Waywest Mechanical designs, installs and maintains commercial heating systems in Nanaimo and across Vancouver Island, including warehouse and unit heaters, rooftop heating units, commercial boilers, hydronic systems and energy-efficient heat pumps. With more than 30 years of experience, Waywest heats warehouses, retail stores and industrial facilities, and holds TSBC licence LGA0004592 for gas and boiler work.
Monday–Friday, 7:00 AM–4:30 PM · quotes within the hour
Heating large commercial spaces
Commercial heating is not a bigger version of a house furnace. Warehouses lose heat through loading doors and high ceilings, retail stores need comfort without roaring equipment, and industrial buildings may have process heat, ventilation and safety requirements. Waywest designs heating around how the building is actually used.
Commercial heating systems we install and service
- Gas-fired unit heaters for warehouses, shops and garages
- Radiant heaters for high-ceiling spaces and work areas
- Rooftop heating and heat pump units for retail and office buildings
- Commercial boilers and hydronic heating — see boilers and radiant & hydronic heating
- Make-up air units that heat the air a building exhausts
- Controls and zoning to cut energy use outside business hours
Real warehouse experience
At Gregg Distributors in Nanaimo — a 28,000 sq. ft. steel frame building with a 4,000 sq. ft. showroom, 2,000 sq. ft. of offices and a 22,000 sq. ft. warehouse with large interior and exterior loading bays — Waywest provided full mechanical and commercial HVAC services. See the Gregg Distributors project.
Lower operating costs
Energy-efficient equipment, correct sizing, destratification in tall spaces and good controls can cut a commercial building's heating bill substantially. We explain the options, including what the equipment costs to run, before a replacement.
Maintenance and 24/7 service
Commercial heating equipment is maintained on a schedule through PropertyCare, and repaired 24/7 on our emergency line at 250-616-1446.
Service area
Commercial heating installation and service in Nanaimo and across Vancouver Island.
What happens when you call
- A person answers
You talk to the Nanaimo office, or our own crew on the 24/7 line — not a call centre.
- You hear the rate first
We explain the service rate, or the emergency rate after hours, before anyone is booked or dispatched.
- A licensed technician arrives
A Waywest technician with a stocked vehicle diagnoses the problem and explains your options.
- You approve the work
Repairs go ahead once you agree. Larger jobs get a written quote you can take time to consider.
Quick facts
- Emergency service
- 24/7 at 250-616-1446 — typically on site within an hour in Nanaimo
- Office hours
- Monday–Friday, 7:00 AM–4:30 PM, 250-729-2394
- Service area
- Nanaimo and Vancouver Island, Victoria to Port Hardy
- Licensing
- TSBC licence LGA0004592; licensed, bonded and insured
- Quotes
- Reply within the hour during business hours
- Page updated
Common questions
What is the best way to heat a warehouse?
It depends on ceiling height, insulation, loading door traffic and how the space is used. Common options are gas-fired unit heaters, radiant tube heaters, rooftop units and hydronic systems served by a boiler, and heat pumps where cooling is also wanted. Waywest assesses the building before recommending a system.
Does Waywest replace commercial boilers?
Yes. Waywest replaces and services commercial boilers and hydronic systems under Technical Safety BC licence LGA0004592, including multi-boiler plant upgrades like a commercial boiler room on Latimer Road in Nanaimo.
Can commercial heating be switched to heat pumps?
Often. Rooftop heat pumps and variable refrigerant flow systems can heat and cool retail and office space efficiently. Warehouses with high ceilings and frequent door openings may still benefit from gas or hydronic heat, sometimes combined with heat pumps.
Need this sorted out?
Call the Nanaimo office and talk to someone who can tell you what the work involves and when we can get to it.