Boiler and heating repair, one call away
Cold radiators, a furnace that will not light or a heat pump stuck blowing cool air? Call to reach a licensed local heating contractor, at any hour, and get a sense of the probable cause and cost before booking.
Heating services
Boilers, furnaces and heating systems
Boiler, furnace or heat pump: how to tell
The quickest clue is how heat enters your rooms. If warm air blows from floor or wall vents, you have forced air: a furnace burning gas, oil or propane, or a heat pump paired with an indoor air handler. If heat comes from radiators, baseboard with water piping or warm floors, you have a boiler.
- Furnace: a metal cabinet with a filter slot, usually in a basement, closet, attic or garage, connected to large ducts. See furnace repair.
- Boiler: a squat unit with pipes, a pressure gauge or a sight glass, and often a small pump on the piping. See boiler repair.
- Heat pump: an outdoor unit that keeps running in winter, plus an indoor air handler. See heating repair.
Read the rating plate on the indoor equipment for the brand, model and serial number. That information helps a technician bring the right parts on the first trip.
The heat went out tonight: what to do
Smell gas? Leave the house first and call your gas utility or 911 from outside. If a carbon monoxide alarm sounds, get everyone out into fresh air and call 911.
- Check the thermostat. Set to HEAT, a few degrees above room temperature, with fresh batteries.
- Check power. The breaker for the furnace, boiler or air handler, and the service switch near the unit.
- Check the filter on forced-air systems. A badly clogged one can shut a furnace down on its safety limit.
- Look for a code or gauge reading. Note a blinking light on a furnace board, or the pressure on a boiler gauge, before resetting anything.
- Reset once, not repeatedly. If the system locks out again, leave it off and call.
- Stay warm safely. Electric space heaters only, plugged straight into the wall. Never use an oven, grill or generator indoors.
If outdoor temperatures are well below freezing, let faucets on exterior walls drip and open sink cabinets so pipes get house air.
Typical heating repair costs
| Job | Typical range | Common sign |
|---|---|---|
| Flame sensor or igniter (furnace) | $100–$350 | Burners light briefly, then shut off |
| Circulator pump (boiler) | $300–$800 | Boiler fires but radiators stay cold |
| Expansion tank (boiler) | $250–$600 | Pressure climbs and the relief valve drips |
| Thermostat replacement | $150–$450 | Blank screen or wrong temperature reading |
| Heat pump capacitor or defrost board | $150–$650 | Outdoor unit hums, ices up or will not start |
| Blower or inducer motor (furnace) | $350–$1,200 | Grinding, squealing or no airflow |
| New boiler, installed | $4,500–$12,000 | Leaking or cracked boiler past its life |
When replacement makes more sense
Repair is the right call for most breakdowns. Start pricing replacement when the heat exchanger has cracked or is leaking, when a single repair approaches a third of the cost of new equipment on an older system, or when the system has needed a costly part two winters running. As rough guides, furnaces often last 15 to 20 years, heat pumps 10 to 15 and boilers 15 to 30 depending on type.
A new system should be sized with a heat-loss calculation rather than copied from the old one. Our boiler replacement page explains sizing, venting and efficiency choices.
Heating questions
How much does heating repair cost?
For furnaces, boilers and heat pumps, a typical repair bill is $150 to $700 with the visit counted in. Motors, control boards and refrigerant leaks can cost more.
Can a heating technician come tonight?
Someone picks up 24/7, and plenty of local heating crews keep emergency slots open in cold months. After-hours visits usually cost more, so mention if the house is safe and can wait until morning.
Do you handle boilers as well as furnaces?
Yes. The contractors you reach work on hot water and steam boilers, gas furnaces, heat pumps and thermostats. Mention your system type on the call so the right technician is sent.
Is the call free?
Calling is free. Ask about the diagnostic fee and the likely price range before you book the visit.
How do I know the heating contractor is licensed?
Ask for the license number on the call and look it up with your state or local licensing board. Ask about insurance too.
Why does my boiler pressure keep dropping?
Usually a leak in the piping or radiators, or a relief valve releasing water because of a failed expansion tank. A technician can find the source; topping up repeatedly only hides it.