Furnace Replacement Projects — St. George, UT
Furnace Replacement Projects in St. George
Real furnace installations completed by Bret across St. George, Washington, and Hurricane. Every project shown here is a real home, a real problem, and a real solution — not a stock photo or a sales pitch.
Southern Utah homeowners often underestimate their furnace because heating season is shorter here than in northern states. But when January hits and overnight temperatures drop into the mid-20s, a failing furnace becomes an emergency — not a convenience issue. The projects below show what proper furnace replacement looks like: correct sizing, clean installation, safe venting, and equipment that will perform reliably for the next 20+ years.
Every furnace Bret installs is matched to the home's heating load — not oversized to inflate the invoice, and not undersized to cut costs. Oversized furnaces short-cycle (turning on and off rapidly), which wastes energy, creates uneven temperatures, and accelerates wear on the heat exchanger. Undersized units run constantly without reaching setpoint. Proper sizing is the foundation of a furnace that performs well and lasts.
Bret installs Goodman and AirEase furnaces — reliable, well-built equipment backed by strong manufacturer warranties. He doesn't push premium brands with inflated markups. He installs equipment he trusts, at prices that make sense, with installation quality that protects the warranty and the homeowner.
What Sets Bret's Furnace Work Apart
High-Efficiency Installs
96%+ AFUE furnaces that capture nearly every dollar of heating energy
Safety-First Approach
Heat exchanger inspections, CO testing, and proper combustion air on every job
Proper Sizing
Manual J load calculations — not guesswork — to match the furnace to your home
Sealed Combustion
PVC venting that eliminates combustion air problems in tight spaces
Gas Line Integrity
Electronic leak detection on every connection before the job is complete
30+ Years Experience
Bret has installed hundreds of furnaces across Southern Utah since the 1990s
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Goodman 96% AFUE two-stage furnace with sealed combustion PVC venting. Filter size noted on plenum for easy homeowner reference.
St. George, UT
Garage Utility Room — 96% AFUE Goodman Upgrade
The Problem
The homeowner's 18-year-old furnace was cycling erratically and producing inconsistent heat. The flame sensor had been cleaned multiple times, and the inducer motor was getting louder each season. At 80% AFUE, the unit was also costing more to run than it should — especially noticeable during St. George's cold snaps in January and February when overnight lows drop into the mid-20s.
What Bret Did
Bret replaced the aging unit with a Goodman 96% AFUE two-stage gas furnace. The two-stage burner runs at low fire most of the time — quieter, more even heat distribution, and less thermal cycling stress on the heat exchanger. The high-efficiency rating required PVC intake and exhaust venting (sealed combustion), which Bret routed cleanly through the garage wall. He also upgraded the sheet metal plenum transition to properly match the new unit's airflow specifications and wrote the filter size directly on the ductwork so the homeowner always knows what to buy.
Expert Insight
An 80% furnace sends 20 cents of every heating dollar up the flue as wasted exhaust heat. A 96% unit captures almost all of that energy. In Southern Utah — where heating season is shorter but intense — the upgrade typically pays for itself within 6-8 years through reduced gas bills. The two-stage operation also means the blower runs at lower speed most of the time, which reduces electricity consumption and noise.
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Goodman furnace in a confined mechanical room. Yellow CSST gas flex lines, dual PVC venting, proper clearances maintained despite tight quarters.
Washington, UT
Tight Mechanical Room — Proper Clearances Next to Water Heater
The Problem
This home's mechanical room is shared with the water heater, leaving minimal clearance for a furnace replacement. The previous installer had cut corners on combustion air — the old furnace was pulling air from the confined space, which can lead to incomplete combustion, carbon monoxide risk, and premature heat exchanger failure. The homeowner noticed a faint gas smell during startup cycles.
What Bret Did
Bret installed a new Goodman high-efficiency furnace with sealed combustion (drawing outside air through dedicated PVC intake). This eliminates the combustion air problem entirely — the furnace no longer competes with the water heater for oxygen in the confined space. He routed yellow CSST (corrugated stainless steel tubing) gas lines with proper bonding and used schedule 40 PVC for both intake and exhaust venting with correct termination clearances outside. Every connection was leak-tested with electronic detection before leaving.
Expert Insight
Confined mechanical rooms are one of the most common installation mistakes in residential HVAC. When a furnace and water heater share a small space without adequate combustion air, both appliances starve for oxygen. This causes yellow/orange flames instead of clean blue, produces carbon monoxide, and accelerates heat exchanger corrosion. Sealed combustion (90%+ AFUE) furnaces solve this by pulling air from outside through a dedicated pipe — they don't care how small the room is.
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Goodman furnace in basement mechanical room alongside tankless water heater. Flexible exhaust duct for combustion air, proper condensate drainage to floor drain.
Hurricane, UT
Basement Mechanical Room — Full System Modernization
The Problem
The homeowner was dealing with a 20-year-old furnace that had developed a cracked secondary heat exchanger — visible during Bret's inspection with a mirror and flashlight. A cracked heat exchanger is a non-negotiable replacement situation: it can leak combustion gases (including carbon monoxide) into the home's air supply. The basement location also meant dealing with longer condensate drain runs and existing ductwork that needed transition modifications.
What Bret Did
Bret removed the failed unit and installed a new Goodman high-efficiency furnace. The basement installation required careful attention to condensate management — high-efficiency furnaces produce acidic condensate (pH around 3.5-4.0) that must drain properly to avoid corrosion. He ran PVC condensate lines to the existing floor drain with proper slope and a trap to prevent sewer gas backflow. The flexible exhaust duct connects to the existing B-vent chase, and all gas connections were made with proper drip legs and shutoff valves.
Expert Insight
Heat exchanger cracks are the number one reason furnaces get replaced rather than repaired. The heat exchanger is the barrier between combustion gases and your home's breathing air. Once it cracks, there's no safe repair — only replacement. In Southern Utah, heat exchangers typically last 15-25 years depending on maintenance, cycling frequency, and whether the system was properly sized. Annual inspections catch cracks early, before they become a safety hazard.
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AirEase furnace in a hallway closet with Aprilaire whole-home air cleaner integrated below. Tight-space installation requiring precise measurements.
St. George, UT
Interior Closet — AirEase with Aprilaire Air Cleaner
The Problem
This home has no garage or basement — the furnace lives in a hallway closet. The previous unit was undersized and struggling to heat the home evenly, with some rooms 5-8 degrees colder than the thermostat setting. The homeowner also had concerns about indoor air quality, particularly dust and allergens circulating through the ductwork.
What Bret Did
Bret installed an AirEase high-efficiency furnace sized correctly for the home's heating load. The closet installation required precise measurements — every inch matters when you're working with clearance requirements, venting angles, and service access. Below the furnace, he integrated an Aprilaire whole-home media air cleaner, which filters all air passing through the system at MERV 11+ efficiency. The PVC venting was routed through the attic space above with proper slope for condensate drainage back to the unit.
Expert Insight
Interior closet installations are among the most challenging in residential HVAC. You're working with strict clearance requirements (typically 1-3 inches on sides, specific distances from combustibles), limited service access for future maintenance, and venting routes that must navigate through walls or attic spaces. The payoff is worth it — a properly sized furnace in a closet performs identically to one in a spacious garage. The Aprilaire air cleaner is a smart addition in Southern Utah where fine red rock dust, construction particulate, and seasonal allergens are constant concerns.
Furnace Replacement Pricing Context
These are planning numbers — not final quotes. Every home is different, and the actual price depends on equipment selection, efficiency rating, installation complexity, ductwork condition, and venting requirements.
Standard Efficiency (80% AFUE)
$4,500 – $6,000
Metal B-vent, atmospheric combustion
High Efficiency (96% AFUE)
$5,500 – $8,000
PVC sealed combustion, condensate drain
Factors that affect price: ductwork modifications, gas line upgrades, electrical requirements, venting route complexity, equipment brand/tier, and whether the evaporator coil needs replacement at the same time. Bret provides a clear written price before any work begins.
What Homeowners Say About Bret's Furnace Work
"Bret installed a new furnace and air conditioner for us. Explained everything. Very honest. Gave me a price that was at least 25% less than the big HVAC companies. Saved us thousands."
— Google Review
"I called Bret when my 22-year-old furnace started acting up. He explained over the phone what he thought the problem might be, came out the next day, and ran tests while walking me through everything. It ended up being a simple fix."
— Google Review
"Our furnace stopped working. I called multiple HVAC companies — most required an expensive diagnosis fee. Bret did not. He came quickly, explained the issue, and repaired it the same day within the hour."
— Google Review
"This was the best and most honest company we've had work on our furnace and A/C. Great service and pricing. He was great to work with and is such an honest, experienced person in his trade."
— Google Review
Furnace Replacement Questions
Need a Furnace Replaced? Call Bret.
Tell Bret what's happening with your furnace. He'll give you a straight answer about whether it's worth repairing or time to replace — and if it's replacement, you'll get a clear price with no surprises.
(435) 549-1409 · Licensed & Insured · Owner-Operated