’s good news for homeowners. Most of the system lives in one mechanical room, and most problems show up there first.
02 · Your quick checks
The homeowner checklist
A few minutes now and then, especially at the start of the heating season. None of it needs tools.
03 · The yearly visit
What a professional check covers
The boiler
Inspected annually by a TSSA-registered fuel contractor, which is what TSSA recommends for fuel-burning appliances1.
System pressure
Checked against where it should sit, and the cause found if it has been dropping.
Controls & zones
Thermostats, zone controls and outdoor reset checked, and every zone checked for flow and temperature at the manifold.
Snow-melt glycol
Tested on the same visit, so the outdoor loops stay protected from freezing.
04 · Carbon monoxide
Carbon monoxide alarms: what changed in 2026
Ontario’s Fire Code expanded carbon monoxide alarm requirements on January 1, 2026. In homes with a fuel-burning appliance, a fireplace or an attached garage, CO alarms are now required on every storey, not just near sleeping areas2.
A gas or propane boiler is a fuel-burning appliance, so if that describes your home, check that every level has a working alarm. TSSA’s advice is the same every winter: keep certified CO alarms, test them, and have fuel-burning appliances inspected once a year1.
05 · When to call
Signs it’s time for a service call
A room won’t warm up
Usually a control, an actuator, air in the loop or the flow at the manifold, rather than the floor itself.
The gauge keeps dropping
Pressure that needs topping up has a cause. Finding it early beats a no-heat call in January.
Faults or short cycles
A fault code or a boiler that keeps cycling on and off is worth a look before it becomes a breakdown.
06 · Maintenance questions
Maintenance questions
How often should a radiant heating system be serviced?
Once a year. TSSA recommends fuel-burning appliances be inspected annually by a TSSA-registered fuel contractor, and that visit is the time to check pressure, controls and every zone too.
Do radiant floor loops ever need maintenance?
No. The loops are sealed and have no moving parts. Maintenance is about the boiler, pressure, pumps and controls that feed them.
What should the pressure gauge read?
It depends on your system, so note where it sits when everything is working normally. What matters most is change: a pressure that keeps falling is worth a call.
Do I need carbon monoxide alarms on every floor?
From January 1, 2026, homes in Ontario with a fuel-burning appliance, a fireplace or an attached garage need CO alarms on every storey, not just near sleeping areas.
When is the best time to book the yearly check?
Before the heating season, so anything that needs attention is found before you rely on the system every day.
Sources
- Technical Standards and Safety Authority (TSSA), Carbon Monoxide, the “Silent Killer”: What Ontarians Need to Know this Winter (Nov 2025).
- Town of The Blue Mountains, Ontario Fire Code Expands Carbon Monoxide Alarm Requirements.
- U.S. Department of Energy, Building America Solution Center, Condensing Boilers.
Sources checked October 2026. Programs, amounts and codes change, so confirm current details with the source before you plan around them.
Keep reading
More radiant guides
- Service
Radiant & boiler service and repair
Annual checks and repairs for radiant floors, boilers and snow-melt systems.
- Service
Boiler installation
When a boiler is past repair, the new one is sized from a heat-loss calculation.
- Guide
How a snow-melt system is designed
Glycol loops, heat exchanger, boiler sizing and running cost.
Need a look?
Book your yearly check
Call or send a message and book the yearly check, or tell us what you’re noticing. You’ll deal with the crew that does the work.
