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Cost to replace AC blower motor?
Posted on 5/9/21 at 2:55 pm
Posted on 5/9/21 at 2:55 pm
Seems the blower motor on one of our units went out today. Thankfully it’s not the only AC in the house or I’d be paying the Mother’s Day tax.
What’s this going to cost me? I’ve gotten to the age where I’m not going to DIY it in the hot attic. It’s worth whatever it is going to cost. Just curious what to expect.
What’s this going to cost me? I’ve gotten to the age where I’m not going to DIY it in the hot attic. It’s worth whatever it is going to cost. Just curious what to expect.
7
Posted on 5/9/21 at 3:14 pm to Wiseguy
i been out of the game for a while now but $300-$350 total cost including labor used to be the average if it isnt a variable speed motor.
by that i mean its not a regular 3 speed fam motor but one that varies the speed using a controller, those can be double the cost
by that i mean its not a regular 3 speed fam motor but one that varies the speed using a controller, those can be double the cost
Posted on 5/9/21 at 3:24 pm to Wiseguy
How do you know it's the motor?
Posted on 5/9/21 at 3:36 pm to Wiseguy
Few hundred plus labor and capacitor
Posted on 5/9/21 at 4:26 pm to Wiseguy
The air handler blower motor has a capacitor - could be as simple as that if you are lucky, maybe a fuse, etc. Older HVACs have a PSC motor which are cheaper (part) vs newer EMC motors, but labor should be the same to replace either if you indeed have a bad motor.
Posted on 5/9/21 at 6:04 pm to ItzMe1972
quote:
How do you know it's the motor?
I *think* it’s the motor. I came back from running some errands today to hear a loud noise coming from the air handler above our hallway. Before I could do anything, it got louder and just stopped. Also tripped the breaker. Went up in the attic and couldn’t see anything else that looked obvious to my untrained eye. Turned it back in later and the outside unit started but the air handler never kicked on. shite it down for good. Also tried to turn on the heater just for shits and giggles. It wouldn’t start either.
So my guess is the fan motor. But hell, I could very well be wrong.
This post was edited on 5/9/21 at 6:04 pm
Posted on 5/9/21 at 6:26 pm to Wiseguy
Whatever a repair person tells you, like its a fan motor and capacitor, you could buy the same parts, watch a YouTube video of the repair and do it yourself for a whole lot less. Case in point, my HVAC Trane systems just went out of warranty last year after 10 years. The HVAC company did their yearly maintenance and told me during the test they saw an unexplainable incident where the outside condenser fan stopped for about 20 seconds and then started on its own. He said it was likely the AC condenser fan motor going out and he recommended I go ahead and replace it. He said the fan motor normally costs $1600, but he could get a special price right now for like $950 installed. I told him I would wait until it breaks. I went and watched a YouTube video on replacing the Condenser Fan motor and capacitor and how to be extra careful shutting off the breaker and arcing any power out of the capacitor. The whole process is maybe 15 minutes and looks easier than replacing a ceiling fan once you watch others doing it. I checked prices and I can buy the fan motor and capacitor for less than $150. And yet I was presented with a cost installed for $950, when perhaps nothing is even broken. I'm going to proactively order a spare capacitor for $20 in case my fan motor stops as usually it's the capacitor that is most likely to break. If the fan blade is frozen when you try and manually spin it the motor is bad. If it manually spins and perhaps even kick starts, then the capacitor is usually the culprit.
Posted on 5/9/21 at 6:32 pm to 98eagle
To each their own, but changing a blower motor usually involves disassembling the blower housing and pulling it out. If you don’t know exactly what you’re doing, it can be a real nightmare fitting it back into the cabinet on some style units. You’re dealing with hot wires in the vicinity typically in an internal breaker and a LOT of stuff that itches.
For 950 yeah that’s a ripoff, but reasonable prices are reasonable.
For 950 yeah that’s a ripoff, but reasonable prices are reasonable.
Posted on 5/9/21 at 6:47 pm to BigEdLSU
Good points. Perhaps I would not tackle a blower motor. But no matter what is thought to be broken, I would definitely look to YouTube to see what it entails and look at my own install and decide if I want to tackle it myself. I've been that way my whole life working on everything. My cars, lawn mowers, houses, etc. Saved tons of money even after making some mistakes like changing out a carburetor myself on a 1970 Cutlass, only to find out it was the timing belt. I was 18 years old then. No YouTube at that time. On our last house, the HVAC guy said my condensate pump was going out since air bubbles were flowing back and forth in the tubing. He wanted $150. I said no. Went on Home Depot and saw they were $40. Then realized it was just a $6 check valve that I ordered on Amazon and installed myself in like 2 minutes. It pays to do a little research and a lot of things you can easily do yourself.
This post was edited on 5/9/21 at 6:54 pm
Posted on 5/9/21 at 8:02 pm to Wiseguy
quote:
Wiseguy
As you describe it, it sure sounds like a bad air handler fan/blower motor.
A couple years I changed a outdoor condensor fan motor (bad bushings) and it was easy, and would do it again if required - like described by 98eagle. On the other hand, I’ve also watched at least a 1/2 doz YouTube videos on changing out air handler fan motors and that is a job, as suggested by BigEdLSU (who I know from his posts is a HVAC Tech), I would personally pay a HVAC tech to do on my own unit for the reasons Big Ed described.
But it seems to me that a couple hours of HVAC Tech labor, say $300?, plus the fan motor and new capacitor another $150 (?) if a PSC motor - only guess though on my part.
This post was edited on 5/10/21 at 12:58 am
Posted on 5/10/21 at 8:20 pm to Wiseguy
Ended up with a new blower motor and control board. The control board had burned itself out to the point there was a scorch mark on the inside of the air handler. After it was done they tested everything and that unit was a little low on Freon. Had them too that up as well. 20 degree differential between intake and vent. Total cost- $850. Same day service and they cleaned up after themselves. Even vacuumed the floor where they walked. I’m satisfied.
Posted on 5/10/21 at 8:29 pm to Wiseguy
I’m satisfied.
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Thanks for the followup. We always like to hear the outcomes. Enjoy the AC!
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Thanks for the followup. We always like to hear the outcomes. Enjoy the AC!
Posted on 5/10/21 at 9:40 pm to ItzMe1972
The best part was my wife walking in from work and feeling the cool air. She was thrilled. That’s worth it.
Posted on 5/11/21 at 6:50 am to Wiseguy
quote:
Wiseguy
Sounds like a very fair price considering all they had to do, particularly if they topped off the unit with R22 - even if R-410A- plus a happy wife.
Posted on 5/11/21 at 7:00 am to Wiseguy
I had one done recently and it was right at $900
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