Furnace Inducer Motor Installation Cost Range

The cost range to replace a draft inducer motor in your furnace is between $245 to $1,065, depending on whether the parts and/or labor are covered by the furnace manufacturers warranty or not. If you plan to replace the inducer motor yourself, or DIY, expect to pay between $120 – $640 for the replacement inducer motor itself.

I met with Evan of GHS in Charlotte, he told me that you can expect the HVAC contractor to come to your home and troubleshoot your furnace first. Once it’s determined that the inducer motor needs replacement, the repair process depends on the warranty and several other factors. If the inducer motor is covered under warranty, you’ll likely only pay labor costs for the removal and replacement. If it’s not under warranty the labor and parts cost is on you. The furnace tech who comes to you will remove the old furnace draft inducer motor and replace it with a new part. They’ll also inspect the venting system to assure no blockages and possibly replace the air pressure switch at the time. Once done, they’ll test the new system for proper functionality and clean up after themselves.

Average Costs

Overview of a Furnace Draft Inducer Motor

The draft inducer motor helps the furnace run safely and efficiently. It is mounted inside your gas furnace near the heat exchanger and during a call for heat, the furnace inducer motor turns on 30-60 seconds before the gas valve fires and forces leftover combustion gases out of the system to prevent them from igniting/exploding. Then, it pulls a steady flow of fresh air into the combustion box for efficient burning while also pushing exhaust gases out the furnace vent.

In this Costimate, I spoke directly to Gregory’s home services of Charlotte to assure we got our facts, data, and costs correct. We also compared replacement costs to more than 2,000 quotes provided for others for this exact repair across the USA. You’ll find the cost factors that will help you estimate your inducer motor replacement or repair cost based on various factors outlined in the table below, a DIY Yes/No recommendation and furnace draft inducer assembly price estimates from other costs sites.

Inducer Motor Replacement Cost Factors

The cost ranges above above shows some of the factors that will affect your specific repair cost. Here is the complete list with explanations.

• Furnace Warranty – If the furnace is under warranty, then you pay only the labor cost to install the part. Sometimes the labor cost is higher than the cost of the part. So oddly, you might save money by buying the part and installing it yourself. See our DIY Yes/No recommendation below. It is a surprise to some homeowners that furnaces do not come with a labor warranty.
• DIY or Pro Installation – Like all types of repairs, whether you do the job yourself or hire a professional, is going to be a major factor in how much it cost.
• Motor Type: PSC or ECM – Most draft inducer motors are affordable PSC motors. A few are ECM motors that run quieter and also more efficiently to lower the electricity consumption. They cost more.
• Capacity of the Motor – The larger the furnace is, the more air is required for consumption, so the larger the inducer motor must be.
• Voltage – Voltage is often related to capacity, but not always. 110-120 inducer assemblies cost less than 220-240 motors.
• Furnace Access – When the furnace is located in an attic, crawlspace or similar location where working on it is difficult, cost goes up.
• Draft Motor Access – Most motor assemblies are easily reached once the cabinet face of the furnace is removed. Some are difficult and take more time to remove and replace, so the labor cost is higher.
• Cost of Living – Whether the cost of living in your area is low, average or high, it will be reflected in furnace repair costs.
• Local Area Demand – If you call for a repair at the peak of the busy season, you can expect to pay a bt more, than if you had the repair done in the off season. This is simply due to the fact that the HVAC company is busier.

Replacement Considerations

• Most furnaces come with 10-year parts warranties, though anywhere from 5-12 years is common. When under warranty, the cost of the part is covered. The cost of labor is not. If your furnace is more than 10 years old or the repair cost more than $1,000, we recommend you also ask the contractor to give you a complete furnace replacement cost estimate to compare the price difference.
• Total cost to replace a furnace draft inducer motor ranges from $85 to $1,150. Motors on high-performance furnaces can be quite expensive. The range includes DIY installation, a possibility discussed later, and professional installation.
• These parts go by many names including inducer blower assembly, inducer motor assembly and draft inducer assembly.
• For most furnaces, the draft inducer motor replacement cost is affordable.
• Your furnace brand is going to have a slight factor on cost as well. Higher end units like Carrier and Trane, American Standard and Lennox, might have a slightly higher cost than those on the lower end like Bryant, Goodman, etc.

Replacement Parts and Supplies Costs

The only part needed in most repairs is the draft inducer motor assembly. However, some furnace companies recommend replacing the air pressure switch too.

Here are the costs of parts:

• $85 – $1,150 | Draft inducer motor assembly
• $24 – $150 | Air pressure switch

Inducer Motor Replacement Cost by Brand of Furnace

If you prefer to have an OEM (original equipment manufacturer) inducer motor installed the part may cost slightly more. If the furnace is still under a parts warranty however, the technician will provide and install the OEM inducer motor direct from the factory.

Brand Installed Cost Range Amana / Goodman $85 – $410 $400 – $750 American Standard $115 – $760 $415 – $1,100 Bryant / Carrier $110 – $650 $420 – $940 Coleman $85 – $340 $395 – $700 Comfortmaker $80 – $420 $400 – $760 Heil / Payne $90 – $540 $410 – $850 Lennox $130 – $760 $450 – $1,100 Nordyne $160 – $810 $520 – $1,150 Rheem / Ruud $135 – $590 $450 – $900 Tempstar $90 – $490 $410 – $800 Trane $85 – $790 $395 – $1,130 York $105 – $510 $425 – $850

Permits, Inspection, Related Costs and Installation Time

Permits and Inspection Cost

• $0 | No permit is needed for this furnace repair

Related Costs and Installation Time

The table above shows the repair costs for the part and labor – and whether DIY installation factors into the cost.

If you install the part, you’ll save HVAC technician fees of $65 to $125 per hour. Smaller companies tend to have lower rates than large companies. Cost of living in your area affects rates too.

Install Time Schedule

Despite some repairs taking less than one hour, most HVAC repair companies charge at least one hour’s fee to cover their time and travel expense.

• .5 to 1.5 hours | Replace the furnace draft inducer motor assembly

The most common repair time range is 45 to 75 minutes.

Is it Covered Under Homeowners Insurance or a Home Warranty?

Homeowners Insurance Coverage

Draft inducer motor replacement isn’t usually covered by a homeowner’s insurance policy unless it can be shown that the motor was damaged by a lightning strike or electrical surge, both unlikely.

Home Warranty Coverage

If HVAC is included in your home warranty, this repair will be covered.

Note: Most home warranty contracts require you to have basic furnace maintenance done at least yearly. You might have show maintenance records to have your claim paid.

A few companies are not as strict. Some, like American Home Shield (AHS) don’t have the requirement. AHS also says it will cover malfunctions due to “insufficient maintenance, undetectable pre-existing conditions or mechanical failures that could not have been detected by a visual inspection and/or mechanical test.”

We don’t have a relationship with any home warranty company or recommend one of others. We are just pointing out that their policies vary a lot. Read the fine print. Ask specific questions about maintenance and pre-existing issues. Then compare warranties for the levels of coverage give for the price.

Related Projects

DIY or Hire a Pro?

While replacing the draft motor is more challenging on some units than others, even the hardest are only moderately difficult. This 3 minute video from Repair Clinic shows a draft inducer motor replacement on a Lennox furnace.

There are a couple cautions. First, be as sure as you can be that the draft inducer motor is the problem. Once you install an electrical part like a motor, most sellers won’t allow you to return it. This is why most HVAC professionals recommend you simply call them out for a repair call, so you get the job done correctly the first time and don’t waste any money that’s not needed.

Secondly, make sure you turn off power to the furnace before starting. Lastly, make sure the clamp and/or screws holding the assembly to the vent flue are secure. Otherwise, it is possible that carbon monoxide could leak from the connection. Placing a CO monitor near your furnace is a good general safety tip for any home.