Even though the replacement parts were under warranty, a technician wanted to charge nearly $2,000 in labor to fix a four-year-old furnace.
The estimate drew skepticism in a Reddit thread, where commenters—including some who said they worked in HVAC—called the quote highly suspicious.
Here's what to know
On Reddit's r/hvacadvice, the homeowner explained that their four-year-old gas Lennox furnace stopped working in the lead-up to winter.
"Thermostat says it's on but no heat or even air is coming out," the homeowner wrote.
Next, the original poster called out the company that had installed the furnace to take a look. The technician blamed a failed board and heat sensor, and they quoted $2,000 in labor for repairs. On top of that, the technician also tried to blame the homeowner, saying the problem occurred because the OP missed a cleaning appointment.
What commenters said
In the replies, readers disputed both the labor figure and the maintenance explanation.
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One commenter who identified themselves as a seasoned HVAC technician wrote, "I'd say at the most for a control board and flame sensor, labor would be around $350-600."
A second commenter who also claimed to work in HVAC gave a similar benchmark: "At roughly 150-200 per hr labor, you would be looking at maybe 2-3 hrs maximum to change the board and test everything. A good tech probably 1 hour."
The homeowner said the furnace is a Lennox unit located in a scuttle attic, both of which can affect pricing. However, commenters still said those details didn't support a $2,000 labor charge for a warranty repair.
Some commenters even went so far as to question the diagnosis itself.
"Probably doesn't even need a board tbh," said one Redditor.
"I bet it's just a failed igniter," added another, who claimed to be an HVAC tech.
What can be done?
The most repeated advice in the thread was for the OP to seek additional estimates before agreeing to the repair.
"Get a second and third quote," one stated bluntly, with multiple others echoing that recommendation.
To help ensure an impartial diagnosis, several commenters recommended not sharing the first company's conclusion with the next technician.
As one person put it, the homeowner should "call someone else and don't even mention the board just see what they find," which could help confirm whether the problem was actually the control board and sensor.
Another commenter advised the OP to contact their "local Lennox wholesale distributor and ask for a couple honest contractors for your Lennox warranty."
"Call them and get quotes," they continued.
Where can I learn more?
The OP was hardly the first homeowner to feel suspicious about a surprisingly high quote. These stories include other examples of homeowners facing uncertainty around HVAC expenses.
• A homeowner paid $1,400 for a warranty swap and still felt overcharged.
• One homeowner got a $10,000 HVAC quote for what others called a $150 fix.
• In Pennsylvania, an HVAC company paid $300,000 after fear-based furnace sales tactics drew scrutiny.
• A basic AC replacement turned into a $25,000 quote that left one homeowner stunned.
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