What every Minnesota homeowner that finds themselves shopping for AC replacement wants to know is: how much does an AC installation cost? We at Aquarius want to help you understand the AC buying process better and also give you an idea of what you can expect to pay for a new AC so that you can make the best decision for your household.
Factors Affecting AC Installation Cost
There are a variety of factors that affect the cost of your AC replacement. Here are the most important:
Unit Size
The size of your unit is proportional to the size of your house and how much air it needs to move/ cool to be effective. When it comes to air conditioners, the size of the unit is measured in “tonnage” which doesn’t refer to its weight, but rather the amount of heat it can remove from the air per hour.
1 ton = 12,000 BTUs per hour
Residential units typically range from 1-5 tons with most being in the 1-3 ton range.
As you can probably guess, larger units are more expensive. That doesn’t mean you should seek to get a smaller unit to save money. You may think a smaller unit will use less energy and be more cost effective, but if it doesn’t have the capacity to cool the amount of air contained in your home, then it will run continuously leaving you with a home that isn’t cool enough and higher energy bills. Conversely, a unit that is too large will cool your house too fast to effectively dehumidify the air leaving your home feeling damp and clammy.
It is absolutely crucial that you have a trained HVAC specialist evaluate your home to make sure you get a right-sized unit that performs well and doesn’t cost you more than is necessary.
Efficiency
Air conditioning units have their energy efficiency measured in SEER2 rating. This stands for Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio and carries a 2 because it is a modern, revised version of the original SEER rating scale.
The SEER2 scale ranges from 8-23 with 8 being the minimum efficiency rating established by the Department of Energy. The lower the efficiency rating, the lower the equipment purchase cost will be and conversely, more efficient equipment comes at a higher price point. Most homeowners buy an air conditioner in the 13-18 SEER2 range.
Again, it is crucial for you to consult with an HVAC specialist to determine what the right efficiency rating is for you in order to balance the upfront cost with the cost of operation. A Comfort Specialist from Aquarius will help you understand how much you could save on your energy bills, as well as what kind of utility and tax rebates you may qualify for based on the efficiency rating of your new equipment.
Rebates
Many energy utility companies offer one time rebates based on the efficiency rating of your equipment that can offset some of the upfront cost of AC installation. Efficient equipment reduces the strain on the electrical grid at times of peak demand making it easier to operate for providers. Rebates help incentivize homeowners to upgrade to efficient units that make life easier for utilities.
Warranties
AC installers and manufacturers will offer a wide range of warranties on the equipment they install and their services. Make sure you get a clear idea of the warranties offered on the equipment you purchase as the length of warranty and what is covered.
Manufacturer warranties – this is a warranty offered by the manufacturer on the equipment itself, protecting against failures of parts and components that happen under normal operation conditions.
Labor warranties – this is a warranty offered by the installer to protect the buyer against any errors made in the installation process. If an installer does not offer a warranty on their labor, that is a red flag. The longer the warranty, the more confidence you can have in the installer, but it may also make their initial price point higher.
Extended warranty – this is a warranty that a buyer can elect to purchase to extend the coverage on the parts or labor beyond what is covered in the basic purchase price.
Warranties give you a good idea of how trustworthy your installer is. You may pay more up front, but you really don’t want to deal with the headache of trying to get an untrustworthy installer to honor a warranty. Most homeowners consider it wise to pay more for peace of mind and to avoid such headaches.
Typical AC Installation Cost
As already stated, the price range for a new AC installation is wide because of all the various unit sizes, efficiency ratings, and warranties available. There also may be other installation considerations unique to your home such as addressing refrigerant or electrical lines, concrete footings for the unit to sit on, ductwork and more.
While we can’t give exact pricing we do find that a general range for our AC installs in Minnesota is $7500 – $16000 depending on the options chosen.
If you would like to generate a FREE ballpark quote for your unique specifications, try out our online quote generator here: https://aquariushomeservices.com/ahs-shop/#/journey/h_v_a_c_quote
We at Aquarius Home Services are proud to stand behind our work with a 100% performance guarantee, and industry leading warranties. Our mission is Earning the Right to Be RecommendedTM on every job that we do, which means your satisfaction is our absolute highest priority. We would be honored for you to trust us with your Minnesota AC installation project.
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