With temperatures often topping 90 degrees here in Georgia, your air conditioner likely sees near-constant use in the summer months. That puts an enormous amount of stress on your entire HVAC system and can exacerbate minor issues, leading to component failure and potentially leaving you without air conditioning.
The fan motor, in particular, is prone to failure. Out of all the components of your AC unit, it sees the most wear and tear. These motors are constantly in motion, pushing cold air throughout your home. Without proper care, the fan motor’s bearings often give under heavy strain.
If you’re dealing with a broken fan motor, you may be wondering how much it will cost to fix.
Types of Air Conditioner Fan Motors
Air conditioners have multiple motors that fulfill various functions. The blower motor, found in the air handler, moves air through your ductwork. A second motor in your air conditioner’s compressor keeps the refrigerant moving through the HVAC system.
If the compressor motor breaks, it’s often more cost-effective to replace the entire AC unit.
However, when people refer to a fan motor, they tend to mean the condenser fan motor. To understand what the AC unit’s fan motor does, you need to have a basic understanding of the heating/cooling cycle that powers your AC system.
How an Air Conditioner Works
The core of your AC is the refrigerant lines, which move refrigerant around your system, controlled by the air conditioner’s compressor. When the refrigerant passes over the evaporator coil, it absorbs heat from the air, cooling it down. As the refrigerant heats up, it turns into a gas and moves to the condenser. When it reaches the outside unit, it enters the condenser.
What Does the Condenser Fan Motor Do?
The condenser fan motor blows air across the condenser unit, speeding up heat transfer from the refrigerant into the outdoor air. Some larger AC systems have multiple AC fan motors across several condensers to handle large volumes of air at once.
While your AC may still work without a working fan motor, even one bad AC fan motor can impact the entire system’s performance, resulting in slower cooling and high energy bills.
Signs You Need to Replace Your AC Fan Motor
There are several signs that you may need to get a new AC fan motor, including:
- Higher energy bills even though your AC usage hasn't changed
- Strange noise coming from the outdoor unit
- Warmer air than usual
- Longer cooling times
Leaving a broken AC fan motor running will only make the problem worse. As the fan motor works harder to move the fan blades, it takes extra stress, making it even more likely to break–and it could take out other AC parts when it does, such as the AC compressor or heat pump.
That could lead to the need to replace the entire air conditioning unit instead of just the air conditioner fan motor and fan blade. Don’t wait until you hear the motor screeching to call an HVAC technician.
How Much Does an AC Fan Motor Cost?
The average cost of a new condenser fan motor ranges between $300 and $700, depending on the model, your AC unit, and labor costs. While this isn’t cheap, replacing your fan motors before they break can save you thousands of dollars in HVAC repair services.
AC Maintenance: Stop Fan Motor Problems Before They Start
The best way to avoid fan motor problems is to set up a regular maintenance schedule with a reputable HVAC repair service. Just like with a car, your AC needs regular care to function at its best. Some parts wear out faster than others and may need repair or replacement more frequently – especially moving parts such as fan motors and fan blades.
In addition to replacing worn parts, a comprehensive AC service requires several routine maintenance checks, especially on parts prone to failure. A thorough inspection by an experienced HVAC company will include inspection of the fan motor, checking for refrigerant leaks, cleaning filters, and more.
Identifying small problems early can help prevent them from evolving into more serious issues in the future. We firmly believe that regular maintenance is worth the small upfront cost.
Need AC Fan Motor Repair or Replacement?
If you want to keep the cool air flowing in your home–and we know you do–make sure you take good care of your AC fan motors. They require regular maintenance to keep your air conditioner functioning optimally. Thankfully, they are one of the more affordable system components.
If you’re worried about your AC or want to schedule an AC service, give Service Emperor a call at (912) 231-5430 today! We’ve served the Savannah community for years, and we’re looking forward to helping you too.
