Furnace Repair Portland: $175 to $1,600 + Incentives (2026)

Portland rows are local figures; national rows are labeled.

Do this now: no heat in a Portland house

1. Smell gas or hear the CO alarm: everyone out, then call 911 or your gas utility from outside. CPSC says not to search for the source.
2. Thermostat on heat and above room temperature, fan on AUTO, furnace switch on, breaker not tripped (Carrier, Bryant).
3. Check the filter; a clogged one can shut the burners off, Bryant says.
4. Protect pipes in crawl spaces and outside walls: open sink cabinets and drip cold water, the Red Cross says. If a pipe freezes, never thaw it with a flame. See frozen pipes.
5. Do not heat with the oven; keep space heaters 3 feet from anything that burns (CDC).

Is it an emergency? Portland's cold is short but real

Portland is mild by furnace standards, but it still averages 31.7 nights a year at or below 32 F at the airport, NOAA's 1991 to 2020 normals show. Those nights are when a dead furnace becomes an emergency, along with any gas smell, a CO alarm or a furnace that starts and stops every few minutes, which Bryant says needs a technician. A furnace still heating with a new noise can wait for a weekday visit. For alarms, read carbon monoxide alarm going off first; for cool air from the vents, see furnace blowing cold air.

Portland requires a mechanical permit for furnace replacement

Replacing a furnace, heat pump, AC condenser or mini-split in Portland needs a mechanical permit "even if a building permit is not," Portland Permitting and Development says, and most of those jobs also need an electrical permit. Permits are issued within 24 hours of payment through DevHub, and residential inspections are at 503-823-7388. A repair that keeps the same furnace in place is a question for the contractor; ask whether it needs a permit before work starts.

Every Oregon contractor needs a Construction Contractors Board license, and electrical work also needs a Building Codes Division license. Search the CCB at search.ccb.state.or.us before you book.

Energy Trust incentives if the furnace needs replacing

Energy Trust of Oregon serves PGE, Pacific Power and NW Natural customers, and its 2026 heating page lists:

• Gas furnace at 95% AFUE or better: $1,600 for income-qualified or rental single-family homes and for duplexes through fourplexes. The page lists no amount for a homeowner-occupied single-family house.
• Ducted heat pump replacing an electric furnace: $1,000 for homeowners, $3,000 for income-qualified or rental homes.
• Ductless heat pump: $800 for homeowners, $1,800 income-qualified or rental.
• Smart thermostat in a gas-furnace home: $100 self-installed or $250 contractor-installed.
• Apply within 60 days of installation.

HomeAdvisor puts furnace life at 15 to 30 years and says to start shopping when a repair costs more than half the price of a new one. Portland's median home was built in 1966, and 63.4% of its housing units were built before 1980, Census counts show. Compare furnace replacement cost with heat pump installation cost, and see how long a furnace lasts.

Help paying for a broken furnace in Portland

The Portland Housing Bureau's Home Repair Loan fixes broken furnaces at 0% interest with no monthly payments, forgiven after 15 years of owner occupancy, but only in the Interstate Corridor TIF District (503-823-3336). The bureau also funds repair grants through Community Energy Project, PCRI, REACH, Rebuilding Together, Unlimited Choices and NAYA; the page lists no amounts.

Local heating rules, programs and climate for Portland, from official city, county, state, utility, Census and NOAA pages.

Questions to ask a Portland furnace company

1. What is your CCB license number?
2. What is the diagnostic fee? ConsumerAffairs lists $90 to $175 in Portland.
3. If you replace the furnace, will you pull the mechanical and electrical permits?
4. Which Energy Trust incentive applies to my house, and will you file it within 60 days?
5. Can I see proof of insurance and a written price before work starts?

More Portland heating guides

All heating and cooling: HVAC repair in Portland. Burst or frozen pipes: plumber in Portland. Nearby: furnace repair in Seattle and furnace repair in Salt Lake City. National prices: furnace repair. Calls go to an independent company that serves your area and takes this kind of job (how calls work).