No heat, or the furnace starts and shuts off
The classic cause is a dirty flame sensor. It stops detecting the flame and the furnace shuts down as a safety measure. Cleaning takes about 20 minutes. A worn ignitor is the next suspect.
Furnace repair in Fresno, CA
Fresno winters bring frost and weeks of damp tule fog, and a furnace that fails on a cold morning needs a fast, honest answer. Most furnace repairs come down to a dirty flame sensor, a worn ignitor, a failed blower motor, a pressure switch or a thermostat problem.
We find the cause, explain it, and give you the price before any repair begins. Emergency heating service is available 24/7.
Quick answer: what does furnace repair cost in Fresno?
Most Fresno furnace repairs run about $230 to $500, with major repairs such as a heat exchanger or gas valve running $900 to $1,850. A diagnostic service call is typically $79 to $119.
Cleaning a flame sensor is at the low end. The full breakdown is in our furnace repair pricing guide.
Examples of our work
Safety first: when to stop and call
Turn the furnace off and get help right away if any of these happen:
- You smell gas. Leave the house and call 911 or PG&E from outside. Do not use switches or phones inside.
- Your carbon monoxide detector sounds. Get everyone outside and call 911.
- You smell a burning odor that does not fade, or you see soot around the furnace.
- The furnace is making loud banging or grinding sounds.
Keep a working carbon monoxide detector on every level and near bedrooms, and put in fresh batteries each fall. The CPSC carbon monoxide guide explains what to do.
Common furnace problems in Fresno homes
Cold air from the vents
Often thermostat settings, a failed ignitor, a tripped limit switch or a gas valve issue. It needs a diagnosis.
Short cycling
The furnace turns on and off every few minutes. Usually a dirty filter, blocked registers or a failing control board.
The blower does not run
A failed capacitor, the cheaper fix, or a failed blower motor, the larger one.
Banging, rattling or squealing
A loose blower wheel, failing bearings or duct expansion. A new noise is worth a call.
A burning smell the first time you turn it on
Dust burning off the heat exchanger is normal on the first run. A smell that keeps going needs a technician.
Why Fresno furnaces get ignored until they fail
In a city where the AC runs for six months, the furnace sits idle most of the year. Dust and cottonwood fluff settle in the burner area, the flame sensor gets a film on it, and the ignitor ages without ever being tested.
Then the first cold, foggy week arrives and the furnace has to light on a Monday morning. A fall checkup before the first cold snap finds the weak sensor or the cracked ignitor while it is still a small repair.
Many Fresno furnaces are also older, because they have not been asked to work hard. A furnace that is 20 years old and still running is not unusual here, which is part of why heat exchanger inspections matter.
What happens on a furnace repair visit
- You tell us what the furnace is doing. When it stopped, what it sounds or smells like, whether it runs at all.
- We check the basics. Thermostat, filter, power, gas supply and airflow at the registers.
- We test the heating system. The ignition sequence, flame sensor, pressure switch, limit switch, inducer motor, blower and control board, plus an inspection for a cracked heat exchanger or blocked venting.
- We tell you what we found. What failed, why, and whether anything related is worn.
- You get the options and the price. Before any work begins. If the furnace is old and the repair is large, we also give you a replacement price.
- We repair it and test it. We run a full heating cycle and confirm it is working safely before we leave.
Furnace repair prices in Fresno
| Repair | Typical cost |
|---|---|
| Service call (Fresno) | $79 to $119 |
| Average common repair (Fresno) | $230 to $500 |
| Average major repair (Fresno) | $900 to $1,850 |
| Flame sensor cleaning | $120 to $220 |
| Ignitor replacement | $220 to $450 |
| Pressure switch replacement | $210 to $420 |
| Blower motor replacement | $550 to $1,100 |
| Draft inducer motor | $450 to $950 |
| Gas valve replacement | $500 to $1,100 |
| Control board replacement | $450 to $950 |
| Heat exchanger replacement | $1,200 to $2,400 |
These are typical ranges across our service areas.
Tule fog weeks and what they do to a furnace
When Fresno gets a long run of tule fog, daytime highs can sit in the 40s and 50s for days, and the furnace runs in long, steady cycles instead of short bursts. A weak blower, a dirty filter or a marginal flame sensor that got by in a mild week shows up quickly under that kind of load.
A few habits help. Put in a fresh filter at the start of winter and check it every month during a fog spell.
Keep supply and return registers open and unblocked by furniture. Turn the heat on in October, not in the first freeze, so you find a problem while you have time to fix it.
If your furnace is the only heat and a family member is elderly or sick, tell us when you call so we can treat the visit with the right urgency.
Repair or replace your furnace?
Replacement is worth pricing when several of these are true:
- The furnace is 15 or more years old.
- A technician finds a cracked or leaking heat exchanger. A furnace with one should not be used.
- It has needed repeated repairs in the last two years.
- Heating bills are rising or some rooms stay cold.
- Your air conditioner is also old, and you would like one system for both.
A quick way to run the numbers: multiply the repair cost by the furnace's age in years. If the result is well over $5,000, replacement usually wins.
See furnace replacement in Fresno and heat pump installation in Fresno.
What to leave to a technician
You can safely change the filter, check the thermostat settings and batteries, and keep the area around the furnace clear. Do not open the burner area, adjust gas valves, remove safety switches or bypass any control.
Those parts handle gas and combustion, and mistakes can be dangerous. If a safety switch keeps tripping, there is a reason, and the fix is to find it, not to jump the switch.
Where we repair furnaces in Fresno and Clovis
We serve Fresno and Clovis, including the Tower District, Old Fig Garden, Fig Garden, Van Ness Extension, Woodward Park, Copper River, Sunnyside and Bullard areas. Our office is at 155 E Shaw Ave Unit 206, Fresno, CA 93710.
See HVAC in Fresno for the rules and rebates.
Brands we service
We repair and install all major brands. Each brand page lists the models we install, the problems we see most and what the warranty typically covers. See how we match a technician to your brand.
Fresno, CA on the map
Common questions
How much does furnace repair cost in Fresno?
Most repairs run about $230 to $500. Major repairs such as a heat exchanger or gas valve run $900 to $1,850. The diagnostic call is typically $79 to $119.
Why is my furnace blowing cold air?
Common causes are thermostat settings, a failed ignitor, a tripped limit switch or a gas valve problem. If it keeps happening, call us.
My furnace smells when I turn it on for winter. Is that normal?
A dusty smell on the first run of the season is normal. A smell that keeps going, or that smells like gas or burning plastic, is not. Turn it off and call.
Why does my furnace keep shutting off?
Often a dirty flame sensor, a dirty filter or a limit switch tripping from low airflow. Replace the filter first, and call if it continues.
Should I replace my 20 year old furnace?
Not automatically. If it works and has no safety problems, repair may be fine. If it needs repeated repairs or has a cracked heat exchanger, replacement makes sense. We give you both prices.
Do you offer emergency heating repair?
Yes, 24/7.
Is a heat pump a good alternative in Fresno?
Often, since Fresno winters are mild and a heat pump also cools. We check your electrical panel and ducts first. See heat pump installation in Fresno.
Talk to a person
Call any hour for emergency service, or reach us during business hours for a visit or a quote.