How Much Does an HVAC Blower Motor Cost to Replace?

The most common failures of an HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning) system are associated with the motors. There are two motors in an HVAC system: a blower motor in the air handling unit, and a fan motor in the air conditioning condenser unit outside. Either one can and probably will fail eventually. When your air conditioner blower motor fails, the whole system stops working.

Not all motor failures require replacing the motor. Often, a motor failure is indicative of problems with the motor starter relay or motor start capacitor. Before jumping in and replacing the motor, it is necessary to troubleshoot the HVAC system and ensure that the motor itself is the problem.

Staying on the subject of getting the biggest bang for your buck, we are often asked how much does it cost? In today's world, you can just Google your questions. in this article we want to answer the questions the best way we can with the amount of information we have to work with.

Let's first define "Blower motor" - This is the motor that moves the air around your house. It moves the air across the heat exchanger (for heat) and the evaporator coil (for cooling). Most need to be oiled once a year by a serviceman. There is a blower wheel, sometimes referred as a squirrel cage, attached to the shaft of the motor and this is what moves the air.

How does the heater blower motor work?

Inside the HVAC box, the blower motor sits behind the heater core and air conditioner evaporator. When the heater is selected, the blower motor sucks in air, and blows it across the hot heater core, thus providing heat from the vents. Likewise, when the air conditioner is active, the blower motor blows air across the cold evaporator, which blows cold air through the vents.

How are heater blower motor issues diagnosed?

The servicing technician will perform a series of tests that will lead them to the blower motor diagnosis. If the blower motor is making a grinding or rattling noise, it will be removed first for inspection, and if defective, it will be replaced. If the blower motor is not blowing air, the technician will first find and inspect any related fuses. Afterwards, the blower motor's electrical connector is inspected to determine if power is reaching the blower motor. If power reaches the blower motor, and the blower does not function, it will be removed, bench tested with an external power source. If the blower motor fails to operate under direct power, it will be replaced.

Like we've always said, it takes a well-trained technician to be able to correctly diagnose the problem, how to install and test the new part to make sure it works properly. Also, the costs associated with trucks, diagnostic equipment, and time for the tech to get to your home go into the costs to repair your HVAC system.

Most homeowners are looking for range, we can deal with that. Remember, it depends on your specific situation. This item is a bit more expensive to replace and when it goes bad, the life expectancy of your furnace is probably diminishing. It may be time to replace.

Blower motor replacement can range from $150-$450; while a squirrel cage fan with motor is in a range of $250-$600.