Furnace troubleshooting · Greater Vancouver · Updated November 8, 2026
Furnace Not Working? What to Check Before You Call
Check the thermostat, the furnace switch, the breaker, the filter and the furnace door first. You can check all five yourself in about five minutes. If the furnace still won’t run, or you smell gas or burning, stop and call. We answer 24/7, and the $169 diagnostic is the same price at 2 a.m. as at 2 p.m.
Same price 24/7 · About 8 in 10 calls seen the same day · License LGA0209945
Stop and call right away if…
- You smell rotten eggs (natural gas). Don’t touch switches. Leave the house and call the FortisBC emergency line at 1-800-663-9911 from outside.
- A carbon monoxide alarm goes off. Get everyone outside and call 911.
- You smell burning plastic, rubber or hot wiring. Turn the furnace off at its switch and call us.
- The breaker trips a second time, or water is pooling near the furnace’s electrical parts. Leave it off and call us.
The 5-minute checklist
Work through these in order. After any change, give the furnace up to 5 minutes: it runs the inducer fan first, then lights, then starts the blower.
Still no heat? Call or text 778-798-4343. Tell us which checks you’ve done and send a photo of any blinking light on the control board. It helps us bring the right part.
Find your symptom
Each guide explains the likely causes, what you can safely check and what the repair costs.
Staying warm safely while you wait
- Never heat the house with an oven, gas stove or barbecue. They can produce carbon monoxide.
- Use electric space heaters plugged straight into a wall outlet, not an extension cord, with about 1 metre of clear space around them.
- Close blinds and doors to rooms you aren’t using, and gather in one room.
- In a deep cold snap, open the cabinet doors under sinks on outside walls to help keep pipes from freezing.
What a no-heat call costs
$169 diagnostic
The same at any hour, including nights, weekends and holidays. You get the repair price before any work starts.
Common repairs
Flame sensor $200–$280, igniter $250–$350, pressure switch $295, control board $800–$1,500. Parts and labour, before GST. All prices
If the furnace is old and the repair is big, see repair vs replacement. For nights and holidays, see 24/7 emergency heating repair.
No-heat questions
Why is my furnace not turning on?
The most common reasons are a thermostat setting or dead batteries, the furnace switch turned off, a tripped breaker, a clogged filter, or a loose furnace door. If all of those check out, the cause is usually an igniter, flame sensor, pressure switch or control board, and it needs a gas fitter.
Why won’t my furnace turn on after I changed the filter?
Usually the furnace door isn’t fully closed, so the door safety switch keeps the furnace off. Push the panel firmly into place. Also check that the filter fits the slot and its arrow points toward the furnace.
Should I reset my furnace?
Once is fine: turn the furnace switch off for 30 seconds, then back on, and give it 5 minutes to start. If it locks out again, stop resetting it and call. Repeated resets can hide a safety problem and damage parts.
How much does it cost to have someone come out at night?
With Efficient Heating Service, the diagnostic is $169 at any hour, including nights, weekends and holidays. Repairs are quoted before any work starts, at the same prices day or night.
How fast can you come?
About 8 in 10 calls are seen the day you call, and we arrive within 24 hours at most. We answer the phone 24/7.
Written and reviewed by Daniel, owner and lead gas fitter at Efficient Heating Service · ITA-certified Domestic/Commercial Gasfitter (Class B, 2017) · Gas Contractor License LGA0209945 · Updated November 8, 2026
Still not working?
Call or text 778-798-4343. We answer 24/7, the price is the same at any hour, and about 8 in 10 calls are seen the same day.