When to repair
The furnace is under about 15 years old, the fault is a single part — an igniter, flame sensor, limit switch, or board — and the fix comes in under a third of the price of a new furnace. Most seasonal calls land here.
Furnace & heating repair · Nationwide routing
Furnace repair, routed to a licensed local contractor
Furnace repair help is one call away, 24/7. The call routes to a licensed local contractor in your area. Most furnace repairs run $131–$572, with a $75–$200 diagnostic fee that is usually credited toward the work.
GAS · ELECTRIC · OIL
Routed contractors service all three furnace types — igniters, blowers, gas valves, boards.
SAFETY-FIRST
Gas-side work is licensed only, with a combustion and carbon-monoxide check before the job closes.
QUOTE BEFORE WORK
You approve the price before any part is replaced — no surprises on the bill.
- STEP 01
Call, no cost
One call routes to a licensed local contractor. Tell them it's the furnace and what it's doing.
- STEP 02
On-site diagnosis
The tech checks the ignition sequence, flame sensor, limit switches, and airflow — then names the failed part.
- STEP 03
Upfront quote
You approve the price before any part is replaced — the diagnostic fee is usually credited into the repair.
- STEP 04
Repaired & tested
The part is replaced, a combustion and carbon-monoxide check confirms safe heat, and you settle with the contractor.
Coverage check
No heat? Start with your ZIP
Enter your ZIP and we'll route your call to a licensed local contractor offering the soonest available slot. Calling is free, 24/7.
Licensed contractors serve . One call routes you to one for .
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01 · What it runs
Furnace repair pricing, at a glance
Most furnace repairs land between $131 and $572, averaging near $300, before any after-hours premium. The diagnostic fee is usually credited toward the repair if you proceed.
$131–$572Typical repair
~$300Average repair
$75–$200Diagnostic fee
1.5–2×After-hours rate
02 · What we route
The furnace problems we route every week
A handful of faults cause most no-heat calls — a bad igniter or flame sensor leads, followed by no-starts, cold-air run-outs, and blower failures. Each card links to the free troubleshooting article for that symptom.
$150–$510
Igniter or flame sensor
The consumable that fails first: a cracked igniter won't light the burners, a fouled flame sensor lights then shuts off within seconds. The most-routed furnace fault.
$100–$600
Won't start at all
No response from the furnace — often a thermostat, tripped breaker, blown door-switch, or a failing control board. The three-bucket diagnosis a tech runs first.
$150–$310
Running but blowing cold
Burners light then drop out on the flame sensor or a tripped high-limit switch, so the blower pushes unheated air. Common on the first cold morning.
$150–$2,100
Blower motor
A seized bearing, failed capacitor, or dead ECM module means no airflow — heat builds inside the cabinet and the limit switch cuts the burners for safety.
$200–$600
Gas valve or ignition system
The valve won't open, or the ignition control won't sequence — burners never fire. A gas-side fault that is licensed-technician work only.
$150–$310
High-limit switch (overheating)
A dirty filter or blocked return chokes airflow, the cabinet overheats, and the limit switch shuts everything down. Often fixed at the filter.
$100–$1,600
Heat exchanger (safety-critical)
A cracked heat exchanger can leak carbon monoxide into the home. A tech red-tags and shuts down the unit — the fault that most often ends in a replace decision.
$200–$1,600
Draft inducer motor
The pre-purge motor that clears the flue won't spin, so the pressure switch never closes and ignition never starts — a common no-start on high-efficiency furnaces.
03 · Fix it free first
Four checks before you call
Before booking a visit, rule out the four faults you can fix yourself: a thermostat set wrong or out of batteries, tripped power or the furnace switch, a clogged filter that tripped the limit switch, or a closed gas valve.
CHECK 01
Thermostat
Set to HEAT and 3° above room temp. Swap the batteries — a dead thermostat mimics a dead furnace.
CHECK 02
Power
Reset the breaker once, and flip the furnace's own power switch (looks like a light switch nearby) off and on.
CHECK 03
Filter
A clogged filter chokes airflow and trips the limit switch. If it's gray, replace it and try again.
CHECK 04
Gas supply
Confirm the gas valve is open and other gas appliances work. If none do, it's a supply issue, not the furnace.
When to stop and call
Still won't run? The fault is internal — igniter, control board, or blower — and gas-side work needs a licensed technician. That's when a call is worth it. The full symptom walk-through is on furnace troubleshooting.
04 · What it costs
What a furnace repair really costs
Typical repairs land between $131 and $572, averaging around $300, with after-hours calls at 1.5–2× the standard rate. The part that failed is what moves the bill — from a cheap igniter to a blower motor or heat exchanger.
An igniter, flame sensor, or limit switch sits at the low end; a gas valve, draft inducer, or blower motor sits higher. The service-call fee — $75–$200 — is usually credited into the repair if you approve the work, so you're not paying twice. The full part-by-part table and gas-vs-electric costs are on the furnace repair cost page.
| Repair | Lower end | Higher end |
|---|---|---|
| Igniter or flame sensor | $150 | $510 |
| High-limit or pressure switch | $150 | $310 |
| Thermostat or control board | $100 | $610 |
| Gas valve or ignition | $200 | $600 |
| Draft inducer motor | $200 | $1,600 |
| Blower motor | $150 | $2,100 |
The full part-by-part table is on furnace repair cost, and the diagnostic fee itself is explained on service-call cost.
05 · Repair or replace ✓ ✕
When a repair stops making sense
Age and the one-third rule decide it: under 15 years and under a third of a new furnace, repair; over half the replacement cost, replace. A cracked heat exchanger is the tiebreaker — an automatic replace at any age.
When to replace
The furnace is 15-plus years old, the repair tops a third of a new unit, or the heat exchanger is cracked. A cracked exchanger is a carbon-monoxide risk and an automatic replace, whatever the age.
The same call gets you a replacement quote when the numbers say so.
The cracked heat-exchanger tiebreaker
A cracked heat exchanger can leak carbon monoxide, so a technician red-tags and shuts the furnace down rather than patching it. On an older unit the part cost approaches a new furnace anyway. The warning signs are on furnace carbon monoxide, and the full framework on repair or replace.
No heat in a freeze?
A furnace that sat idle all summer often fails on the first hard-freeze night — exactly when demand peaks. No heat risks frozen pipes, and a suspected cracked heat exchanger risks carbon monoxide. If a CO alarm sounds or you smell gas, leave and call from outside.
06 · Who fixes it
What a licensed heating technician does
The difference between a fair repair and an expensive one hides in this checklist. A licensed technician does all six of the following; a parts-swapper skips the testing and the safety check.
- Licensed and insured for HVAC and gas work in your state
- Tests the igniter, flame sensor, and control board before condemning any
- Runs a combustion and carbon-monoxide check on gas furnaces
- Quotes the repair before replacing any part
- Credits the diagnostic fee toward the repair
- Red-tags a cracked heat exchanger rather than patching it
Weighing a fix against a new system? Run the numbers on repair or replace, or price a new unit on furnace replacement.
07 · Coverage
Where we route calls
Calls route to licensed local contractors across the United States. Enter a ZIP in the coverage check above and we'll confirm the nearest routed pro; if your exact area isn't matched, the call still connects nationwide.
Need the heat back?
One call routes you to a licensed local contractor offering the soonest available slot.
(888) 810-2291 ☏ Call nowSame-day and 24/7 emergency services are subject to provider participation, location, technician availability, and demand. Availability is not guaranteed and may vary by market and appointment capacity.
08 · Questions
Questions homeowners ask first
How much does furnace repair cost?
Most furnace repairs run $131–$572, with an average near $300, before any after-hours premium. The service-call (diagnostic) fee is typically $75–$200 and is often credited toward the repair if you proceed. Exact cost depends on the part — see the full breakdown on our furnace repair cost page.
Is a bad igniter or a bad control board more expensive?
An igniter is the cheaper fix, roughly $150–$510 installed. A furnace control board typically runs $200–$600. A technician tests both before quoting, because the same 'no ignition' symptom can come from either.
My furnace won't start on the first cold day after summer — is that normal?
It's the most common seasonal call. A furnace that sat idle all summer collects dust on the flame sensor and igniter, and the first ignition often trips out. It usually needs a cleaning or a consumable part, not a major repair.
Is no heat an emergency?
In a hard freeze it can be — no heat risks frozen pipes, and a suspected cracked heat exchanger risks carbon monoxide. If you smell gas or your CO alarm sounds, leave the home and call from outside. Otherwise our emergency furnace line routes after-hours calls to a local contractor.
Is it worth repairing an old furnace?
As a rule of thumb, repair when the cost is under about a third of a new furnace and the unit is under 15 years old. Past that — or if the heat exchanger is cracked — replacement is usually the better math. The same call handles a replacement quote if the numbers say so.
Do you fix gas, electric, and oil furnaces?
Yes. Routed contractors service gas, electric, and oil furnaces. Electric furnaces have fewer parts and cheaper typical repairs; oil furnaces add nozzle, strainer, and pump work. Oil is common only in parts of the Northeast.