This gas furnace repair cost guide lists the most common furnace repair issues and how much they cost to repair. Some are cheap and easy to fix; others mean it’s time to buy a new furnace. Read on to learn more about:
If you’re reading this guide, perhaps you already know what your gas furnace repair issue is. For those still in the dark about what’s wrong – maybe we should say still in the cold – we’ve created a quick but comprehensive gas furnace troubleshooting guide with tips for determining what’s wrong with your furnace.
If buying a new gas furnace is the right choice for you, consider our Gas Furnace Buying Guide that is full of useful information on essential topics:
- The quality of all the top furnace brands
- Costs by brand
- Performance options (single-stage/two-stage/variable-capacity)
- The right efficiency for your climate
- How to get energy credits and rebates
If you search “gas furnace buying guide” or “gas furnace guide” on our site, the results will show buying guides for specific brands including Trane, American Standard Lennox, Bryant, Carrier, Heil, Goodman, Amana, Ducane, Ruud and more.
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Common Gas Furnace Problems & Repair Costs
Every year, tens of thousands of homeowners wonder, “How much will it cost to fix my furnace?” That’s what we’re here to tell you with accurate gas furnace price ranges based on years of repair experience and information shared with us by our readers.
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Items
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Labor
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Cost
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| Service Call: – If the repair technician comes to your home and finds a simple problem like a dirty filter or that the gas was turned off for an oven repair, you’re going to pay a minimum fee for the technician’s time and travel expense. When repair costs exceed the service call fee, the fee is often dropped. | Per Call |
$75-$200
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| Dirty Filters: – Filters clogged with dust, pet hair and other debris lead to problems like failure to provide adequate heat, excess noise and the furnace running all the time. If you find the problem and have a washable filter, there’s no charge. DIY filter replacement options range from $3 to $40, and you get what you pay for. If the technician comes to your home, that might be a very pricey dirty-filter diagnosis. This kind of cleaning work should be done in a regular basis, so a furnace tune-up is needed, check our Furnace Tune-Up Cost Guide to see its cost. | 1 hr |
$0-$200
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| Cleaning the Gas Valve and Burner: – While more common with oil furnaces, this problem strikes furnaces that are older or are in space where there is excessive dust and pet dander and/or frying foods is common. Cleaning the gas valve and burners is part of standard gas furnace maintenance that should be done every two years. This kind of cleaning work should be done in a regular basis, so a furnace tune-up is needed, check our Furnace Tune-Up Cost Guide to see its cost. | 1 hr |
$150-$400
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| Thermostat/Control Replacement: – Cheap thermostats cost as little as $15, and if you’re careful to remove the wiring from the old control and install it on the new control in the same pattern (a phone photo helps), then you’ve got a cheap repair. On the upper end, a Wi-Fi thermostat from Trane, Lennox or other top brands can cost $600 for the unit and installation. Today’s most popular programmable thermostats from White-Rodgers, Nest and Ecobee cost $185 to $450 with the installation. | 1 hr |
$15-$600
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| Ignitor and Flame Sensors: – When your HSI (hot surface ignitor) or electronic lighter goes bad, the furnace can’t fire, and it shuts down quickly. This is a very common repair. If your furnace is more than 10 years old and you’re having other service done on it, consider having the ignitor and flame sensor replaced as preventative maintenance because the cost will be less when the technician is already there and has the furnace opened for repairs. | 1 hr |
$300-$425
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| Blower Motor: – This is one of those repairs that might signal the end of the useful life for an older furnace. The price range is a result of blowers coming in many sizes and the more complex/expensive ones using built-in computer modules for precision control.. | 1-2 hrs |
$400-$1,400
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| Draft Inducer Motor: – This is the lesser-known motor in a furnace, the motor that pulls combustion gases through the heat exchanger and out the exhaust chimney. Its repair costs can be less too. | 1-2 hrs |
$500-$700
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| Circuit Board Replacement: – Most furnaces have multiple control boards. The largest, or only one in some furnaces, is sometimes called the Motherboard. The circuit boards control and coordinate the operation of the motors, sensors, ignitor, gas valve and more. DIY repair is possible, but the new control board must be installed exactly right, wire-for-wire, or your furnace won’t work. Plus, if the issue isn’t properly diagnosed, changing a board won’t fix it, and boards are not returnable once installed. It’s wise to leave this repair to a pro to diagnose. | 2 hrs |
$250-$600
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| Heat Exchanger Replacement: – The heat exchanger is at the very core of the furnace. Replacing one means disassembling most of the furnace, replacing the part, and reassembling the furnace. The number of hours it takes often causes the repair to be costlier than the furnace was or a new one would be. If you replace a furnace due to a bad heat exchanger, consider an Amana, Goodman or Daikin because they have the best heat exchanger warranties in the industry on their top furnaces. | 2-4 hrs |
$800-$1,500
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Knowing When to Replace your Gas Furnace – It’s NOT Just About Cost
Let’s start with a quick rule used broadly in the HVAC industry and then modify it to fit your situation. It’s the 5,000 Rule. If the age of your furnace multiplied times the cost of the repair exceeds 5,000, replacement is considered the cost-effective choice. For example:
- A $400 ignitor repair in a furnace that’s 9 years old = 3,600, so have just the ignitor repaired
- The same repair in a furnace that’s 15 years old = 6,000, so have the furnace replaced
At times, you should repair a furnace even when the number exceeds 5,000; At other times, replacing a furnace when the number is well-below 5,000 is a choice homeowners make.
When to replace your furnace below 5,000:
- You don’t like your furnace because it is loud, it is inefficient and leads to very high bills and/or it produces hot/cold swings
- The furnace is already old, so additional repair needs can be expected
- You’re committed to eco-friendly heating, so a furnace with 95+ efficiency is on your wish list
- You want the improved climate and temperature control a two-stage or variable-capacity furnace offers
- You’re replacing the AC or heat pump, and you want a matched system to optimize efficiency and performance
When to repair your furnace above 5,000:
- Your budget is tight (Furnace-repair aide is available in most states)
- You’re moving soon, so just want to get the furnace working for one more season
If your furnace is older and you are selling your home, consider offering buyers a 1-year or 2-year home warranty that includes the furnace to give them peace of mind. We’ve created an article to solely to answer every questions about Furnace Replacement and Installation Cost, check it to get more information.
The Importance of Hiring a Qualified Repair or Installation Expert
Gas furnace repair experts know that most mechanical failure in furnaces is due to faulty initial installation or a repair that wasn’t made properly. That’s why we recommend getting estimates for furnace repair and new furnace installation from several HVAC companies. Learn more about each one, and hire the furnace repair and replacement company with a proven record of quality and expertise.
If your furnace needs repair now and researching the top companies in your area would take too long, consider using our Free Local Quote service to get estimates quickly from some of the top furnace repair and replacement contractors in your area. The companies are pre-screened to ensure they are experienced and are licensed and insured for your protection. There is no obligation to you. Fill out the convenient form, and you’ll be impressed with the fast response time.
How Much Did Your Repair/Replace Cost?
If you’ve recently repaired or replaced your gas furnace, other readers would benefit from hearing what you had repaired or what unit you had installed and what your costs were, so let us know! And if this gas furnace repair cost guide has been helpful, consider sharing with friends.
Wow – just wow. I never have heard of the $5000 rule but gotta give whoever dreamed that one up credit for marketing. I have 2 furnaces – one indoors and never needs maintenance and one outdoors and needs annual or even bi-annual maintenance. There is literally not one part on that outdoor furnace that I cannot buy for less than $200 except the heat exchanger. After my heat exchanger rusted out it was cheaper for me to buy stainless steel tubing and quality stainless steel sheet metal and have a metal shop craft one up rather than buy something that is just going to rust out in 7 years – HVAC after market prices are just crazy and all over the place and I guess they know they “gotchya” if you need a heat exchanger.
Cleaning gas valve and burners – check – do it every year and takes about an hour. Free except for my time.
Igniter – had to replace that this year – $35 and and maybe 15minutes.
Flame Sensor – never changed that but have 2 on standby at about $15 total cost.
Capacitor for blower motor – 9$ shipped – old GE stock and made in USA. Have 2 additional capacitors on standby.
I would love to have a “professional” do all the work but when the “professional” charges $125 for showing up, $75 determining the problem, $75 for a capacitor, and $29 labor for putting the capacitor in I mean wow. $300+ to change out a capacitor and arrived and gone in less than an hour. Really? That is when I decided to pick up a manual and read it cover to cover. Never Again.
I have literally saved myself thousands with only a few hundred invested in quality OEM or better parts.
@Not (above comment; hoping you’ll read this)
Our blower motor / inducer is gone and we currently have no central heat. I have been quoted at $1,500 (parts & labor) to have it replaced, but this seems very pricy. The furnace and house were new in 2006. Trying to weigh my options as I am not a DIY person and need this fixed asap as I have two little ones and we need to keep warm.
This article obviously suggests a new furnace altogether. Any thoughts/advice would be appreciated. Send me a quick reply at ptglj, then the at symbol, then yahoo dotcom if you’re able.
The last time I used my Furnace last winter it worked fine. But I tried a couple of days ago the pilot light did lit up fine but then shut off a few second later and lit again then shut off … then lit up and shut off back and forth every few second.
What seems to be the problem if someone knows? My first hint is the pilot orifice being dirty! Am I on the right track?
Pressure switch. Or plugged exhaust