Signs Your Rooftop Unit Is at the End of Its Life
Commercial rooftop unit replacement rarely comes out of nowhere. The unit tells you for a season or two first: the same compressor fails again, the casing rusts through, the coil fins crumble, the parts supplier says the board is discontinued, or the hydro bill keeps climbing while comfort drops. For rooftop units in Toronto, freeze-thaw cycles and road dust shorten that runway.
Most packaged RTUs last 15-20 years with regular maintenance. Past that point, each repair buys less time and costs more. Units still running on R-22 face an added problem: the refrigerant is no longer made, so a major leak means paying reclaimed-refrigerant prices to fill a system that is leaking anyway.
Repair or Replace: The Written Comparison
We do not decide for you. Every older unit gets a written comparison:
| Repair | Replace | |
|---|---|---|
| Upfront cost | Repair tally | Installed price minus Save on Energy rebate |
| Expected life | Until the next major failure | 15-20 years |
| Efficiency | Unchanged | Higher IEER and SEER2, lower hydro |
| Refrigerant | Stays on R-22 or older R-410A | Current refrigerant, R-410A phase-down ready |
When the repair is small and the unit is sound, we recommend the repair, as we did on a Dundas West compressor that another contractor wanted to replace the whole unit for. See commercial rooftop unit repair.
How a Commercial RTU Replacement Works
Survey and right-sizing
We log age, refrigerant, nameplate data, curb dimensions and duct openings for every unit. A Manual J check confirms the right tonnage. Tenant use often changes over 20 years, so like-for-like is not automatic.
Curb adapters and structure
New units rarely match old footprints. Our sheet-metal shop builds curb adapters that transition the new unit onto the existing opening, and our crew re-flashes at the curb. When the new unit is heavier, a structural load review comes before the lift.
Crane day and permits
Crane lifts in Toronto often need a ROW permit and a Toronto Transportation Services street occupancy permit, plus traffic control. We file them and book the lift for a low-traffic window, usually early on a weekend morning downtown.
The swap
Refrigerant is recovered, power and gas are isolated, the old unit comes off, the adapter goes on and the new unit is set, connected and started. Each unit is usually a one-day swap. Multi-unit roofs are phased so tenants stay open.
How Much Does RTU Replacement Cost in Toronto?
| Size | Installed | Timeline |
|---|---|---|
| 3-5 ton | $9,500-$16K | 3-5 days |
| 10 ton packaged | $18K-$34K | 5-7 days |
| 15-20 ton | $32K-$58K | 7-10 days |
| 25 ton + large | $55K-$95K | 2-3 wks |
Then take off the rebate. Save on Energy pays $200-$1,500 per ton on qualifying high-efficiency retrofits, and we net it on the invoice. A typical office or retail retrofit captures $8,000-$30,000.
Replacement Brands We Install
We are an authorized dealer for Lennox, Carrier, York, Trane, Daikin, Rheem and American Standard. Common replacements include the York Predator and Carrier 50TC for legacy footprints, Lennox LCG for multi-unit programs, and Daikin Rebel heat pump RTUs where electrification is a goal. See our Carrier and York pages for model notes.
Planning Replacements Across a Portfolio
Owners with older plazas in Scarborough, Brampton or Mississauga often have a roof full of units that all hit end of life within a few years. Replacing them one emergency at a time is the most expensive way to do it. We survey every unit, rank them, and build a two- or three-season plan with rebate-net pricing so capex can be budgeted and Save on Energy filed for each phase.
