My furnace is blowing cold air — what should I check?

First check: thermostat set to HEAT (not COOL or FAN). Then check the air filter — a clogged filter can cause overheating and safety shutdown. If those are fine, it could be a flame sensor, igniter, or gas valve issue. We can diagnose the same day.

How much does furnace repair cost in Palo Alto?

Diagnostic starts at $89. Most repairs are $150–$600. Igniter or flame sensor: $150–$300. Blower motor: $400–$800. Heat exchanger: $800–$2,500 (often worth replacing the unit at that point). Upfront pricing always.

Should I repair or replace my old furnace?

Under 15 years with a minor issue — repair. Over 20 years, cracked heat exchanger, or R-22 heat pump — replacement makes sense. California rebates for high-efficiency systems can offset 15–30% of replacement cost.

20–30 min from Los Gatos HQ

Furnace Repair
Palo Alto, CA

Palo Alto’s older neighborhoods — Professorville, College Terrace, Barron Park — have some of the most architecturally significant homes in the Bay Area, many with furnaces and heating systems that are decades past recommended replacement age. When your furnace fails on a cold foggy morning, we respond same-day with the expertise to handle everything from gravity furnaces in 1920s homes to modern heat pumps in Palo Alto Hills.

(408) 581-2241

20–30 minFrom Los Gatos HQ

5.0 ★Google Rating

Same DayEmergency Service

C-20 & C-38Dual Licensed

C-20 HVAC License EPA 608 Certified NATE Certified

Furnace Repair in Palo Alto: From Craftsmen to Contemporary

Professorville and Crescent Park homes built between 1900 and 1940 sometimes still have gravity furnaces or very early forced-air systems in basements or utility closets with limited access. These systems predate modern safety standards — no electronic ignition, no flame rollout switches, sometimes no proper venting by current code. We repair what’s safely repairable and advise clearly when replacement is the responsible path.

College Terrace and the Barron Park area have postwar homes from the 1940s–1960s. The furnaces here are more conventional — gas forced-air with electronic ignition — but many are on their second or third unit and running past the 20-year mark. Crawl space access in these homes can be tight, making heat exchanger inspection and blower motor replacement more labor-intensive than in homes with utility closets.

The Palo Alto Hills and newer developments along Page Mill Road have modern high-efficiency furnaces that fail differently: control board errors, pressure switch faults, condensate line clogs. These need technicians who can read diagnostic codes and understand the electronic control layer.

Furnace Types We Repair in Palo Alto

Gas forced-air: Standard in most Palo Alto homes. Single-stage and two-stage. Ignitor, flame sensor, blower motor, gas valve, heat exchanger. Details.

High-efficiency condensing: 90%+ AFUE in newer homes. Pressure switch, inducer motor, condensate pump, control board.

Radiant and hydronic: Some Palo Alto homes use radiant floor or baseboard hot water heating. We service the boiler and controls.

Furnace Repair Costs in Palo Alto

Diagnostic / Service Call $89–$150

Ignitor or Flame Sensor $150–$350

Blower Motor $400–$900

Gas Valve $350–$700

Heat Exchanger Inspection $150–$300

Control Board $300–$600

Residential furnaces in Palo Alto. Diagnostic applied toward repair. No travel surcharge. Pricing confirmed before work.

Why Us

Why Palo Alto Calls North Breeze for Heating

Historic Home Knowledge

Professorville basements, College Terrace crawl spaces, Barron Park attic furnaces — we’ve navigated the access challenges in every Palo Alto neighborhood.

Safety-First Approach

CO testing on every furnace call. Heat exchanger camera inspection when warranted. Old homes with old furnaces need careful safety evaluation.

20–30 Min Response

Los Gatos to Palo Alto via 280 or Page Mill. Same-day emergency furnace repair in winter.

All Heating Types

Gas forced-air, radiant, hydronic, wall heaters. Palo Alto has more heating variety than most cities and we handle all of it.

FAQ

Furnace Repair Palo Alto — Common Questions

Is my 1920s Professorville home’s furnace safe to keep running?

It depends entirely on the heat exchanger condition and venting configuration. We do a thorough safety inspection with combustion analysis and CO testing. Some older furnaces are fine mechanically but have venting that doesn’t meet current code. We’ll tell you exactly what we find and what the options are — repair, re-vent, or replace.

My College Terrace furnace is in the crawl space and hard to reach — do you still service it?

Yes. Many College Terrace and Barron Park homes have crawl-space furnaces. We carry specialized lighting and tools for confined-space work. Some repairs take longer due to access constraints, and we’re upfront about that when quoting.

Should I switch from gas furnace to heat pump in Palo Alto?

Palo Alto has been at the forefront of electrification policy. If your gas furnace needs major repair or replacement, a heat pump conversion is worth evaluating — the city’s climate goals align with generous state rebates. We present both options with pricing. Heat pump installation.