How much does a furnace tune-up cost in Draper?

Our standard furnace tune-up is priced in the $89–$139 range depending on furnace type (single-stage, two-stage, or modulating variable-speed systems require more diagnostic and calibration time). Multi-system homes receive a reduced per-unit rate on the second and subsequent furnaces. Our annual maintenance plan covers two scheduled visits per year (pre-heating and pre-cooling season) at a plan rate below the per-visit price. We do not use 'tune-up special' pricing that advertises $49 and then upcharges during the visit once the technician has access to the equipment.

Does the tune-up include cleaning the burners?

Visual burner inspection is included. If the burner ports show carbon deposit buildup from altitude-related rich-burn combustion (common in SunCrest and Traverse Ridge homes where the altitude derate was never performed), we clean the burner ports as part of the tune-up. If the burners are clean and the combustion analysis is within spec, port cleaning is not performed — cleaning components that do not need cleaning is billable work that does not benefit the customer.

Can the tune-up find a cracked heat exchanger?

The combustion analysis component of the tune-up can identify the symptoms of a cracked heat exchanger — elevated CO air-free that cannot be explained by altitude derate or burner port issues, and ambient CO detected at the return air grille. If these findings are present, we follow up with a borescope inspection during the same visit. The combustion analysis alone cannot confirm a crack — a visual borescope inspection is required for that determination. For furnaces over 15 years old, we include borescope inspection in the annual maintenance plan as standard.

My furnace worked fine last winter — do I really need a tune-up?

Yes, for two specific reasons relevant to the south Salt Lake Valley. First, condensate drain scale accumulation is seasonal and cumulative — a drain that flowed freely last March has accumulated 7 months of calcium carbonate deposition from 15–25 gpg water since then and will restrict progressively through the heating season. Second, flame sensor contamination at SunCrest and Traverse Ridge addresses (where altitude derate issues produce carbon deposits) is also seasonal — a sensor that marginally passed last year's tune-up at 0.7 microamps is operating at 0.3 microamps by mid-heating-season after accumulated carbon deposition.

What is the difference between a furnace tune-up and a furnace inspection?

A furnace tune-up is a performance service: we clean components (flame sensor, condensate drain, burners if needed), measure system parameters, and correct minor issues found during the visit. A furnace inspection is a documentation service: we assess condition, document findings with written report and photos, and estimate remaining service life without performing corrective work during the visit. Inspections are most commonly requested for pre-purchase home evaluations, insurance documentation, and HOA compliance. If you need a pre-purchase inspection, request that specifically — we price it differently and the scope is different from a maintenance tune-up.

Furnace Tune-Up in Draper, Utah

The furnace tune-up earns its cost by finding the failures that happen at the worst possible time. A flame sensor that produces 0.4 microamps of flame current in October — below the control board’s dropout threshold of 0.5 microamps — will cause a no-heat lockout during the first sustained cold snap of the season when our emergency dispatch is already running at capacity. A condensate drain that has accumulated calcium carbonate scale over the prior heating season will block completely during the first cold week when the condensate volume is highest. These failures are not random events. They are predictable, measurable, and preventable at a tune-up that costs a fraction of the emergency call they would otherwise trigger.

Our furnace tune-up covers every component in the heating system with a calibrated instrument, not a visual checklist. The result is a documented service report with actual measurements — combustion analysis readings, gas pressure, static pressure, motor amperages, and flame current — that holds up to manufacturer warranty review and gives the next technician who services your system a baseline to diagnose from.

What the Furnace Tune-Up Includes

Filter Inspection and Replacement

The air filter is checked first because a severely restricted filter produces high-limit trips that can look like a failed limit switch, control board, or heat exchanger problem on initial symptoms. We inspect the filter condition at arrival and replace it if it is at or past its service life. MERV 13 pleated media filters in south Salt Lake Valley homes should be changed every 90–120 days during heating season given the elevated fine particulate loading from PCAPS inversion events. If the filter was recently replaced and is within its service life, we document its condition and date in the service report.

Combustion Analysis at All Firing Stages

Every furnace tune-up includes a full combustion analysis using a Testo 320 Basic flue gas analyzer. The combustion probe is inserted in the flue gas sampling port after the furnace reaches steady-state operation. We measure and record:

CO air-free (ppm): Target under 100 ppm. Anything above 200 ppm causes us to shut the furnace down and investigate the cause before returning it to operation. Elevated CO at a tune-up visit in a SunCrest or Traverse Ridge home almost always traces to one of two causes: an altitude derate that was never performed (rich-burn producing incomplete combustion), or a cracked heat exchanger that we then inspect by borescope before making any repair recommendation.
O₂ percentage: Target 5–9%. O₂ below 4% at a SunCrest elevation installation confirms the rich-burn combustion from missing altitude derate. O₂ above 11% indicates excess air from draft hood dilution or a vent connector leak. Both conditions require correction beyond routine maintenance.
Stack temperature: Compared against manufacturer’s rated range for the model. A condensing furnace with a secondary heat exchanger showing scale buildup from 15–25 gpg hard water condensate will have a stack temperature above specification — the scale reduces heat transfer in the secondary exchanger and the excess heat exhausts through the flue rather than entering the conditioned space.

For two-stage and modulating furnaces, we run the combustion analysis at each firing stage. A modulating furnace that produces clean combustion at high fire but elevated CO at low fire (common on furnaces with partially blocked burner ports from carbon deposits at SunCrest altitude) needs burner port cleaning, not a gas valve replacement.

Gas Pressure Verification

Incoming line pressure is measured at the gas valve inlet with a manometer. Target: 7″ WC on Dominion Energy residential supply. Manifold pressure is measured at the gas valve outlet and compared against the manufacturer’s rated manifold pressure for the furnace model, adjusted for altitude at installations above 4,000 feet. A manifold pressure that has drifted from the altitude-corrected target (common on older gas valves with aging internal regulators) is adjusted during the tune-up. We document both pressures in the service report.

Condensate System Inspection and Cleaning (90%+ AFUE Units)

The condensate system on a condensing furnace — drain trap, drain line, condensate pump if present — is inspected and flushed at every tune-up. In the south Salt Lake Valley’s 15–25 grains per gallon hard water environment, calcium carbonate scale deposits in the condensate trap and drain tubing over the course of a heating season. A drain that flows freely in October may be 60–80% restricted by February. We flush the drain with compressed CO₂ or compressed nitrogen, visually confirm flow at the drain terminus, and treat the trap with a descaling agent to inhibit scale re-deposition through the remainder of the heating season. Drain pan tablets are placed in the condensate pan where accessible.

Flame Sensor Cleaning and Microamp Test

The flame sensor is removed, cleaned with fine steel wool or an emery cloth to remove the silicon dioxide scale that accumulates on the stainless steel probe surface, and tested for flame current output with a microamp meter in the furnace door service circuit. A clean flame sensor in a properly burning furnace produces 1.5–5 microamps of flame current through the hot surface ignition circuit. A flame sensor reading below 0.5 microamps after cleaning indicates a sensor with permanent surface degradation that requires replacement. We perform the cleaning and test, replace if the reading remains low after cleaning, and document the microamp reading before and after in the service report. A sensor reading of 0.6 microamps after cleaning that will read 0.4 microamps by mid-January is a sensor we replace in October.

Hot Surface Igniter Inspection

The hot surface igniter (silicon carbide or silicon nitride depending on the furnace model and age) is visually inspected for cracking, discoloration, or physical damage, and tested for resistance. Silicon carbide igniters (common on furnaces pre-2010) are tested at room temperature; resistance above 100Ω indicates a degraded element approaching the end of its functional life. Silicon nitride igniters (common on modern furnaces) are tested for open circuit. A borderline igniter at a September tune-up is a $125–$195 replacement now versus a $185–$285 emergency call replacement at midnight in January when it fails completely.

Inducer Motor Diagnostics

The inducer motor is run and measured for amperage against nameplate FLA. We also listen and feel for bearing noise and shaft wobble — a failing inducer bearing produces a distinctive vibration during operation that is often dismissed as “normal furnace noise” until the bearing seizes and the inducer fails completely during peak heating demand. Inducer motor amperage significantly above FLA in a clean inducer housing (not from debris accumulation on the wheel) indicates bearing load from deteriorating bearing condition. We document the finding and recommend replacement based on the measurement and age, not on replacing components speculatively.

Heat Exchanger Visual Inspection

The heat exchanger is visually inspected at the burner access panel at every tune-up. For furnaces over 12 years old, or for any furnace where the combustion analysis shows elevated CO or ambient CO in the return air, we use a borescope for a full-cell internal inspection. Visual inspection at the burner access panel can identify obvious overfire discoloration, soot accumulation, and debris that suggests combustion problems, but cannot identify cracks or perforations inside the heat exchanger cells that are only visible under borescope. Annual borescope inspection on furnaces over 15 years old is included in our maintenance plan; it is available on request for any tune-up visit at no additional charge on furnaces where we have documented CO concerns.

Blower Motor Inspection

The blower motor is measured for amperage against nameplate FLA with a clean filter installed. The blower wheel is inspected for debris accumulation — a dirty blower wheel on a direct-drive motor draws above FLA, reduces airflow, and produces high static pressure readings simultaneously. In older Sandy and Draper homes where return air ductwork has flexible connections that develop small gaps over time, fine dust and debris bypass the filter and deposit on the blower wheel faster than the manufacturer assumes for a system with an intact duct system. We clean the blower wheel if debris accumulation is present and document the static pressure measurement before and after cleaning.

Static Pressure Measurement

Total external static pressure is measured across the air handler with the filter in service. Target under 0.5″ WC for residential single-speed blowers; within the manufacturer’s specified modulating range for ECM variable-speed blowers. Static pressure above the target at a tune-up visit with a clean filter indicates a duct system problem — undersized return duct, collapsed flex run, closed zone damper — that affects both system efficiency and comfort and should be corrected separately from the maintenance service. We document the finding and provide a preliminary cause assessment in the service report.

Electrical Component Inspection

Limit switch operation: Manually trigger the high limit switch (by blocking the supply plenum briefly) and confirm the furnace shuts down and restarts after the limit resets. A limit switch that does not trip under overheat conditions or does not reset after cooling has failed open or closed and requires replacement.
Thermostat wiring: Low-voltage wiring connections at the furnace control board are inspected for corrosion, loose connections, and correct polarity. A loose R-wire connection causes intermittent no-heat calls that produce no fault at the time of the diagnostic visit but recur when vibration or thermal expansion loosens the connection.
Gas valve connections: Visual inspection of the gas valve body and connection fittings for evidence of gas odor, corrosion, or previous non-standard repairs (field-applied thread sealants, compression fittings in locations specified for flared or welded connections).

Thermostat Calibration and Function Test

Thermostat calibration is verified against the measured return air temperature and the room temperature probe. We test all operating modes, confirm staging operation on two-stage and modulating furnaces, and check communicating thermostat firmware update status (Carrier Infinity, Trane ComfortLink II, Lennox iComfort S30). An iComfort S30 thermostat that has received a firmware update and subsequently dropped communication with the furnace control board is a 30-minute reset procedure, not a control board or thermostat replacement.

Full Heat Cycle Test

At the end of the tune-up, the furnace is run through a complete heat cycle from a thermostat call to setpoint satisfaction, verifying: correct ignition sequence timing, all burner ports lighting uniformly, temperature rise within manufacturer specification, blower operation at all speed settings, and post-cycle purge cycle completion. A temperature rise above specification indicates a static pressure problem requiring investigation. A temperature rise below specification may indicate insufficient gas input for the home’s heat load or a manifold pressure below target. Either finding is documented and addressed before the technician leaves.

The Service Report

Every furnace tune-up produces a written service report documenting:

Date of service, technician name and license number, equipment model, serial number, and approximate installation year
Filter condition at arrival and action taken
CO air-free and O₂ percentage readings at each firing stage
Stack temperature versus manufacturer specification
Incoming gas pressure and manifold pressure (target and measured)
Condensate drain flush status and descaling agent applied
Flame sensor microamp reading before and after cleaning, and action taken
Igniter resistance measurement and condition
Inducer motor amperage versus nameplate FLA
Blower motor amperage versus nameplate FLA
Total external static pressure reading
Heat exchanger visual inspection finding (clean / overfire discoloration / borescope recommended)
Temperature rise measured versus manufacturer specified range
Any findings outside acceptable range with recommended action and estimated cost

This document is retained in your customer file and serves as the annual maintenance record required by most major manufacturers to support warranty claims. It is available on request in digital or printed format for warranty claim submissions, insurance documentation, or home sale records.

When to Schedule

The optimal window for a pre-season furnace tune-up in the south Salt Lake Valley is September through mid-October. This gives us time to source and return with non-stock parts (a specific inducer motor, a silicon carbide igniter for an older unit, a replacement pressure switch for an uncommon model) before the heating season’s first sustained cold events in November. October scheduling also clears the condensate drain before it faces peak condensate volume in November and December when outdoor temperatures drop below the 40°F range and the furnace runs continuously during cold snaps.

If you missed the fall window, a tune-up performed in November or December is still worthwhile. A flame sensor cleaned in November will perform through the rest of the season. A condensate drain cleared in December will not block again before April. We schedule tune-ups year-round — the September–October window is optimal, not exclusive.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does a furnace tune-up cost in Draper?: Our standard furnace tune-up is priced in the $89–$139 range depending on furnace type (single-stage, two-stage, or modulating variable-speed systems require more diagnostic and calibration time). Multi-system homes receive a reduced per-unit rate on the second and subsequent furnaces. Our annual maintenance plan covers two scheduled visits per year (pre-heating and pre-cooling season) at a plan rate below the per-visit price. We do not use “tune-up special” pricing that advertises $49 and then upcharges during the visit once the technician has access to the equipment.
Does the tune-up include cleaning the burners?: Visual burner inspection is included. If the burner ports show carbon deposit buildup from altitude-related rich-burn combustion (common in SunCrest and Traverse Ridge homes where the altitude derate was never performed), we clean the burner ports as part of the tune-up. If the burners are clean and the combustion analysis is within spec, port cleaning is not performed — cleaning components that do not need cleaning is billable work that does not benefit the customer. We document the burner condition in the service report so the finding is on record for future visits.
Can the tune-up find a cracked heat exchanger?: The combustion analysis component of the tune-up can identify the symptoms of a cracked heat exchanger — elevated CO air-free in the flue gas that cannot be explained by altitude derate or burner port issues, and ambient CO detected at the return air grille. If these findings are present, we follow up with a borescope inspection during the same visit. The combustion analysis alone cannot confirm a crack — a visual borescope inspection is required for that determination. For furnaces over 15 years old, we include borescope inspection in the annual maintenance plan as standard; it is available on request for any tune-up visit.
My furnace worked fine last winter — do I really need a tune-up?: Yes, for two specific reasons relevant to the south Salt Lake Valley. First, condensate drain scale accumulation is seasonal and cumulative. A drain that flowed freely last March has accumulated 7 months of calcium carbonate deposition from 15–25 gpg water since then. It will not block completely on the first cold day of the season, but it will restrict progressively through November and December and block completely at peak demand in January or February. Second, flame sensor contamination at SunCrest and Traverse Ridge addresses (where altitude derate issues produce carbon deposits) is also seasonal. A sensor that marginally passed last year’s tune-up at 0.7 microamps is operating at 0.3 microamps by mid-heating-season after accumulated carbon deposition. “It worked fine last winter” is accurate and not predictive of this winter without maintenance.
What is the difference between a furnace tune-up and a furnace inspection?: A furnace tune-up is a performance service: we clean components (flame sensor, condensate drain, burners if needed), measure system parameters, and correct minor issues found during the visit. A furnace inspection is a documentation service: we assess condition, document findings with written report and photos, and estimate remaining service life without performing corrective work during the visit. Inspections are most commonly requested for pre-purchase home evaluations, insurance documentation, and HOA compliance. Tune-ups are the routine annual maintenance; inspections are event-specific. If you need a pre-purchase inspection, request that specifically — we price it differently and the scope is different from a maintenance tune-up.

Contact Draper Heating & Air Conditioning

Schedule your pre-season furnace tune-up for September or October to get ahead of peak demand. We serve Draper, Sandy, Bluffdale, Riverton, South Jordan, and Herriman — dispatched from 12244 Business Park Dr, two minutes from the I-15 and Bangerter interchange.

Phone: (385) 336-1837
Address: 12244 Business Park Dr #155, Draper, UT 84020
Email: info@draperheatingairconditioning.xyz
Utah DOPL HVAC Contractor License: #11487612-5501
EPA Section 608 Universal: #608U-2011-318472

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Furnace Tune-Up Draper UT | Draper Heating & Air Conditioning