Furnace repair cost guide: what each common fix runs in 2026
Typical US price ranges for the repairs technicians actually do, what drives the price, and which ones are worth a second quote.
Every range below is parts plus labor for a typical US metro. Rural areas and coastal cities can sit outside these bands, emergency and after-hours calls add $100–200, and a diagnostic fee of $75–150 usually applies (often credited if you approve the repair). When a quote lands well above the top of a range, asking for the failed part back and getting one more quote is normal, not rude.
| Item | Typical range | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Diagnostic / service call | $75–150 | Often credited against the repair |
| Flame sensor cleaning | $80–200 | Ten-minute job; the classic easy fix |
| Hot surface ignitor | $150–350 | Part is $20–60; the rest is the visit |
| Limit switch | $150–350 | Find why it tripped, not just the part |
| Pressure switch | $150–400 | Check for blocked flue first |
| Thermostat replacement | $150–400 | More for smart-stat wiring work |
| Capacitor | $150–350 | Common blower no-start cause |
| Inducer motor | $300–900 | Brand availability drives the spread |
| Gas valve | $300–900 | Never a DIY part |
| Blower motor | $400–1,500 | ECM/variable-speed at the top end |
| Control board | $400–900 | Get the fault code before replacing |
| Heat exchanger | $1,000–2,500+ | Usually the replace-the-furnace moment |
Why identical repairs quote $200 apart
Labor rates, brand parts pricing, and whether the company charges flat-rate or time-and-materials. Flat-rate books price the average job including the ones that go wrong, so a simple version of your repair can look expensive. None of that is dishonest — but it is why a second quote on anything over ~$500 routinely saves real money.
The fault code changes the conversation
Most furnace control boards flash a diagnostic code that names the failing subsystem. Reading it before you call (look your brand up on this site) means you can sanity-check the quote against what the furnace itself says is wrong.
Repair or replace
The rough industry rule: multiply the repair quote by the furnace's age in years; over ~$5,000, put the money toward replacement instead. A $900 board on a 7-year-old furnace passes. The same board on a 20-year-old unit does not.
Know the fault code before you call
If the furnace is flashing its diagnostic LED, count the pattern and look the code up by brand here. Walking into the quote knowing what the furnace says is wrong is the cheapest leverage a homeowner has.