The Gradient tFC is a hydronic fan coil, made in Calgary. It has no burner of its own: it takes hot
water from a boiler elsewhere in the house and uses it to heat the air going into a duct system.
Gradient builds four residential models with capacities up to 6,000 CFM, in cabinet sizes matched
to typical furnace dimensions so one can go in where a furnace came out. If your home or your
secondary suite has one, 180 Plumbing and Heating services it. Call 403-404-9975.
What it is, and where it turns up
A fan coil is the air handling half of a hydronic heating system. The boiler makes the hot water.
The fan coil blows air across a coil of that hot water and sends it through your ducts.
In Calgary homes we see them in three situations:
- A home heated by a boiler that also wants ducted warm air, often alongside in floor loops or
radiators. - A secondary suite with its own heating zone. Gradient’s smaller models fit spaces under 24
inches square, which is why they suit a suite where there is no room for a second furnace. - A house with a syncFURNACE Boiler or a GCx where a second heated area, a suite, a garage or
an addition, needed its own air handler.
The models
| Model | Size code |
|---|---|
| tFC-60 | 06H |
| tFC-75 | 14L |
| tFC-90 | 18L |
| tFC-100 | 22L |
Gradient specifies a double wall cabinet, an internal circulating pump so there is no separate pump
to mount, a variable speed blower option that Gradient states uses roughly one third the
electricity of a traditional furnace blower motor, and cabinet dimensions matched to typical
furnace sizes for direct replacement. Units are pre built to specification before they arrive, so
nothing is assembled on site.
Servicing a tFC
There is no combustion in this appliance, which makes the annual service simpler than a
syncFURNACE, but it still needs attention every year.
- Filter change and airflow check
- Coil inspection and cleaning
- Blower and motor check
- Internal circulating pump checked, which is the component most likely to need attention over
time - Condensate handling checked where the unit is used with cooling
- System water and loop pressure checked, with the water quality assessed. Calgary water is hard,
and hard water is as hard on a coil as it is on anything else - Controls and zone operation verified against the boiler
Because the tFC has no burner, the safety conversation sits with whatever is making the hot water.
If that is a Gradient syncFURNACE Boiler or a GCx, see
the boiler page or the GCx page.
If yours needs replacing
Cabinet dimensions match typical furnace sizes, so a like for like replacement is usually
straightforward. What matters more is that the replacement is matched to the boiler and the zone it
serves rather than simply to the box that came out.
Quotes are free and in writing, and yours to keep whether you use us or not.
How we price this work
We charge by the job, not by the hour. You get one number for the finished work, agreed before
anything starts and always in writing. Parts, labour, disposal and permits are in the number you
agreed. If we find something else once we are in, we stop and re-quote, and you decide.
Call 403-404-9975.
Frequently asked questions
What is a Gradient tFC?
A hydronic fan coil made in Calgary by Gradient Thermal. It has no burner of its own. It takes hot water from a boiler and blows air across a coil to heat your ducts. Gradient builds four residential models, tFC-60, tFC-75, tFC-90 and tFC-100, with capacities up to 6,000 CFM and cabinet sizes matched to typical furnace dimensions.
Can a fan coil heat a secondary suite?
Yes, and that is one of the common uses in Calgary. Gradient’s smaller models fit spaces under 24 inches square, which suits a suite with no room for a second furnace, provided there is a boiler in the house making the hot water and the zone is controlled properly.
Does a tFC need annual servicing?
Yes, though it is simpler than a combustion appliance because there is no burner. Filter, coil, blower, the internal circulating pump, condensate handling where cooling is used, loop pressure and water quality, and zone controls.
Who services Gradient tFC fan coils in Calgary?
180 Plumbing and Heating services Gradient equipment across southeast Calgary, including units we did not install. Call 403-404-9975.
Written by Desmond Neufeld, Red Seal Journeyman Plumber and Certified Type B Gasfitter. Last updated 23 August 2026.
