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How much does furnace repair cost?
The short answer
Common furnace repairs run $150 to $1,200: flame sensors and igniters at the low end, limit switches and draft motors in the middle, control boards and blower motors at the top. A cracked heat exchanger is the exception: it is a safety failure, usually means replacement, and the furnace should not run until it is resolved. Diagnosis typically runs $75 to $200.
Furnace quotes arrive in cold weather under time pressure, so the price bands matter more than the negotiation. Most no-heat calls end in one of six parts. If your quote names a seventh, ask what test identified it.
These ranges are directional US figures including labor for gas furnaces, the most common type. Oil and electric furnaces price differently in their specifics.
Common repairs, priced
| Repair | Typical cost |
|---|---|
| Flame sensor clean or replace | $150 to $350 |
| Hot-surface igniter | $200 to $450 |
| Limit or pressure switch | $200 to $500 |
| Draft inducer motor | $350 to $800 |
| Blower motor | $500 to $1,400 |
| Control board | $500 to $1,200 |
| Gas valve | $400 to $900 |
| Heat exchanger | Usually replacement territory |
The safety line
Burners, gas valves, and heat exchangers are not a negotiation between price and safety. A technician who red-tags a cracked heat exchanger is protecting your household from carbon monoxide. Get a second opinion if you doubt it, but do not run the furnace in the meantime, and keep working CO alarms on every level regardless.
Repair or replace math
Furnaces last 15 to 25 years. Past 15, apply the same multiplication test as AC: repair cost times age over roughly 5,000 argues for replacement quotes. Also weigh efficiency: a new 96 percent furnace against a tired 80 percent unit saves fuel every single day of the heating season, and that saving compounds across a 20-year life.
Questions homeowners ask
Why does the same part cost more in January?
Demand and emergency scheduling. It is the strongest argument for the fall tune-up, which finds weak igniters in October at October prices.
Can I replace an igniter myself?
It is mechanically simple and involves gas-adjacent components and fragile parts. Most homeowners should leave burner-compartment work to a technician and their insurance company will agree.
What does a tune-up actually include?
Cleaning and testing the burner and sensor, checking the heat exchanger and venting, measuring gas pressure and airflow, and verifying safety controls. Ask for the checklist in writing.