How Much Does Common Furnace Repair Cost?
3 pros!
The price range is broad between $20 for thermostat installation to $1,500 for blower motor replacement. Other common repairs include ignitors and flame sensors, which fall within this range.
You might notice many HVAC specialists offer 24-hour emergency furnace repair.
“When it gets cold, we get calls for all sorts of things,” says Anthony Owens of Sunshine Plumbing, Heating & Air in Henderson in Colorado, near Denver. “In the middle of the night, it’s usually the pilot light or igniter that’s gone out.”
That ill-timed suddenness is how many discover something wrong with their furnace. Adding to the stress, most homeowners don’t know if they’re facing a minor or major issue, creating anxiety about the furnace repair cost.
As Angie’s List member Stephanie Czekalinksi of Lakewood, Ohio, puts it, “I can’t tell if there’s a problem with my furnace until it stops working.”
Cost of furnace repair
Pinpointing an average furnace repair cost is difficult because technicians deal with a broad range of components. “There are about 50 parts inside of a furnace, and any one of them could go bad,” Owens says.
Still, some parts more commonly need service than others. Anxious about furnace repair cost? Know what to expect by learning about three common repairs.
Many furnaces use a complex arrangement of parts and components. (Photo courtesy of Angie’s List member Matt M. of Indianapolis, Indiana)
1. Ignitors and flame sensors
“Eight out of 10 times, it’s a bad ignitor,” Owens says. He notes most replacements happen during emergency service, which can push the price to between $300 and $400 with the addition of after-hours fees.
He points out, though, that if replaced as part of routine service, new ignitors might cost half that.
Regular maintenance should keep ignitors clean, but if too much time passes, they can become too dirty to save. If not remedied in time, gunky ignitors can cause a cascade of other issues.
“When these fail, they can short out the circuit board, which causes additional problems,” says Chad Dymon of Alaskan Heating & Air Conditioning in Las Vegas, Nevada. “Entire systems stop working.”
Flame sensors also tend to malfunction when they become too dirty, but unlike ignitors, they usually return to normal with a thorough cleaning.
2. Thermostat
From a cost perspective, a faulty thermostat is probably the best scenario for furnace repair.
“When there’s no heat, you check the thermostat first,” Owens says.
If the batteries are dead, popping in new ones should resume communication between the thermostat and furnace. Owens says in that case, a technician might only charge a service fee.
If you need a thermostat replacement, a basic model may run as little as $20, plus the service charge for installation. More advanced options, such as automated thermostats, can cost $200 or more.
Faulty ignitors can short the circuit board, leading to malfunctions in other parts and systems. (Photo courtesy of Angie's List Member Ann K. of Chicago)
3. Furnace motors
Unlike dead thermostat batteries, a dead or dying motor is a serious issue, one that may cost time in addition to money.
Draft inducer motors, for example, may cost $400 to $700. However, Owens says these are manufacturer specific, so technicians may not have the right one in the middle of the night.
Blower motors, on the other hand, tend to be more available because they’re based on size and horsepower, making them universal.
They potentially cost more, though, running between $400 and $1,500 depending on size and sophistication. Shawn Porter of Porterhouse Heating & Cooling in Crete, Illinois, south of Chicago, says some blower motors use computer modules to help them run more efficiently.
Tips for lowering furnace repair cost
Get a furnace tune-up each year
According to Owens, nearly everything that goes wrong with a furnace traces back to a lack of maintenance.
“We highly recommend [inspections] annually,” he says. “If you go two or three years, you increase the chances of something going wrong. It’s going to cost you quite a bit more because it’ll be an emergency.”
Like a dental cleaning or oil change, a seasonal furnace tune-up —sometimes called a furnace inspection — prevents small issues from becoming major problems.
There are about 50 parts inside of a furnace, and any one of them could go bad.” — Anthony Owens of Sunshine Plumbing, Heating & Air
Take grime on the blower wheel. Buildup can cause an imbalance that over-amps the motor. “A blower motor should last 12 to 20 years,” Owens says.
Dymon backs him up, noting that once dirty ignitors short out the circuit board, any connected component or system can suffer. The heat exchanger may become prone to overheating, “causing it to weaken and eventually crack,” he says.
Czekalinski keeps her system clean by relying on Lakewood Furnace Co just west of Cleveland, Ohio, for annual tune-ups. “Having a tech come out hopefully identifies problems early before they cause the furnace to stop working,” she says
She started doing so on the advice of her father, a landlord who has used Lakewood Furnace for more than 20 years to service his properties.
In addition to changing filters, keeping vents and ducts clean will help furnaces run efficiently. (Photo courtesy of Angie's List member John P. of Milwaukee)
Change furnace filters regularly
It doesn’t take much buildup to hinder heating performance. “1/16 inch of dirt will drop airflow 20 percent,” says Todd Scott of Perdue Heating & Cooling Inc in Indianapolis, Indiana.
An easy way to prevent or slow dirt and dust from building up? Change your furnace filters regularly.
“All 1-inch filters should be changed every 30 days,” Scott says.
Do you need a furnace tune-up? Do you think it needs a repair? Find Top-Rated Furnace Repair Companies Near Your Location here. Have you had your furnace repaired? Tell us about your furnace repair experience in the comments below.