Fast, Reliable Heating & Furnace Across Los Altos
Heating and furnace service in Los Altos typically runs $150–$700 for repairs and $80–$200 for tune-ups, with most calls completed same-day. Our Heating & Furnace team knows the 94022, 94023, and 94024 zip codes well — from the original ranch homes off Springer Road to the newer custom builds near Los Altos Country Club. If your furnace won’t start or your heat exchanger is showing cracks, call us at (844) 875-9451. We’ll give you a straight answer and a free estimate before any work begins.
Why Redwood Heating & Air San Diego Is Los Altos’s Preferred Heating & Furnace Company
We’ve built our reputation in Los Altos over 13 years by showing up with the right parts and the right diagnosis — not a sales pitch. Gregory Hahn founded this company and still leads every technical decision, so when you call Redwood Heating & Air, you’re getting owner-level accountability, not a dispatcher sending whichever crew is available.
Our 428 verified reviews averaging 4.6 stars include plenty from Los Altos homeowners who’ve been through the frustration of one-brand dealers or rushed callbacks. They stick with us because we service their brand — whether it’s a 1960s Carrier still running strong or a new Rheem in a teardown-rebuild off Magdalena Avenue.
We’re based in San Diego with emergency HVAC service available, and we route our Bay Area calls to keep response times tight for Los Altos residents. We know the difference between a valley-floor ranch on El Monte Avenue and a hillside custom home in Los Altos Hills, and we bring the right equipment for each.
Our Heating & Furnace Services in Los Altos
Furnace Repair
Furnace repair in Los Altos runs $150–$700 depending on the part and accessibility. We see a lot of calls from the original ranch neighborhoods — Old Los Altos, the area around Loyola Corners, streets off Foothill Expressway — where 1960s gas furnaces are still doing the heavy lifting. These systems were built to last, but gas valves seize after decades of light winter use, and ignitors fail when you need them most. Our techs carry parts for Carrier, Trane, Lennox, Goodman, and Rheem units, so we’re not ordering and making you wait.
Furnace Replacement
When a furnace is past repair, replacement is the smarter money. In Los Altos, this gets complicated fast. The 1950s–1970s ranch homes that dominate this city were built with attic ductwork sized only for gas heat — no cooling capacity at all. As summer heat events now push valley temperatures into the 95–105°F range, homeowners want AC retrofitted onto these systems. We won’t install a new furnace or AC without first evaluating whether your ducts can handle the airflow. In the Old Los Altos neighborhood off Springer Road, we serviced a 1960s ranch home where the original gas furnace — a Carrier 58 series — was still running but the homeowner wanted to add central cooling. Our tech measured the uninsulated attic ducts at 145°F on a July afternoon, so we recommended duct sealing and R-38 insulation before quoting any AC install, saving the owner from future callbacks.
Furnace Tune-Up
A furnace tune-up in Los Altos costs $80–$200 and should happen every fall before the first cold snap. Winters here are mild — lows rarely dip below 35°F — so your furnace doesn’t run hard for months on end. That actually masks problems. A system that sits idle 8 months of the year can develop cracked heat exchangers, dirty burners, or failing ignitors that you don’t discover until that first November night. We inspect, clean, and test every component, and we flag ductwork issues before they become expensive surprises.
Heat Exchanger Inspection & Repair
Cracked heat exchangers are a safety issue we take seriously. In Los Altos’s older ranch homes, original furnaces have often been replaced once, but the second-generation units are now 20–30 years old. These heat exchangers fatigue from decades of thermal cycling, especially in homes near the foothills where temperature swings are sharper. We inspect with visual and combustion analysis tools, and if replacement is needed, we quote honestly — no scare tactics.
Ignitor Replacement
Ignitor replacement in Los Altos runs $150–$700, with the range reflecting whether we’re matching a standard silicon carbide ignitor or sourcing a discontinued part for a 1960s furnace. Many of the original ranch homes still have standing pilot or early hot-surface ignitors that manufacturers no longer support. Gregory Hahn’s Master Technician background means our team knows how to retrofit modern ignitor assemblies safely, or advise when keeping an ancient furnace running is no longer the economical choice.
Gas Valve Repair
Gas valves on first-generation 1960s furnaces fail after decades of light seasonal use, especially in teardown-rebuild homes that sit vacant between construction phases. We test gas pressure, check for leaks, and replace valves with exact-match or manufacturer-approved equivalents. Safety first — always.
What happens when you call
- 1
A real person answersNo phone trees — you reach a local pro.
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You get an upfront price rangeHonest numbers before anyone is dispatched.
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A background-checked tech heads outLicensed & insured, dispatched right away.
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You approve before work beginsNothing starts until you say go.
Trusted Brands We Service in Los Altos
We service, repair, and install equipment from nine major brands: Carrier, Trane, Lennox, Goodman, Rheem, York, Daikin, Bryant, and American Standard. For Los Altos customers, this matters because your neighborhood has two very different housing stocks. The original ranches often run Carrier, Lennox, or Rheem from the 1980s–90s first-replacement wave. The custom teardown-rebuilds near the Country Club or along Arastradero Road frequently spec Trane or Daikin multi-zone systems with smart-home integration. We stock common parts locally and factory-train our techs across all nine lines, so your brand is our brand.
Common Heating & Furnace Problems We See in Los Altos Homes
- Original heat-only ductwork collapsing under AC retrofit airflow. The ranch homes on streets like Springer Road and Edith Avenue have flexible duct runs from the 1960s that were never designed for the static pressure of a modern air handler. When AC is added without resizing, seams split and airflow drops to nothing.
- Gas valve failure on decades-old furnaces after light seasonal use. A furnace that only runs 40–60 nights per year in Los Altos’s mild climate can develop sticky or seized gas valves. The diaphragms dry out, and the valve won’t open reliably when called.
- Smart-home integration conflicts in custom rebuilds. Los Altos homeowners building new often want whisper-quiet, multi-zone systems controlled by Wi-Fi thermostats. But existing zoning dampers and control boards from older equipment aren’t always compatible, leading to callbacks that require real controls expertise.
- Heat exchanger cracks in second-generation furnaces reaching end of life. The 1980s–90s replacement furnaces in many Los Altos ranches are now 25–35 years old. Heat exchanger metal fatigues, and combustion gases can leak into living spaces. We test every time we open a furnace.
Pricing for Heating & Furnace in Los Altos, CA
Here’s what furnace work costs in the Los Altos market:
| Service | Price Range |
|---|---|
| Furnace Repair | $150–$700 |
| Furnace Tune-Up | $80–$200 |
| Ignitor Replacement | $150–$700 |
What moves the needle within these ranges? Accessibility matters — a furnace in a tight attic crawlspace off Foothill Expressway takes longer than one in a generous garage utility room. Parts availability matters — a standard Goodman ignitor is in our van; a discontinued Carrier 58-series gas valve may need sourcing. And ductwork condition matters enormously in Los Altos, where original heat-only systems often need sealing or insulation before any furnace or AC work makes sense. We diagnose first, quote second, and start work only when you approve. Estimates are free — call (844) 875-9451.
We Also Serve Cities Near Los Altos
Our service area extends to Los Altos Hills for hillside custom homes with unique zoning challenges, Mountain View for the dense Eichler and ranch stock near El Camino Real, Stanford for university-adjacent properties, and Sunnyvale for the broader Santa Clara Valley. Same technical standards, same Gregory Hahn-led accountability, same multi-brand expertise.
Serving Los Altos, CA — Our Local Coverage Area
We’re based in the Los Altos area and know this community well. Use the map below to see our service coverage — if you’re nearby, we can almost certainly help.
FAQs — Heating & Furnace in Los Altos
Original 1950s–1970s ranch homes in Los Altos were built with attic ductwork sized only for gas heat, and those attic cavities hit 140–150°F on summer afternoons. When AC is retrofitted onto unsealed, uninsulated ducts, cooled air warms before it reaches your rooms, efficiency craters, and your system runs constantly without ever catching up. We always measure attic duct temperatures and recommend sealing and R-38 insulation before quoting any AC add-on. Call (844) 875-9451 for a free duct assessment.
We install and service Trane, Lennox, Rheem, and Goodman systems, with Trane and Lennox being the most common requests for Los Altos teardown-rebuilds. These custom homes often need multi-zone, variable-speed furnaces paired with smart thermostats. Our factory training across all nine brands means we match the equipment to your home’s specific load calculations, not a one-size-fits-all spec. Call (844) 875-9451 to discuss your project.
Once per year, ideally in September or October before the first cold nights. Los Altos’s mild winters mean your furnace sits idle most of the year, which lets dust accumulate and small cracks develop undetected. Annual tune-ups catch heat exchanger fatigue, dirty burners, and failing ignitors before they leave you without heat on the one night you really need it. Our tune-ups run $80–$200; call (844) 875-9451 to schedule.
Yes, we handle furnace replacement and full HVAC design for Los Altos teardown-rebuilds, including the vacant-period gas valve issues that arise when construction timelines stretch. These projects require load calculations for homes that are often 2–3 times the square footage of the original ranch, with zoning for multiple floors and smart-home integration. We coordinate with your builder or architect to spec the right system from day one. Call (844) 875-9451 to discuss timing.
Often yes, though it depends on parts availability. Many 1960s furnaces in Los Altos neighborhoods like Old Los Altos have standing pilots or early hot-surface ignitors that manufacturers no longer stock. Our Master Technician-level team can sometimes retrofit modern ignitor assemblies safely, but we’ll also tell you honestly when replacement is the smarter long-term investment. Ignitor work runs $150–$700. Call (844) 875-9451 and we’ll evaluate what you’ve got.
Written by Gregory Hahn, Owner at Redwood Heating & Air, serving Los Altos since 2011.