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AfterHow Much Does Furnace Replacement Cost in Santa Clarita?
Furnace replacement in Santa Clarita typically runs $4,800 to $9,500 for a standard single-family home, with most homeowners landing between $5,500 and $7,500 for a mid-efficiency gas furnace swap. High-efficiency models (90%+ AFUE), larger homes, or jobs requiring duct modifications push the top end past $10,000. The final price depends on furnace efficiency rating, BTU output, brand, and how much of the existing setup (ductwork, electrical, venting) can be reused.
That’s the honest range. No games, no “call for pricing” runaround. At Dalton Heating & Air Santa Clarita, the number we quote is the number you pay, in writing, before any work starts. If you want an exact figure for your house, call (661) 621-3712 and we’ll come out, measure, and hand you a written quote. No obligation.
Furnace Replacement Cost Breakdown (2026)
Here’s what replacement actually costs in the Santa Clarita market, item by item. These are real numbers we see on jobs across Valencia, Canyon Country, Saugus, Newhall, and Castaic.
| Line Item | Typical Range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Furnace unit only | $1,800 – $4,200 | Mid-efficiency (80 – 89% AFUE) at the low end; high-efficiency (95%+ AFUE) at the top |
| Labor and installation | $1,500 – $3,000 | Includes removal and disposal of the old unit, final connections |
| Standard full replacement (unit + labor) | $3,300 – $7,200 | Most common configuration: 60,000 – 80,000 BTU gas furnace, basic venting reuse |
| High-efficiency upgrade (95%+ AFUE, condensing) | $6,000 – $9,500 | Requires new PVC venting and condensate drain line |
| Ductwork modifications | $500 – $2,500 | Only when the furnace size changes or the existing plenum doesn’t match |
| Permits | $150 – $400 | City of Santa Clarita mechanical permit, pulled when required by code |
| Smart thermostat (optional) | $200 – $450 | Installed with the new system; ecobee or similar |
| Full system replacement with AC | $8,500 – $15,000 | Furnace plus air conditioner replaced together; see our Furnace Replacement in Santa Clarita page for details |
What drives the price up: a bigger house needing a 100,000+ BTU unit, a furnace in an attic or crawlspace (more labor, tighter access), converting from electric to gas, or adding a high-efficiency unit that needs entirely new venting.
What drives it down: a like-for-like swap where the existing gas line, venting, and electrical can be reused. A 60,000 BTU replacement in a 1,200-square-foot condo is going to sit near the bottom of the range.
Here’s a Santa Clarita-specific fact worth knowing: many homes in the older pockets of Newhall and parts of Canyon Country were built in the 1970s and 1980s with furnaces that installed in closets or hallways, not attics. Those replacements are often quicker and less expensive because the old venting path can be reused. Houses in newer developments like Five Knolls or River Village tend to have attic installs, which add labor time.
What Affects Furnace Replacement Pricing in Santa Clarita
- Furnace efficiency rating (AFUE). An 80% AFUE furnace costs less to buy than a 96% AFUE condensing unit, but the 96% unit qualifies for utility rebates and cuts monthly gas bills by roughly 15 – 20%. Over a 15-year lifespan, the high-efficiency option often wins on total cost. We’ll show you both numbers and let you decide.
- BTU output. Furnace sizing is based on heating load, not square footage pulled from a chart. A 1,800-square-foot home in Valencia might need a 60,000 BTU furnace, while a 2,800-square-foot house in Castaic with drafty windows could need an 80,000 BTU. Undersizing leaves you cold in January; oversizing short-cycles the unit and kills the heat exchanger early.
- Brand. We install and service all nine major residential brands: Carrier, Trane, Lennox, Goodman, Rheem, York, Daikin, Bryant, and American Standard. Goodman and Rheem tend to run lower on the unit cost; Carrier, Trane, and Lennox run higher, largely due to parts availability and warranty structure. We’ll quote you options across brands, not just one line.
- Access and location of the unit. Attic installs in the middle of July are hot, cramped work. Crawlspace installs are dirty and slow. A ground-level closet swap is the easiest job. Labor reflects the difference.
- Venting and gas line work. High-efficiency furnaces don’t vent through the old metal flue. They use PVC pipe out a side wall. If your old mid-efficiency unit needs to become a high-efficiency one, expect $800 – $1,500 in venting work, plus a condensate drain line.
- Permit fees and code requirements. The City of Santa Clarita mechanical permit runs $150 – $400 depending on project valuation. Skipping permits saves money now but creates liability if you ever sell the house. We pull permits on every job that requires one.
Furnace Replacement Cost by Home Size in Santa Clarita
These are the ranges we quote most often, based on home size and typical heating load for the Santa Clarita Valley climate. The SCV gets cold nights in December and January, with lows regularly dropping into the 30s in Canyon Country and Saugus. That’s what these sizing numbers assume.
- Condos and townhomes (900 – 1,400 sq ft): $4,200 – $5,800, typically a 40,000 – 60,000 BTU mid-efficiency gas furnace.
- Small to mid single-family (1,200 – 1,800 sq ft): $4,800 – $6,800, typically a 60,000 BTU mid-efficiency or high-efficiency unit.
- Mid to large single-family (1,800 – 2,500 sq ft): $5,800 – $8,500, typically 70,000 – 80,000 BTU. High-efficiency options dominate this bracket.
- Large homes (2,500 – 3,500+ sq ft): $7,000 – $11,500, often with dual-zone setups or a two-stage high-efficiency furnace. Homes in Sand Canyon and parts of Stevenson Ranch commonly fall into this range.
How to Save on Furnace Replacement
Get multiple quotes, but compare them honestly. A $4,400 quote that excludes permits, doesn’t include disposal, and uses a furnace one size too small is not cheaper than a $5,200 quote that includes everything. The Garrison Standard means our quote is written, itemized, and complete. The price you see is the price you pay.
Replace before the furnace dies in December. HVAC companies book out for weeks during the first cold snap. If you replace in September or October, you’ll often get a wider choice of units and installation windows. Waiting until the furnace fails in January means paying emergency rates, or paying for a repair that just delays the inevitable replacement.
Check utility rebates. SoCalGas and Energy Upgrade California periodically offer rebates on high-efficiency furnaces. These change seasonally, so ask us what’s currently active. We’ll help you file the paperwork.
Size it right, not bigger. An oversized furnace costs more to buy and more to run, and it short-cycles the heat exchanger until it cracks. A Manual J load calculation determines the right furnace. We do this on every replacement we quote. It’s the difference between a furnace that lasts 18 years and one that fails in 10.
Get a free estimate. Our replacement estimates are free, written, and come with no pressure. Call (661) 621-3712 and we’ll schedule a visit, measure the space, check the existing setup, and hand you a written quote on the spot.
Furnace Replacement Cost FAQ
Is it cheaper to repair or replace a furnace in Santa Clarita?
If the repair is under $500 and the furnace is under 10 years old, repair usually makes sense. Our furnace repairs run $150 – $700 depending on the part. But if the heat exchanger is cracked, the furnace is 15+ years old, or you’ve had three or more repairs in the last two years, replacement is the better financial move. A cracked heat exchanger is a carbon monoxide risk and should never be patched. Call (661) 621-3712 and we’ll give you an honest assessment.
How long does a furnace replacement take?
A like-for-like swap with existing venting and gas line takes 1 day, typically 6 to 8 hours including removal of the old unit. Adding a high-efficiency furnace with new venting can take 1 to 2 days. Full system replacements (furnace plus AC) also run 1 to 2 days. We’ll tell you the timeline before we start, and we arrive inside the window we set. That’s the Garrison Code.
How much does a high-efficiency furnace cost vs. a standard one in Santa Clarita?
A high-efficiency condensing furnace runs $6,000 to $9,500 installed, compared to $4,800 to $7,200 for a mid-efficiency unit. The cost difference is usually $1,200 to $2,500, plus venting work. The high-efficiency unit cuts gas consumption by roughly 15 – 20%, which for a typical Santa Clarita household works out to $150 to $300 per year in savings, more if you keep the house warmer.
Can you replace a furnace in the winter?
Yes. We replace furnaces year-round, including during peak winter demand. December and January are our busiest months, so availability tightens. If your furnace is failing, call (661) 621-3712 and we’ll send a technician same day. Live phone support is staffed by a real person 24/7, so you won’t get a voicemail queue when your heat goes out at midnight.
What brands do you install for furnace replacement?
We install and service all nine major residential furnace brands: Carrier, Trane, Lennox, Goodman, Rheem, York, Daikin, Bryant, and American Standard. Brand affects unit price, but install quality matters more. We’ll quote you options across multiple brands and explain the honest differences in warranty, parts cost, and availability.
Does a furnace replacement include a warranty?
Every furnace we install carries the manufacturer’s warranty on parts, typically 5 – 10 years depending on brand and registration. On top of that, every repair and replacement we do includes a 365-Day Done Right Promise in writing. If the work isn’t done right, we make it right. That’s not an upgrade. It’s standard on every job.
Why Homeowners in Santa Clarita Choose Dalton Heating & Air
Marco Benitez runs Dalton Heating & Air Santa Clarita, and he’s built the operation around one idea: the HVAC industry has a reliability problem, and the way to solve it is to put everything in writing.
Dalton Heating & Air is a Garrison Partners company, operating under The Garrison Standard since 2003. Here’s what that means on every job:
- Written price before any work starts. No verbal estimates, no door-price changes. The number we quote is the number you pay.
- Written guarantee on every repair. Full year, in writing. If the repair fails inside that window, we return at no charge.
- Free second visit if the repair fails. If the work doesn’t hold, Dalton comes back free. No fine print, no prorating.
- Background-checked, uniformed technicians. You know who’s showing up before they arrive.
- Calls answered by a live person, 24/7. No voicemail queue. No callback window. You call, we answer.
The Garrison Code is simple: arrive inside the stated window, put the price in writing before starting, do the job by the book, leave the site clean, and stand behind the work for a full year. Marco enforces it on every call we run.
We service all of Santa Clarita and the surrounding areas: Valencia, Canyon Country, Saugus, Newhall, Castaic, and Stevenson Ranch. Our technicians are factory-trained across nine brands, so we’re not guessing when we work on your equipment. We know the units, and we know the SCV’s heating patterns: cold snaps in January, long mild stretches through March, and the occasional surprise freeze in February that catches a lot of heat pumps off guard.
How the Furnace Replacement Process Works
Replacement isn’t a one-day decision for most homeowners. Here’s how it works with us, step by step:
- Call or book online. Call (661) 621-3712 and a live person answers, 24/7. Tell us the furnace age, any recent issues, and your timeline. We’ll schedule a visit that fits your day.
- Free in-home assessment. A Dalton technician arrives inside the window, in uniform. They inspect the existing furnace, measure the space, check the gas line, venting, and electrical, and ask about any comfort issues you’ve had: cold rooms, short cycling, high gas bills.
- Written quote, itemized. You get a written price that breaks down the unit, labor, permit, and any extras. The price is good for a set period, and it doesn’t change at the door.
- You decide. We don’t pressure. If you want to compare quotes, go for it. The written quote gives you a baseline against which other companies have to compete.
- Installation day. The crew arrives inside the window, removes the old furnace, installs the new one, tests everything, and walks you through the thermostat and system operation.
- Cleanup and guarantee. We leave the site clean, hand you the written guarantee, and register your manufacturer warranty. If anything isn’t right, call and we’re back. That’s the 365-Day Done Right Promise.
Should You Replace Your Furnace Now or Wait?
Santa Clarita winters aren’t harsh by Midwest standards, but January nights routinely hit the mid-30s, and a dead furnace on a cold night is miserable. Here’s the calculation we walk customers through:
Replace now if: the furnace is 15+ years old; the heat exchanger is cracked; you’ve spent $400+ on repairs in the last two years; your gas bills have crept up 20% or more without a clear reason; or the furnace makes banging, clanking, or rumbling sounds on startup.
Repair for now if: the furnace is under 10 years old, the repair is under $500, and the unit has been reliable otherwise. A $300 ignitor replacement on a 7-year-old furnace is still a good investment. Our repairs run $150 – $700 depending on the part.
If you’re not sure, call (661) 621-3712. We’ll inspect the unit and give you a straight answer: repair or replace, with numbers to back it up. We don’t sell replacements to people who don’t need them.
Get a Free Furnace Replacement Estimate in Santa Clarita
If you’re considering furnace replacement, get a written quote before you decide. Our estimates are free, itemized, and come with no pressure. Call (661) 621-3712 today, and we’ll schedule a visit that works for you. Marco Benitez and the Dalton Heating & Air Santa Clarita team will give you a straight answer, a written price, and a plan that fits your home and budget.
Replacement isn’t an emergency if you plan for it. But when it becomes one, we answer the phone 24/7. Either way, the price is in writing before we start, and the guarantee covers the work for a full year. That’s how it should be.
Pricing reflects the Santa Clarita market as of 2026. Dalton Heating & Air Santa Clarita offers free estimates – call (661) 621-3712.
Written by Marco Benitez, Owner at Dalton Heating & Air Santa Clarita, serving the Santa Clarita Valley since 2003.
What Our Customers Say
"Blower motor died on the coldest night. They had the part on the truck and had us warm again the same day."
- Sandy G."Tech arrived in uniform right on time. AC wasn't cooling, found a failed capacitor, and replaced it in twenty minutes. The owner is a veteran and the company runs like it."
- Frank O."Thermostat swapped for a programmable one and ducts checked for leaks. The house is more even now."
- Omar H.