Furnaces · Portland Metro & SW Washington
Safe, reliable heat through every Oregon winter.
A furnace is a controlled fire moving heat through your home. On every call we measure combustion gas composition, inspect the heat exchanger by analyzer and by eye, verify gas pressure, and test the safety switches. The numbers go on the invoice.
- $72Diagnostic, credited to the repair
- AnalyzerCombustion reading on every call
- 1 yearLabor warranty on install
Same-day service is typical when you call before 2 pm.
The Portland furnace standard, in five facts
- $72Diagnostic, credited to the repair.
- Same-dayWhen you call before 2 pm.
- AnalyzerCombustion measured on every visit.
- Daikin · GoodmanGas, electric and condensing.
- 1 yearLabor warranty, plus manufacturer parts.
- Oregon CCB #40820
- WA Contractor #LARSEMS742D7
Should I fix it or replace it?
An honest framework, not a sales script.
Repair usually makes sense when
The furnace is under 15 years old.
The heat exchanger is intact and the analyzer reads clean.
This is the first or second repair in recent memory.
The failed part is bounded and affordable: igniter, flame sensor, blower capacitor, gas valve.
The home is well-served by the existing equipment size and ductwork.Replacement usually makes sense when
The heat exchanger is cracked, which is a safety call with no repair option.
The furnace is past 15 to 20 years and showing rising repair frequency.
A major component has failed: control board, inducer motor, secondary heat exchanger on a condensing unit.
The next repair cost approaches replacement cost.
The home would benefit from a heat pump conversion, with Energy Trust rebates, federal credits and electric backup options.The furnace is electric
On an electric resistance furnace the conversation almost always includes a heat pump comparison, because the operating cost difference at PNW electric rates is significant. We won't push the upgrade; we'll show you the numbers.
Tell us what you're noticing.
Most furnace calls start with one of these, not with the equipment.
It didn't light on the first cold morning.
The first ice storm of November is when a marginal furnace stops being marginal.
It's running rough.
Most of these trace back to inlet and manifold gas pressure being off the nameplate.
The repairs are getting closer together.
Rising repair frequency past 15 to 20 years is the clearest replacement signal there is.
Somebody mentioned the heat exchanger.
There is no repair for a cracked one. We red-tag the unit, lock out the gas, and explain the next steps before anything else.
You're not sure the CO detector works.
Every Portland home with a gas appliance should have a working one on every level.
The quote says "same size as the old one".
That's the previous installer's guess, repeated back to you as a specification.
Schedule a real furnace service.
A Tru72 technician arrives with the analyzer, the manometer and the time to do it right. The numbers go on the invoice.
Carbon monoxide is invisible. The data isn't.
A well-vented furnace pushes its combustion gases out the flue. A poorly tuned or damaged one can leak them into the air your blower distributes. Five measurements, every service, documented on the invoice.
The heat exchanger is whole.
The heat exchanger is the metal wall that separates the combustion gases from the air your blower sends through the house. A crack lets those gases, including carbon monoxide, into your living space. Tru72 inspects it visually and with a combustion analyzer on every service.
What it means: this is the measurement that protects your family from carbon monoxide. There's no DIY substitute and no visual-only shortcut. If we find a crack, we red-tag the unit and walk you through what comes next.
The combustion is clean.
A combustion analyzer probe in the flue reads the actual gas composition the burner is producing: CO, CO2, O2, stack temperature. Tru72 tunes the furnace into the manufacturer's spec window, every visit, and documents the reading.
What it means: clean combustion is safer (less CO produced), more efficient (less gas wasted), and gentler on the equipment (longer service life). Three benefits from one measurement.
The gas pressure is right.
Inlet and manifold gas pressure are measured against the appliance nameplate. Pressure too high or too low changes the burn quality and equipment longevity.
What it means: more reliable heat through the cold snap, longer equipment life, and fewer mid-winter service calls. Cheap to measure, expensive to ignore.
The draft pulls the right way.
Negative pressure at the flue is confirmed so combustion gases exit the home rather than back-draft into it.
What it means: the exhaust leaves the house instead of finding its way back into the rooms you sleep in.
The safety switches actually work.
High-limit, rollout, pressure switch and flame sensor verified by test, not by assumption.
What it means: the parts whose only job is to shut the furnace down when something goes wrong are proven to do it before you need them to.
What it means: Every Portland home with a gas appliance should have a working CO detector on every level. If you don't have one, we leave one with you at no charge on the service call.
Two ways to service a furnace.
One looks at it. The other measures it.
| What is being compared | Typical service | Tru72 service |
|---|---|---|
| Heat exchanger | Checked by flashlight. A quick peek through the burner cell. Hairline cracks invisible to the eye are missed. The family unknowingly breathes combustion gases including CO. | Checked by combustion analyzer. Combustion gas readings catch cracks that visual inspection misses. Your family's air stays separate from the burner's exhaust. Safety verified with data, not assumed. |
| Gas pressure | Assumed. If the burner lights, the pressure is "fine." System runs out of spec, burns inefficiently, wears the components faster than it should. Mid-winter service calls multiply. | Measured and tuned to spec. Inlet and manifold pressure adjusted to the nameplate, documented on the invoice. Reliable heat through ice storms. Lower bills. The furnace lasts its full service life. |
| Combustion | Tuned by smell. Tweaked until "it looks right." Burner runs dirty. More CO produced than necessary. More gas burned for the same heat. Both bad for your family and your bill. | Tuned by analyzer reading. CO, CO2, O2, stack temperature measured and tuned into spec. Cleanest burn, safest operation, lowest gas use. Three benefits from one measurement. |
| Sizing | Replacement sized "same as the old one." New furnace matches the BTU rating of the previous one, whether or not it was correctly sized. Often oversized: rooms get hot fast then cold fast, the furnace cycles constantly, and the bill is higher than it should be. | Replacement sized to your actual home. Manual J load calculation room by room. Even temperatures throughout the house, smooth long runs instead of constant cycling, longer equipment life, lower bills. |
| Efficiency tier | AFUE chosen by what's in stock. Efficiency tier driven by what's on the truck. You might overspend on premium where the payback doesn't work, or underspend on standard where condensing would have paid back in five years. | AFUE recommended by payback math. 80% standard vs 95%+ condensing modeled against your heating hours and Oregon gas rate. You see the math for your home and choose the tier that fits your timeline. No surprises after the install. |
Five steps. Real measurements at each.
From assessment to commissioning, the math runs the install.
In-home assessment
Walk the home. Inspect the existing furnace, vent path, gas line, and ductwork. Free, no obligation.
Manual J load calc
Real BTU heating load calculated room by room. AFUE options modeled against your gas rate.
Itemized quote
Equipment options matched to the load. Vent and condensate scope itemized. Permit fees passed through at cost.
Install day
Two-person crew. Equipment to spec. Vent piping correct for the appliance. Gas line sized. Permits pulled.
Commissioning
Combustion analyzer reading, gas pressure, temperature rise, blower amp draw, safety switches. Numbers on the invoice.
Keep reading.
Heat Pumps
An electric alternative when the math favors it. Manual J on every install.
Indoor Air Quality
CO detection, fresh-air ventilation, and the rest of the system that keeps the air good.
Tru Comfort Maintenance
A fall heating tune-up catches combustion issues before the cold front does.
Common questions about furnaces.
Plain answers from a diagnostic-first crew.
What does Tru72 check on a furnace service call?
Every Tru72 furnace service call includes instrumented diagnostics. We measure gas pressure at the inlet and manifold, run a combustion gas analysis against the manufacturer specification, inspect the heat exchanger for cracks and corrosion, check flue piping and draft, verify ignition and flame sensor operation, test safety switches and the pressure switch, measure temperature rise across the heat exchanger, and inspect the blower motor and capacitor. Numbers go on the invoice.
When does a furnace need to be replaced rather than repaired?
Common replacement triggers: a cracked heat exchanger (safety, never repaired), age past 15 to 20 years with rising repair frequency, a major component failure (control board, inducer motor, gas valve) on a furnace already on its second decade, or efficiency that has dropped meaningfully due to age. The diagnostic visit measures the actual condition and we recommend repair or replacement based on what the numbers show, not on a sales target.
What furnace brands does Tru72 install?
Tru72 is an authorized dealer of Daikin and Goodman. Each carries gas furnace lines at multiple AFUE tiers (80% standard, 90% to 98% condensing). Equipment selection is driven by the Manual J output, your fuel source, vent path, and budget. Goodman offers strong parts warranties, including a lifetime heat exchanger limited warranty on many models; Daikin furnaces include variable-speed and modulating burner options.
Is a 90%+ high-efficiency furnace worth it in Portland?
Usually yes. A 95%+ condensing furnace converts more of the fuel you pay for into actual heat, which compounds over a 15- to 20-year service life. The trade is a different vent path (PVC sidewall, not metal flue), a condensate drain, and a slightly higher upfront cost. For Portland's heating-dominant climate, the payback math typically favors condensing equipment, especially when paired with the proper Manual J sizing.
Why is the heat exchanger inspection important?
A cracked heat exchanger leaks combustion byproducts (carbon monoxide among them) into the air your blower distributes through the house. There is no repair for a cracked heat exchanger; the unit must be replaced. Tru72 inspects the heat exchanger visually and with a combustion analyzer on every service. If we find a crack, we red-tag the unit, lock out the gas, and explain the next steps before anything else.
Do you service electric furnaces too?
Yes. Tru72 services and replaces both gas and electric furnaces. For homes currently on an electric resistance furnace, the diagnostic-first conversation almost always includes a comparison to a heat pump install, since the operating cost difference at PNW electric rates is significant. We will not push the upgrade; we'll show you the numbers.
How long does a furnace installation take?
Most furnace replacements are a one-day install (8 to 10 hours, two-person crew). Condensing furnace conversions that require new vent piping or condensate routing can add a few hours. Replacements that pair with a coil or ductwork remediation are scoped at quote.
What is the warranty on a Tru72 furnace install?
Manufacturer parts warranties apply per the equipment line (Daikin and Goodman publish their own, varying by model and registration). Tru72 provides a 1-year labor warranty on installation. Tru Comfort and Mission Ready members receive priority warranty service and a 24-hour repair response window.
Sleep well through the winter.
A Tru72 technician arrives with the analyzer to verify combustion, the manometer to verify gas pressure, the inspection to verify the heat exchanger, and the math to size a replacement honestly if it comes to that. You go to bed confident, not crossing your fingers.
- Portland Metro & SW Washington(541) 652-6299
Furnace service and installation across the Portland metro and SW Washington
Tru72 Heating & Cooling services, repairs and installs gas and electric furnaces in Portland, Lake Oswego, Beaverton, Tigard, Tualatin, West Linn, Oregon City, and across the Columbia in Vancouver, Camas, Washougal, Battle Ground, Ridgefield and La Center, from the Lake Oswego dispatch at 5 Centerpointe Dr, Ste 87. Combustion analyzer reading on every service call. Manual J on every replacement. Authorized Daikin and Goodman dealer. $72 diagnostic, credited toward the repair. Oregon CCB #40820 · WA #LARSEMS742D7.
