Furnace Repair Seattle: $190 to $1,900 + City Permits (2026)

Seattle rows are local figures; national rows are labeled.

Do this now: no heat in a Seattle house

1. Gas smell or a CO alarm: get everyone out and call 911 or Puget Sound Energy from outside. CPSC says not to look for the source.
2. Set the thermostat to heat above room temperature and the fan to AUTO (Carrier). Check the furnace switch and breaker.
3. Look at the filter; a dirty one can trip the high-limit switch, Bryant says.
4. Oil furnace: check the tank level. Carrier lists an empty oil or gas supply as a cause of cold air.
5. On a freezing night, open sink cabinets and drip cold water on exposed pipes (Red Cross). See frozen pipes.
6. Do not heat with the oven, the CDC says.

Is it an emergency? Seattle's freezing nights

Seattle is mild, but a dead furnace is still an emergency on its colder nights: Sea-Tac averages 25.2 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 or oil smell, a CO alarm, or a furnace that cycles on and off every few minutes. Otherwise a weekday visit costs less. For an alarm, see carbon monoxide alarm going off; for lukewarm vents, see furnace blowing cold air.

Seattle's housing is mixed: the median home was built in 1976, the Census Bureau's 2020 to 2024 survey shows, and 89,841 of its 393,918 housing units were built in 1939 or earlier. HomeAdvisor puts furnace life at 15 to 30 years; see how long a furnace lasts.

Seattle furnace permits: any replacement or alteration

"You need a permit for any furnace replacement or alteration," Seattle's Department of Construction and Inspections says. Homeowners can apply for it; SDCI's line is (206) 684-8950. A heat pump or AC is different: Seattle requires a refrigeration permit for any split system, and only a licensed refrigeration contractor can get one. Seattle also licenses gas piping mechanics separately.

Washington's L&I Verify tool shows contractor registration, plumber and electrician certification, bond lawsuits and safety citations. Ask the company for its L&I registration and, for gas work, its Seattle gas piping license.

Free and low-cost furnace repair in Seattle

• HomeWise Weatherization (Office of Housing): free upgrades for income-qualified homes, including furnace repair or replacement, ductless heat pumps for electrically heated homes, and oil furnace conversion to a heat pump inside city limits. (206) 684-0244.
• Home Repair Loans and Grants (Office of Housing): 0% loans starting at $3,000, some deferred, and grants for owners who do not qualify for a loan, with assistance listed up to $24,000. Covers furnaces and boilers. Income below 80% of area median, owner-occupied, inside Seattle. There is a waitlist and it does not handle urgent repairs.

Oil furnace near the end? The $2,000 Clean Heat rebate

Seattle Clean Heat pays a $2,000 instant rebate through a participating contractor to convert an oil furnace to a heat pump, and income-eligible households can get the conversion free through the Office of Housing. Seattle City Light adds an instant contractor discount on air-source heat pumps of $300, $400 or $600 depending on efficiency. No federal credit applies in 2026, the IRS says. Compare furnace replacement cost with heat pump installation cost.

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

Questions to ask a Seattle furnace company

1. What is your L&I contractor registration number, and who holds the Seattle gas piping license on this job?
2. If the furnace is replaced, will you pull the SDCI permit?
3. What is the diagnostic fee? ConsumerAffairs lists $95 to $190 in Seattle.
4. For an oil furnace, are you a participating Clean Heat contractor?
5. Can I see proof of insurance and a written price before work starts?

More Seattle heating guides

All heating and cooling: HVAC repair in Seattle. Frozen or burst pipes: plumber in Seattle. Nearby: furnace repair in Portland, and for a colder climate, furnace repair in Denver. National prices: furnace repair. Calls go to an independent company that serves your area and takes this kind of job (how calls work).