How Much Does Blower Motor Replacement Cost?

Common Range: $245 – $1,710, Installed

National Average: $890, Installed

Updated: November 30, 2023. Written by: Steve Hansen

To ensure we provide the most precise and current cost estimates to you, we compile costs from industry data, licensed contractors, our users completed projects, and home improvement industry experts. We may earn commission from our partners when you utilize the services through our website. Our editorial integrity and quality remains our top priority, and recommendations do not affect our opinion or evaluations. Learn more about us and our editorial process, and read our advertiser disclosures.

Blower Motor Installation Cost Range

The average cost to replace a broken furnace or air handler blower motor is around $290 when the part is under warranty and you pay just the labor cost. When the blower motor is not under warranty, the average cost is around $890 which includes parts and labor for a standard HVAC blower motor.

The installed replacement cost should include a blower wheel cleaning as well as the blower motor capacitor, which you need to be sure of when getting quotes from HVAC repair companies near you.

Average Replacement Cost Range

Average Do It Yourself Cost
$160 – $340
Average Contractor Installed Cost
$890
Typical Cost Range
$245 – $1,710, Installed

disassembled furnace with blower visible

Get Free Blower Motor Replacement Estimates

Get Free Blower Motor Replacement Estimates

Overview of a Furnace or AC 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 or air handler 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 draft inducer motor or 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.

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.

Blower Motor Replacement Cost Factors

We’ve listed a wide range of blower motor replacement costs, and the table below shows some of the factors that affect your cost.

Warranty Coverage

Status Cost Range
In Warranty $160 – $450
Out of Warranty $450 – $1,300
Homeowner Warranty $100 – $250

If the furnace blower motor part is covered under your active manufacturer warranty, you pay just labor cost. If the warranty has expired, the estimates will include labor and the supplies cost for the part. Furnace 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.

Additionally, if you have a home warranty like those offered by American Home Shield, Select Home Warranty or any of the other leading providers, your repair may be covered and you’d only pay the service fee associated with your home warranty.

Size of the Blower Motor

Motor Size (HP) Retail Cost Installed Cost
1/4 HP $120 – $390 $260 – $725
1/3 HP $120 – $660 $260 – $980
1/2 HP $140 – $940 $290 – $1,710
3/4 HP $190 – $1,390 $320 – $1,710
1 HP $260 – $1,610 $970 – $2,110

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.

Blower Motor Speeds and Type

Motor Type Retail Cost Installed Cost
Single Speed Motor $95 – $225 $460 – $725
Multi-speed Motor $115 – $460 $490 – $980
Variable Speed Motor $260 – $1,100 $790 – $2,210
Permanent Split Capacitor (PSC) $110 – $350 $350 – $900
Electronically Commutated (ECM) $140 – $395 $350 – $850

The options are single-speed, multispeed and variable-speed. Cost rises with performance. 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.

Furnace Brand Rating

While it does not make a huge difference in the cost of the part itself, if the parts come from an officially branded parts house, they are going to have a different cost based on the brands reputation and brand quality.

Furnace Brand Retail Cost Installed Cost
Amana $90 – $400 $350 – $650
American Standard $120 – $550 $450 – $850
Bryant $90 – $450 $400 – $800
Carrier $90 – $450 $300 – $750
Goodman $70 – $350 $300 – $600
Lennox $130 – $550 $450 – $850
Rheem $75 – $400 $350 – $650
Ruud $110 – $500 $400 – $800
Trane $110 – $500 $350 – $800
York $95 – $450 $350 – $700

Related Parts Replacement at the Same Time

During the fan blower motor replacement, it’s not uncommon for an HVAC repair technician to find other parts in need of repair or replacement at the same time. Some may be damaged, like the squirrel cage, which is the large blower wheel that actually moves the air.  Other may be recommended because they are tested and found to be outside the manufacturer specs or likely to fail soon. You can actually save money by getting them done at the same time, since you don’t need to pay another service call fee, or deal with the furnace being down while you wait for a future repair appointment.

Part Retail Cost Installed Cost
Blower Motor Capacitor $25 – $75 $160 – $325
Blower Squirrel Cage $75 – $340 $290 – $780
ECM Module (Variable) $240 – $935 $390 – $1,430
Ignitor Replacement $25 – $75 $150 – $300
Flame Sensor Replacement $20 – $60 $80 – $250
Circuit Board Replacement $65 – $400 $200 – $800
Air Filter Replacement $5 – $25 $20 – $50
Pressure Switch Replacement $25 – $110 $100 – $300
Thermocouple Replacement $10 – $50 $20 – $150
Limit Switch Replacement $35 – $110 $100 – $300
Draft Inducer Replacement $165 – $400 $300 – $800
Flame Rollout Switch Replacement $35 – 120 $100 – $300

Job Difficulty / Accessibility

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.

Get Free Blower Motor Replacement Estimates

Get Free Blower Motor Replacement Estimates

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

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.

Get Free Blower Motor Replacement Estimates

Get Free Blower Motor Replacement Estimates

We’ve found the HVAC projects listed below to be commonly related to furnace repair other HVAC projects at your home.

hvac technician checking refrigerant with gauges
$50 - $190 / Unit
new minisplit ac unit installed on the side of a home
$3,690 - $7,650
forced air oil furnace hvac
$1,850 - $9,400
new central hvac duct work
heated flooring being installed in floor
$10 - $16 / Square Foot
home central air compressors

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 in the motor capacitor.

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.

It’s my suggestion that you call a pro out to handle the repair.

Get Free Blower Motor Replacement Estimates

Get Free Blower Motor Replacement Estimates

Reviewed and edited by Steve Hansen of Costimates

steve hansen of costimates-sm Steve Hansen, that's me, the Senior Editor of Costimates. (Learn more about myself and our team) I'm an avid home improvement professional with more than 37 years experience working on all types of residential new home building, upfits, repairs and remodeling.

"Like most homeowners, I was frustrated with the lack of quality information available on specific home improvement repairs and renovations. In 2015, Costimates was formed to help homeowners learn as much as possible about various projects and their costs so they could make better financial decisions."