Need to make a repair to your gas furnace? Remember: an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.
Uh oh! Does your gas furnace need a repair? Whether it’s because your furnace is old or wasn’t installed properly – a gas furnace repair can do a real number on your budget. Unexpected expenses are never fun, but they do happen. That’s why you should try to plan ahead and weigh average furnace repair cost when making decisions during installation.
The average furnace repair cost for 2015 was $267 dollars. Now, that may not seem like much now, but imagine having to make those repairs year-after-year due to poor installation?
If you want to avoid paying furnace repair costs, there are some things you can do to head-off repairs and expand lifespan.
- Hire a quality HVAC contractor. Don’t just go with the professional who gives you the lowest quote. A lot of times, contractors who take the time to maintain a quality business have higher overhead costs, which may be reflected in the quote they give you. But, after a repair or two due to poor installation, you will have more than paid for the higher quality contractor. Check our online reviews and schedule a consultation before you hire.
- Keep up with preventative maintenance. A maintenance appointment is going to be easier to work into your budget. It won’t be unexpected and you will know that it’s coming. This is the best way to catch minor problems BEFORE peak seasons and extend the lifespan of your unit.
- Change your furnace filter regularly. A dirty filter can actually block airflow and cause damage to your unit. Buy a $20 filter now and save on hundreds of dollars of repair costs in the future.
- Don’t buy from online auction sites. When you buy from unauthorized sources or auction sites, there is no guarantee that the unit is high quality AND it will likely not be covered by any warranty. Not only that, but most quality contractors are not going to go near a system that was purchased in a back-alley way.
Home Advisor has a cool tool for determining the cost of a repair for your area. Pretty neat, huh? You can look a the national average or change it to your zip code.
Yes, repair costs are inconvenient. BUT, never attempt to fix your own gas furnace. A gas furnace is complicated and can be dangers if not repaired correctly. Always call your local heating and air conditioning professional.
Did you know what the average heating repair costs were for your area?
It sounds appealing to have my furnace checked before there’s a problem. Is it better to do that in the fall before it starts getting cold? The least we can do is change our filters more often. Ours is probably overdue for some TLC.
Thank you for the tip to not automatically go with the lowest bidder. We did that for a furnace repair and two months later we ended paying more and hired someone else to do the repair correctly. Having a great contractor can really help maintain your furnace and give it a good long life.
There’s a fine line between diagnosing and repairing your heating system yourself and contacting a professional furnace technician to service your furnace. Although I do advocate self-education, I must stress the importance of knowing your limitations so you do not further exacerbate the problem.
My wife and I have a furnace that doesn’t sound like its working to well. It produces heat, but the sound its making right now makes us both nervous. We are wanting to find a service to come look at it, so I’m hoping that we can find one soon.
I am looking to repair my furnace. That is good to know that the average cost to replace a furnace was $267. That is actually not too bad. I thought it would be about $500 minimum so that gives me relief.
That picture of the koala asking about how long it has been since you changed your filter is adorable! It also really scared me because I haven’t changed my filter for at least 6 months! I’ll go to the store and pick up a filter today. How often should you change it to avoid needing to get furnace repair?
Hi Patricia,
We’re glad we were able to give you a reminder! Those filters are important not just for preventing furnace repairs, but for maintaining high indoor air quality as well.
At minimum, if you have a disposable filter, it is best practice to change it once before the heating season (around November or December) and again before the cooling season (right about now, actually). But, if you have special circumstances that are going to introduce more potentially filter-clogging particles into the air (like pets, for example) you may want to consider changing your filter more frequently – every other month or every three months.
Hope that helps!
Preventative maintenance is the easiest way to avoid costly repairs. If a technician can spot a problem before it become major, you will have saved possibly thousands.
Preventative maintenance is the best way, in my opinion, to avoid large furnace repair costs. It is the same with your car or any other machinery you have. If you keep them clean and do all of the preventative work, like changing the filters, then chances are you won’t have many, if any, major breakdowns. You will also have advance warning when it is time to replace the old furnace.
As the old adage goes “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure” and this is certainly the case for HVAC units. You really don’t want to take any chances considering the high cost of repairs. It is better to invest in a quality HVAC maintenance plan as you suggest.
Thanks for your info ! Maintenance of furnace is important for good service..
Earlier this year we were having problems getting heat to come through our vents. We hired an HVAC contractor to come and take a look, and it turned out that our filter was so dirty, it had damaged the whole unit. We had him repair the furnace and it was a night and day difference when it came to the heating in our home.
I am a new homeowner and I want to make sure that I don’t have any issues with my HVAC. I didn’t realize that a dirty air filter can block air flow in a home. It does seem like a good idea to try to and keep up on that. So, It is nice for me to know tat doing something simple can help keep the costs of my HVAC down.
Furnace maintenance and repair is an important part to keep you through the chilly winter. This is a great article and talks perfectly about how you can save a lot of furnace repair costs. With timely furnace repair and maintenance you can expand the lifespan of the furnace. You should look at this and call for local heating and air conditioning professionals.