If you’re shopping for a new air conditioner, then you may be wondering why nearly every company you call acts like the price of a central air conditioning unit is a matter of national security. There are basically 2 reasons air conditioning companies won’t give you even general information about prices of ac units over the phone... Reason #1 They want you to meet with a salesman who has been trained to base the price he offers you on how informed you are on the cost to install a new central air conditioning unit. Reason #2 The answer to exactly how much your new air conditioner will cost is… In my experience, Reason #1 is why most people find the process of buying a new air conditioner so frustrating, and Reason #2 is really just an excuse to justify Reason #1. Truthfully, there's no reason air conditioning companies can’t discuss ballpark ranges for prices on central air conditioning units with customers... as long as they make it clear what things are included in the basic price of installation, and what types of things would be an additional cost.

This blog post will give you an overview of the 3 variables that will dictate the cost of your new air conditioner, and roughly how much each one affects the price of the air conditioning unit you choose to install. The energy efficiency of a new air conditioner is referred to in different terms than the efficiency of a new furnace. air conditioner repair in houston texasWhile furnace efficiency is expressed in terms of a percentage, 80% efficient for example, the efficiency of a new AC unit is expressed using the less straightforward measurement known as the Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio, or SEER rating. 30 ton hvac unit price(I know technical acronyms annoy me too!)lg room air conditioner problems The SEER ratings for air conditioning units start at 13 and go all the way up into the 20’s.

Typically, the most popular models are rated between 13-17 SEER since most people choose to install single-stage air conditioners. Cost Implications of an AC Unit’s Efficiency: A 16 SEER air conditioner will usually cost between $1,200-$1,300 more than a 13 SEER unit (before accounting for any potential Xcel Energy rebates). If you choose an air conditioner that has a SEER rating higher than 16, you’ll most likely get a unit that offers 2-stage cooling as well. You can expect to pay between $1,200 - $1,400 more for a 17 SEER AC unit that offers 2-stage cooling than you would for a 16 SEER model that is single-stage. A single-stage air conditioner is like flipping on a light switch, it’s either on or off. When it turns on it’s all the way on at 100% of its capacity. A 2-stage air conditioner starts up at about 2/3 of its full capacity, and will only ramp up to 100% when it’s hot enough outside that it requires 100% of the unit’s cooling capacity to keep your home comfortable.

(For more on the difference between single-stage and 2-stage cooling, check out the 2015 New Air Conditioner Cost Guide) Cost Implications of 2-Stage AC Units: If you’re already considering an ultra high efficiency air conditioner like a 16 SEER model, you can expect to pay between $1,200 - $1,400 more to install a 2-stage air conditioner that would come with a 17 SEER efficiency rating. When we talk about the size of an air conditioner, we refer to how many tons the unit is. And no, it does not mean that if you need a 3-ton air conditioner that the unit will weigh 6,000 pounds. It refers to how much cooling capacity the unit provides. I won’t delve into how to know what size air conditioner you need in this blog post since it’s covered in greater depth in the Air Conditioning 101 section of our website. But central air conditioning units come in 1/2 ton increments ranging from 1-ton all the way up to 5-tons. Special Note: I've met with customers who have worked themselves up into a giant ball of stress because they've gotten quotes from 2 or 3 companies, and each company told them they needed a different size air conditioning unit.

The size of the unit you need should not be your concern. Sizing the unit properly is the job of the company you choose to install your new air conditioner. If you are having a new furnace installed at the same time, you should ask for a written guarantee that states the new air conditioner will cool your house to at least 70 degrees when the temperature is 95 degrees outside. Any company that won't guarantee the cooling performance of your new AC unit when they are installing a new furnace for you at the same time should be crossed off your list. To give you some perspective, a small condo that is less than 1,000 s.f. might need a 1.5-ton AC unit, while a 4,000 s.f. home is likely to have a 5-ton AC unit. Cost Implications of an AC Unit's Size: As a general rule, the bigger your home the bigger your air conditioner will be. The bigger your air conditioner is, the more it will cost. Typically a 13 SEER air conditioner that is 3-tons in size might cost between $300 - $500 more than a 2-ton unit.

As you go up in size the difference in cost gets bigger. On average a 13 SEER air conditioner that is 5-tons in size will cost between $400 - $600 more than a 4-ton unit. Hopefully this will help give you a basic understanding of the industry jargon you’ll run into when shopping for a new air conditioner, and how these 3 variables will impact the cost to install a new central air conditioning unit in your home. If you’d like more in-depth information on how to choose the right air conditioner for your home, check out the Air Conditioning 101 section of our website or download the 2015 Central Air Conditioning Buyer’s Guide.Nothing in your house affects your comfort more than your heating and cooling systems. Yet unless the heater conks out during a blizzard or the air-conditioning goes on the fritz in the middle of a heat wave, most of us pretty much ignore our heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) equipment. When not kept in shape, even the best heating/cooling system can cost you by wasting energy.

Depending on how you heat and cool your home and the climate of the area you live in, clogged filters, dirty thermostats, sooty flues, leaky ductwork, and unlubricated fan motors can reduce heating and cooling efficiency by up to 25 percent! Some of these maintenance tasks are simple, while others require a trained pro. You’ll also need an HVAC contractor if your system is at the end of its useful life. Here are some tips for dealing with your HVAC equipment and the pros that service it. The good news is that most systems don’t require much attention. A heat pump only needs a yearly service call by a HVAC technician who will: A gas-fired, forced-air heating system has simple requirements, too. Furnace filter should be changed every month or two during heating season, and the circulating fan oiled once a year. Call in a pro every other year to check the: An oil-fired boiler requires annual maintenance by a HVAC pro to: Air conditioning units are a little less maintenance intensive.

At the beginning and end of each cooling season, you should: Arrange for service calls before the start of heating or cooling season. You’ll get better attention and have more flexibility when scheduling the appointment. When hunting for a company to maintain your system, look for one that designs, installs, and services the type of system you have. Full service companies also tend to be up to date on the latest advances in the field. Besides checking that liability insurance and workers’ compensation policies are in force, ask for recommendations or check with neighbors, friends, and family who have used the company over several years. A quality provider will have an emergency number that’s staffed 24 hours a day, seven days a week and enough technicians to respond when the weather is awful and the calls pile up. Heating and cooling equipment is designed to last at least 15 to 20 years. If your system is older than this, you might want to have its condition assessed.

Although replacing HVAC equipment is a major expense, modern systems operate much more efficiently than the older units they replace. Most HVAC contractors specialize in designing and installing the systems of a few manufacturers, so no one shop is going to carry every major brand. But before you worry about the equipment, it makes sense to find contractors in your area that are knowledgeable and service-oriented. Start your search by asking neighbors, friends and family what companies they hired to replace a furnace or air-conditioning system. If they were happy with the installation, ask their contractor to come over and talk to you about heating or cooling your house. You should meet with at least two contractors, and hire someone who installs products from at least two manufacturers. Don’t forget to consider your service company, if you have one. You’re under no obligation to hire the firm for the new system, but its technicians do have a good understanding of the conditions in your home.

When picking a contractor, remember that sizing an HVAC unit by matching it to the home and existing ducting requires skill and experience. A poor design typically results in a system that doesn’t deliver a consistent temperature from room to room and costs more to operate. But it can be even more serious than that. In very tight houses served by ductwork, poor design can lead to backdrafting, a dangerous situation where flue gases are sucked back into the house. Most HVAC shops are small, so the owner should be involved with the system design and either participate actively in the installation or inspect it when it’s done. You don’t want your system designed by a salesman with no field experience. Any contractor you’re considering also should offer these products and services: This process estimates the BTU capacity needed to heat or cool your home. The calculation should include: This data is combined with your regional climatic conditions to determine the size unit you need.

Software has made these calculations relatively easy. HVAC technicians who don’t perform them often specify oversize equipment to be safe. That’s dollars out of your pocket now and each time you get an utility bill. When sizing an HVAC unit, a good contractor will advise you of energy upgrades, such as adding another layer of insulation to the attic. These may allow you to buy a smaller HVAC unit. Although it may not be cost effective to buy the most energy efficient unit on the market, there are minimums you should shoot for. Here’s what a contractor should offer: A programmable or setback thermostat (around $40), which contains a timer, should be used regulate all HVAC systems. A quality HVAC contractor will show you payback calculations for the various units he offers, and those calculations should give you estimates of seasonal operating costs. Variables the contractor will use in his calculations should include: Once you receive itemized estimates, compare the costs, and do some research on equipment.

Start by visiting U.S. Dept. of Energy and Consumer Reports websites, or contact your utility company for comparative lists. Look at operating efficiency and costs as well as consumer-rated reliability. Then compare your knowledge of the contractors involved and make your decision. Confused by HVAC lingo? Believe it or not, it’s meant to make understanding and buying the equipment easier. These terms allows you to compare apples to apples among units in the same fuel category. Knowing what the terms listed here mean will come in handy: The Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio (SEER) rates how many BTUs an air conditioning unit will remove for each watt of electricity consumed. The higher the SEER, the less you spend on operating costs. Federal law mandates a minimum SEER of 13 for all new air conditioning units. An air conditioning ton equals 12,000 BTUs per hour. That means a three-ton air conditioner can remove about 36,000 BTUs of heat per hour from your home. The Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency estimates how much heat a unit delivers for every dollar spent on fuel.