Furnace Won't Ignite: Find Where the Startup Stops
Furnace clicking but not lighting? Follow a technician's startup sequence, from power and inducer to igniter, gas and flame sensor, then call 612-429-3465.
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Furnace Repair in Columbus, MN
On Columbus acreage, furnace repair starts with a $79 trip charge, waived when you say yes to the repair. A no-heat call here can start at the propane tank, with mice in the blower or with a storm-surged control board, and those are the first three places to look.
Furnace repair calls in Columbus homes
Columbus furnace calls split along the gas mains. On natural gas, the failures are the usual ones for a furnace in its second or third decade: flame sensors, hot-surface igniters, inducer motors and condensate traps. On propane, add the fuel side: a tank running low in a cold snap, a regulator that ices, or a furnace converted from natural gas whose orifices and gas valve setting should be confirmed. Anything that smells of propane is the supplier's call first, made from outside.
The land around these houses brings its own trouble. Mice from the fields and the Carlos Avery marshes move into basements in fall and nest in blower compartments and return ducts, and a chewed wire on a pressure switch or igniter can look like a failed part. Storms on rural lines can also send a surge through a control board, leaving a furnace locked out with no obvious cause.
Updated October 27, 2026
What do common furnace repairs cost in Columbus?
National averages (HomeGuide, 2026), not our prices: a variable-speed (ECM) blower motor $800–$2,300, an igniter $100–$250, a flame sensor $80–$250. More in the furnace repair cost guide.
Symptom guides: Strange noises · Leaking water · Burning smell · Red tag · Signs your furnace needs a technician
Furnace repair in Columbus: questions
Our Columbus propane furnace locks out on the coldest mornings. Is it the furnace or the tank?
Check the tank first. Propane turns from liquid to vapor more slowly as it gets colder and as the tank level drops, so a small or low tank may not keep up with a furnace on a sub-zero morning, and the burners fail to light. A regulator with moisture in it can also freeze. If the gauge reads low, call your supplier. If the tank is fine, we look at the flame sensor, igniter and pressure switch.
We found mouse droppings in our Columbus furnace. Is it safe to run?
Shut it off until it's cleaned. Droppings and nesting in the blower compartment or return get blown through the house, and chewed wires can short a control board. Don't sweep or vacuum droppings dry; health officials advise wetting them with disinfectant first. We clean the blower and cabinet, replace chewed wiring and hoses, check the filter rack for gaps and point out where the mice are getting in.
More in Columbus
- Furnace replacement in Columbus
- AC repair in Columbus
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Furnace repair near Columbus
- Forest Lake, MN furnace repair · 5 mi
- Centerville, MN furnace repair · 7 mi
- Lino Lakes, MN furnace repair · 7 mi
- Ham Lake, MN furnace repair · 8 mi
- East Bethel, MN furnace repair · 8 mi
- Hugo, MN furnace repair · 10 mi
Brands we repair
Guides on furnace repair
Furnace Short Cycling: Time the Cycle, Then Find the Cause
A furnace that turns on and off too often tells you what's wrong by how long it runs. How to time a cycle, what it means, and when to call 612-429-3465.
Read the guideTrane and American Standard Furnace Error Codes
Trane and American Standard furnaces share one control board and flash chart in the maker's guide. See each code, how to read it safely, and when to call.
Read the guideContact Us
Heat out? AC quit? Call or send a request.