hvac blower motor replacement cost

Last Updated: Wednesday, January 12, 2022

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How Much Does it Cost to Replace a Furnace Blower Motor?

	Low $155 – 230	Average Cost $245 – $610	High $665 – 1,280
Under Warranty	Yes	Yes or No	No
Blower Speed	Single speed or Multi-speed	Single-speed or Multi-speed	Multi-speed or Variable-speed
Size	1/4 to 1/3 HP	1/4 to 3/4 HP	3/4 to 1.0 HP
Motor Type	PSC	PSC or ECM	PSC or ECM
Blower Wheel Included	No	No or Yes	Yes
Job Difficulty	Easy to Moderate	Easy to Moderate	Easy to Hard
Permits / Inspections	None	None	None
Installed By	DIY	DIY or Pro	Professional

Sections: Overview | Product Costs | Installation Cost | Insurance / Warranty | DIY or Pro

Overview of a Furnace Blower Motor

The blower motor powers the blower wheel that circulates air across the heat exchanger or evaporator coil, through your ducts and to the return air vents in the rooms of your home. Motors usually begin making noise before failing, but occasionally seize up or burn out quickly.

When the blower motor quits, your furnace might not start at all. Or it might start, fire up and then shut down. Your furnace has a high-limit sensor and switch. If the heated air isn’t getting pushed out by the blower, the switch will close the gas or oil valve, shutting down the furnace.

Blower motors are a little harder to replace than a gas control valve, but easier than a heat exchanger. This affects installation time and cost.

There’s a lot of information below including itemized costs, actual costs from other homeowners, a DIY yes/no recommendation and costs from estimate sites around the internet.

Other Common Furnace Repairs

Project Cost Details

Blower Motor Replacement Price Factors

We’ve listed a wide range of blower motor replacement costs, and the table shows some of the factors. Here’s a more complete discussion of those price factors.

• Warranty: Yes or No – If the part is under warranty, you pay just labor. If the warranty has expired, the estimates will include labor and the cost of the part. Blower motor warranties range from 5 to 12 years for most major brands, with 10 being average. Your manual should indicate warranty length. Or you can search your model on the manufacturer’s website to see the warranty and conditions.
• Blower motor speeds – The options are single-speed, multispeed and variable-speed. Cost rises with performance.
• Size – Common furnace horsepower blower ratings are 1/4, 1/3, 1/2, 3/4 and 1 horsepower. The larger your furnace is, the more air (CFM) the blower has to move, and the more it will cost.
• Motor type: PSC or ECM – ECM motors are quieter and use less energy than PSC motors, but they cost more. In some cases, you might be able to replace a PSC motor with an ECM motor for improved performance and efficiency.
• Blower Wheel Too? – Sometimes replacing the blower wheel, which is the fan or “squirrel cage,” is recommended or necessary and raises the cost.
• Job difficulty – The positioning of the blower motor within the furnace and the location of the furnace impact how long the job takes. And that affects cost.
• Cost of Living – All costs are affected by where you live. If the cost of living low, average or high, so will the cost of blower motor replacement relative to other cities.

Replacement Considerations

When furnace repairs are costly, it makes sense to consider whether repairing it or replacing the furnace is the best option. If the furnace is no longer under warranty, replacement becomes more attractive. This is especially true when the repair estimate is high and the furnace is already 12-15 years old.

We recommend getting several estimates on the cost of blower motor replacement and discussing your options with the HVAC repair companies, before assuming it is your only option. Furnace replacement is one of the most expensive home repairs you’ll have as a homeowner. It only makes sense to get multiple estimates before doing so.

If one or more of them suggest replacing your older furnace, they might be acting in your best interest, saving you the hassle and expense of repairing it this year and replacing it shortly anyway because of another costly mechanical issue.

Cost of Installation Supplies

• $85 – $175 |Single-speed motor
• $115 – $430 | Multispeed motor
• $280 – $875 | Variable-speed motor
• $70 – $215 | Blower wheel, when needed
• $4 – $15 | Capacitor
• $10 – $20 | Installation accessories

Permits, Inspection, Related Costs and Installation Time

Permits and Inspection Cost

• $0 | Replacing a furnace blower motor does not require a permit.

Related Costs and Installation Time

The table at the top of the page includes both parts and installation labor.

However, if you’re considering doing the work yourself, you might be interested in what you can save.

Certified technician rates range from about $75 to $125 per hour for most companies. Cost of living affects the rates. So does size of the company and how busy they are at any given time period. Small companies with less overhead often have cheaper rates.

Install Time Schedule

This is a quick job on most furnaces.

• .5 to 1 hour | Remove the old blower motor
• 1 to 1.5 hours | Install the new motor, adjust it (multispeed and variable speed blowers only), run and test the furnace

Installing a blower wheel with the motor shouldn’t affect installation time, since the old wheel typically has to be removed to replace the motor.

Is it Covered Under Homeowners Insurance or a Home Warranty?

Homeowners Insurance Coverage

It is rare to have a single furnace part like a blower motor covered by homeowners insurance. If, for example, lighting struck the house while the furnace was running or flooding caused water damage, multiple electrical components would be affected.

In most cases, the entire furnace would be replaced. (Compare furnace replacement costs)

Home Warranty

Most home warranties cover furnace repairs such as blower motor replacement for a small deductible. However, most companies require you to keep the furnace properly maintained per the warranty contract for the coverage to remain in effect.

DIY or Hire a Pro?

Replacing a blower motor and wheel is moderately difficult. If you have good skills and learn from video tutorials the proper procedure, you might want to consider it. The job starts with shutting off power to the furnace and closing the gas valve, two important safety steps. You’ll also need to know about checking for, and discharging electricity from the unit to assure you don’t get surprised by any residual energy stored.

Just be sure that the blower motor is the problem and that you have the right replacement motor for your furnace. Electronic items cannot be returned once they’ve been installed.