Furnace Repair Salt Lake City: $140 to $950 + No Heat Steps

Salt Lake City rows are local figures; national rows are labeled.

Do this now: furnace out in Salt Lake City

1. Gas smell or a CO alarm: get out and call 911 or Enbridge Gas from outside. CPSC says do not go back in until responders say it is safe.
2. Thermostat on heat and above room temperature, fan on AUTO, furnace switch on, breaker set (Carrier, Bryant). Do not keep resetting a breaker that trips.
3. Change a dirty filter; it can shut the burners off at the high-limit switch, Bryant says.
4. Protect the pipes: open sink cabinets and drip cold water from faucets on outside walls (Red Cross). See frozen pipes.
5. If a water line breaks at the street, Salt Lake City Public Utilities runs 24-hour emergency dispatch at 801-483-6700.
6. No oven for heat, and space heaters 3 feet from anything that burns (CDC).

Is it urgent? 111.8 freezing nights a year

A furnace that fails between fall and spring is urgent in Salt Lake City. The airport averages 111.8 nights a year at or below 32 F, NOAA's 1991 to 2020 normals show. Call right away for no heat in a freeze, a gas smell, a CO alarm or a furnace that keeps shutting off. A furnace that still heats but makes a new noise can wait for a weekday. Follow carbon monoxide alarm going off if an alarm is the problem, and furnace blowing cold air if the vents run cool.

Enbridge and Rocky Mountain Power rebates

If a repair quote approaches the price of a new furnace, Enbridge Gas Utah's ThermWise rebates help:

• Gas furnace: $300 at 95% to 97.4% AFUE, or $350 at 97.5% or better with an ECM blower.
• Smart thermostat: $50 (Tier 1) or $75 (Tier 2).
• Dual-fuel heat pump: $700 to $1,200.
• Mail the request within six months of installation. ThermWise line: 1-877-932-0610.

Rocky Mountain Power's Wattsmart Homes program lists up to $1,450 for a dual-fuel heat pump and up to $1,600 for an air-source heat pump. HomeAdvisor says to start shopping when a repair costs more than half the price of a new furnace. Salt Lake City's median home was built in 1965, and 65.4% of its housing units predate 1980, Census counts show. See furnace replacement cost and how long a furnace lasts.

Salt Lake City repair help for homeowners

• Minor Repairs Program: up to $1,500 in free repairs for owner-occupants at or below 80% of area median income with a household member 62 or older or with a disability. Apply year-round. 801-535-7233.
• Home Repairs Program: up to $50,000 for health, safety and structural repairs, possibly as a no- or low-interest loan, for owner-occupied homes inside city limits at or below 80% of area median income. 801-535-7233.
• HEAT (Utah LIHEAP): crisis help for households in danger of shut-off. Households with a member who is disabled, 60 or older, or under 6 can apply from Oct 1; everyone else from Nov 1. Income at or below 150% of the poverty line.

Permits and license checks in Salt Lake City

Salt Lake City Building Services says no one may make any installation, alteration or improvement to a building's mechanical system without first getting the required permits. Ask the company whether your furnace job needs one; permit processing is at 801-535-7968. Utah's Division of Professional Licensing runs a public licensee lookup by name or license number. For the whole heating and cooling picture, see HVAC repair in Salt Lake City.

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

Questions to ask a Salt Lake City furnace company

1. What is your Utah DOPL license number?
2. Does this job need a city mechanical permit, and will you pull it?
3. What is the diagnostic fee? ConsumerAffairs lists $75 to $140 locally.
4. If I replace, which Enbridge rebate tier does the furnace qualify for?
5. Can I see proof of insurance and a written price before work starts?

More Salt Lake City guides

Frozen pipes and leaks: plumber in Salt Lake City. Other mountain cities: furnace repair in Denver and furnace repair in Portland. National prices: furnace repair. Calls go to an independent company that serves your area and takes this kind of job (how calls work).