Describe your project and send it out to our top rated service providers.          No membership or credit card requiredGet StartedNo thanks, I'm not quite ready.Welcome to our price comparison website for residential central air conditioner systems. The information we display on this site is updated weekly with pricing we compile from industry information, consumer submissions, and data gathered from readers and contractors across the web who have chosen to share it. The price range to have central air installed can vary widely by location, your home and many other factors. This page is meant to be your online price guide and help you get started in understanding those costs.Jump: Brand Prices | Priced by Size | Repair Costs*Note: This site is for informational purposes to help homeowners. You should always consult a local central air conditioner company or HVAC professional to have your needs assessed for more accurate pricing.For the purpose of this price comparison table of leading consumer brands, we used a baseline of a standard efficiency 2.5 ton central ac unit and matching evaporator coil, from the different leading brands below.

A 2.5 ton unit is the approximate size installed in most 1400-1800 square foot homes. All central ac unit prices online are approximate.Central AC units are manufactured in very specific sizes ranging from 1.5 – 5 tons of cooling capacity. An HVAC contractor can perform a load calculation on your home to tell you the exact size for your house. air conditioner unit tonMany states now require a load calculation for both new and replacement central air systems, to have the system permit and inspection completed. floor air conditioning and heating unitsIf the AC Contractor does not pull a load calculation, use a different contractor! parts of split ac unitHigh efficiency central air systems can save you a considerable amount of money on energy.

Gone are the days of 7-10 seer home ac units, and the lowest efficiency central air conditioner units you can purchase from a manufacturer is 13 seer. The highest efficiency central ac units are rated at 24 seer, and other brands use solar panels to assist in providing electricity during peak use. Of course, the AC unit prices with higher seer ratings are much more than their lower initial cost counterparts.SEER – Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio (Higher is better, like mpg in a car)For the purpose of this SEER Efficiency Comparison, we chose a 2.5 ton central air conditioner unit and matching evaporator coil. Manufacturers recommend you only install matched systems to achieve the ARI ratings listed.Note: Some of the higher SEER central air conditioners (18-24 SEER) may require the addition of a solar panel to your roof, to assist in providing renewable green electricity to power the ac during peak use. When you estimate central air cost for your home, be sure to add in incidental costs that will accumulate for items that you may be interested in.

The following section of the site contains common repair costs for central air conditioners. We include the price of the parts, the estimated repair time and the cost for part installation. (Time to install measured in hours)* AC Service call fees may be waived under special agreements.** The hourly street rate for central air conditioner repair cost is the per-hour rate a contractor charges for repairs that do not involve parts. In most cases, these rates are already factored into the total cost of the repair and are not charged separately. The rate is a computed value based on time, general materials, and company overhead like the office, phones, gas, etc.*** There are an endless number of manufacturer specific oem circuit boards for central air conditioners. The cost of the parts varies widely.**** Higher cost central air conditioner repair prices should prompt you to request replacement estimates at the same time. (get free estimates for repair or replacement systems)***** Finding leaks in a central air conditioner system is not an easy task.

Companies will use dye packs or other tools like sniffers to locate leaks, but it can take several hours on systems with concealed parts.In the section below, we maintain our list of user submitted prices for their homes central air conditioner replacement cost. If you would like to share a price range that you were quoted, or paid for your home system, please go to the user submission form and send it in.Each of the estimated prices you see below are based on the home, the homeowner needs and much more. Trane goes out of it’s own way to help homeowners understand there are many variables in pricing when you buy an AC unit for your home. The only way to know the exact cost for your home is to have a trained professional provide a detailed quote. Click here to get a free quote today.*Note: User submitted prices and related content may be edited for proper grammar and punctuation. Entries from the table are comprised of data we received from 2012 – 2016. Older price data is removed from the table every month to reflect the latest prices provided by visitors and customers.

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. While 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. (I know technical acronyms annoy me too!) 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.