We're more than just an install company

There are two companies that operate out of our building: Gulf Island Heating & Refrigeration and Whirlwind Heating & Refrigeration. GI is the commercial company; WW is the residential company and installs. Mark Devereux with Gulf Island has been in business on Salt Spring since 1988. Richard started working with him when he was 19 years old and worked alongside Mark for 6 years. At which point Richard and I left and moved to Alberta for 5 years. Richard was able to gain more experience in the trade, along with his journeymen ticket. We returned home in 2017 and have been working with Mark since. Mark has decided to slowly move into retirement and found the install side of things to be too stressful, so we started up our own company to take on residential calls and installs for both commercial and residential.

Together in this office you have 55+ years’ worth of refrigeration experience, we both are family owned and operated businesses. Richards younger brother Tanner is our apprentice and me (Hanna) is Richard’s wife, Richard and Tanners family have been on this island since 1861. Any sub trades we work with are also locally owned and operated business, we do not work with anyone from off island as we support the community both in personal and business life.

We don’t just work on heating and cooling systems because this trade covers such an array of other trades these guys are capable to problem solving and fixing many items around the home and business. We also like to be a resource for customers who cannot find the right person for the job or are unable to get a phone call back, we will reach out on your behalf.

One thing we appreciate our customers to understand is that we are not just an install and service company, we also offer 24/7 on call emergency service. If your heat goes down, we come running, if a commercial walk-in cooler goes down, we come running. Because of the emergency service we offer it can take a few extra days to get quotes sent out, we often say that you get an install once, but you get service for life and one day you will be the customer that we drop everything we are doing and come running to save. 

We are fully licenced and insured and follow the better homes practices for installations and service in BC. All employees wear a mask when inside the workplace with or without government mandate, we have a variety of customers and feel this is the best way to keep everyone safe. We work hard to maintain a positive work environment with the family feel.

-Installation once, but service and commitment for life-