We recently started a semi-annual inspection w/the company that installed our HVAC during construction in 2019. I have 2 Trane ?16? seer units, one larger than the other.

He recommended cleaning the blowers for each noting they were dirty. The quote was $1,000.

I haven't done this personally nor paid someone else to do it hence my questions.

1. What do I check to verify his assessment?
2. Is that FMV for the service?
3. Is this something that is easily DIY?

Thanks!

Edit to include: these are variable speed units, natural gas furnaces.

I don't know if it's high or not but you can open your cabinet and put your eyes on your blower. If it looks like it's growing a gray cloud, it needs to be cleaned. It's hard on the unit and reduces efficiency. A UV light will keep the issue from reoccurring.

To clean it, my techs have always pulled the squirrel cage and cleaned it with my water hose. I do not think it can be effectively cleaned while installed but YMMV. That's just been my experience.

I doubt a 2019 unit is dirty enough for a $1000 bill, but have them show you in person.

Thank you all. I agree a 2019 'feels' young to be dirty. He noted my filters were dirty which is my fault.

I'm used to my older system at my last house when a dirty filter was f'ing dirty. The 1" thick filters was very obvious when they needed to be replaced. The 4 or 5" in the new unit don't get the surface dirt that you can see on your finger when you touch it. I'll update my calendar to change them more frequently.

https://www.homewyse.com/
https://www.homewyse.com/maintenance_costs/cost_to_clean_furnace_blower.html#google_vignette

Maybe 5 years ago replaced one blower fan for less than $500 - which is worse than a cleaning but could be almost as bad if they have to remove it all to clean it
Attic & HVAC access almost impossible
Extract squirrel fan, wrestle corroded parts off it, install on new
back to poor access to install.

So am thinking repairman shooting a bit high
unless he sees more complications in his future or
will discount his estimate to actually by-the-hour + parts costs later.

I DO know this:
hiring repairmen based upon price always results in paying more later and more often

I replaced my blower motor a few years ago. I took a lot of pics to ensure I reassembled it correctly. Based on the timestamps of those pics, I know it took me 23 minutes to pull out the blower motor assembly. I consider myself handy, but I've never done that before.

I figure pulling the blower motor assembly out, cleaning it, and putting it back in is an hour and half job, three hours for both your units. I'd love to hear your guy justify the $1000 he quoted you. That sounds absolutely insane to me.

Thank you sir for the information.

I recently signed up for a semi-annual maintenance plan. Pay about $30 per month, twice a year they come out and do a full inspection. It gets discounts on any parts/labor, service charges removed for any time I request they visit, etc.

I'll pay for peace of mind, but this quote immediately felt like the time I took my wife's car to the Infiniti dealer for a map update and they came back with $7,000 in recommended maintenance to "keep it running".

I'm going to cancel the maint plan and just find someone via word of mouth/reference to do an annual inspection.

Thank you for this info.

I don't see where any blower motors are being replaced. Those motors can get very expensive if they are variable speed as the vsd/vfd is often integrated with the motor housing.

$1000 seems very expensive to clean the blower fans. A lot of companies just spray them with an aerosol cleaner in place and let the dirt and fuzz drip into the drip tray. As stated by others, if you're handy, you can pull the fans yourself and wash them outside in an hour or two and less than $1 of soap and water.

I feel like most HVAC techs are now taught/expected to be salesmen for additional services.