Need an HVAC System Pro Near You? Find Local HVAC Experts & Get Free HVAC System Price Quotes. No Obligations & No Credit Card Needed. Find Us on Facebook Browse through our complete library of HVAC related articles. Home > Home Improvement > HVAC > HVAC System Cost How Much Does an HVAC System Cost? Heating, Ventilation and Cooling Prices HVAC—short for Heating, Ventilation and Air-Conditioning—refers to equipment that is used to regulate the temperature, humidity and air quality of a residential or commercial building. In this guide you’ll learn more about the components of a home HVAC system in addition to how much it costs to install one. Parts of an HVAC System In new construction, an HVAC system almost always refers to central air conditioning and heating units (furnaces), the ductwork that delivers the cooled and heated air, and the intake and outtake vents. Generally speaking, however, home HVAC systems may include any interior climate control installations, including things like baseboard heaters and ceiling fans.

This buying guide, however, will focus on the main HVAC system components. They include the following: Furnace: The heat in an HVAC system is typically supplied by a natural gas or oil fired furnace housed inside a designated closet space, basement, or attic. Contained within the furnace unit is a heat exchanger, the device responsible for the actual warming of the air. Air Conditioner: The air conditioning unit, unlike the furnace, is placed outside of the home and powered by electricity. It uses a compressor and coolant to remove the heat from air, and the hot air is discharged outside. Ductwork: Ventilation ductwork is responsible for moving heated and cooled air evenly throughout the interior of the home. Thermostat: Thermostats are the “brain” of an HVAC system, as they are responsible for turning it on and off. They can be operated manually or set to a predetermined temperature that the system then maintains. HVAC System Average Costs Estimating the cost of heating and cooling systems is difficult due to the large number of factors that come into play.

There is not only the size of the home to consider, but the size, quality, and energy efficiency of the equipment to be installed in addition to upgrades such as multiple thermostats, programmable thermostats, and electronic air cleaners. Further, it is crucial to keep in mind that the majority of HVAC system cost comes not from the equipment itself, but from installation charges. Thus, if your home presents installation challenges (i.e. an unusual layout or difficult to access areas), you can expect to pay more than a homeowner who buys a comparable system but whose home doesn’t pose such problems. For a 1,000 square foot home, the cost of an HVAC system is $6,000 to $12,000, including a new furnace, air conditioning unit, and ductwork. For larger homes and more complex setups, however, the price could be significantly higher. For central air-conditioning, you’ll pay $3,000 to $5,000 and up for a 2,000 square foot home. A new furnace in a central heating system costs $2,500 to $7,500 or more.

If you don’t need ductwork, the cost of a new heating and cooling system can be significantly decreased. air conditioning unit specialsIn cases where new HVAC duct is required, however, you might pay $1,000 to $3,000.inside ac unit replacement cost Use Our Free Service and Find HVAC System Companies Near Youdecorative wall ac covers Join the Convo - How Much Did You Pay?Today's heating, ventilation and air conditioning units are more energy-efficient than their predecessors. New air conditioning and heating equipment lasts longer than ever. The end of a furnace's or air conditioner’s service life depends on more than just chronological age. Energy-efficiency issues and the price of any necessary repairs versus the cost of upgrading to a new unit all enter into that determination.

Furnace Lifespan The average service life of a new furnace is 15 to 20 years. Most furnace parts that fail during that span are replaceable at a cost that makes repair a better call than replacing the entire furnace. The exception is the heat exchanger, a furnace's single most expensive component. A cracked heat exchanger in a unit that’s already out of warranty is usually a tipping point that means it’s time to shop for a new furnace. Central Air Conditioners Central air conditioners typically last from 10 to 15 years. The lifespan of a central cooling unit may be reduced if its capacity is not properly matched to the cooling load of the home. Oversized air conditioners “short-cycle,” turning on and off rapidly, inflicting excessive wear and tear on the compressor. Like the furnace heat exchanger, the compressor is the most costly part in the system. A worn-out compressor in a unit that’s outlived its warranty is usually a deal-breaker that warrants upgrading to a new, more energy-efficient air conditioner rather that repairing the existing unit.

References National Association of Home Builders: Study of Life Expectancy of Home Components Photo Credits Comstock/Stockbyte/Getty Images Suggest a CorrectionFirst, Not All Connecticut Air Conditioning Companies Are Alike. Below are five insider tips that can prevent you from getting ripped off, but read on before skipping to the good stuff. An air conditioning system is one of the most expensive appliances you’ll ever buy for your home, due to the intense labor and all of the materials that are necessary for a proper installation. Air conditioning manufactures state that your air conditioning system must be installed per the Local & National Mechanical Safety Codes. All licensed CT contractors are supposed to follow the Local & National Mechanical Safety Codes. “If they ain’t pullin’ a permit to replace your air conditioning, you can bet that their not following the safety codes.” It used to be that these codes were all about safety, but they started mandating efficiency codes as well.

I’ll tell you why. Because consumers were being ripped off by air conditioning installation companies. Many of these companies were (and still are) taking shortcuts so they can get the job done quickly and charge the homeowner less money, just to land another job. A cheap price is not always the best option. It is almost impossible to replace or install an air conditioning system in a few hours and do the job right (up to code). And since you’ll be living with your new air conditioning for the next 15 to 20 years, it only makes sense to avoid such nightmares. If you’ve been told that you need to replace your air conditioning unit, we will happily give you a FREE SECOND OPINION so you will have all the facts. 1. You’ve heard this; My Air conditioning Guy Said I Have To Get A New One. Many central air conditioning systems are replaced that don’t need to be. Why would a deceiving air conditioning contractor condemn a perfectly good air conditioning? Either to make money or their service technician wasn’t trained properly and can’t fix it.

Many of these air conditioning systems could have been inexpensively fixed compared to the price of a new one. The 3 reasons to get your air conditioning replaced may be: it has blown compressor, it is old and inefficient or it’s too expensive to repair. Do you really need a new one? READ ON BEFORE BUYING A NEW AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM. 2. What Brand Is The Best For Me? Central Air Conditioners manufactured today basically all have the same safety features. Similar controls, similar compressors, similar choices of efficiencies, etc. Many of the manufactures buy their parts from the same factory and put their name on it. All central air conditioners (no matter what brand) should last 15 to 20 years with the proper maintenance, BUT the cost of keeping an old clunker going can cost more in electricity and repairs than a new high efficient system. I have replaced over 3,000 air conditioning systems. Many of them were “The Brand” (in their day) and many of them were about the same age.

Now, here’s the “dirty little secret” they don’t want you to know. Only about five percent of the satisfaction you’re going to get – is the result of the brand you choose. The other 95% is how well it’s installed. And there are many crucial procedures that should be done properly (if not, the brand is irrelevant). 3. Will I Save Money On My Electric Bill If I Get A New One? Simply replacing an air conditioning system isn’t going to guarantee better cooling and lower energy costs. If the HVAC contractor isn’t careful about checking your ductwork system, you could be throwing Air conditioning dollars out of the window. The installer MUST make the proper size measurements on sheet metal fittings to connect to the new air conditioning. If the Sheetmetal fittings are not done properly, air will be leaking all around the air conditioning or even worse the air can be restricted, causing premature failure of your brand new air conditioning. Having a programmable thermostat installed is another way to save money on your energy bills.

4. How Much Will It Cost to Install A New Central Air Conditioning System? “Time to give away the Trade Secrets”Condensing Unit (Outdoor Unit)Air Handler (Indoor Unit)Emergency Drain Pan and Safety Overflow SwitchDrain Piping with Safety Ball ValveSheet Metal Ductwork SystemCondensate Pump & PipingRefrigerant Piping (Line Set)Electrical Wiring & Service SwitchDigital Thermostat or Digital Programmable Thermostat ($125 per hour for the Licensed Installer and a helper x 24 hours)Installers Incentive if they do a superb jobConnecticut Sale Tax (6.35%)Total Fair Price Installed And that’s how we price our jobs. Some air conditioning installations may be a bit more, some less depending on the size of the home and ease or difficulty of the installation. If the installers have to work in tight conditions, if your home is larger or you need more ductwork than others then it will be more. Also, you may want to consider other products to improve the air that you breathe in your home, like a good air filtration system or UV Germicidal Light.

These are what we call indoor air quality products (IAQ). They run about $500 to $1500 and a little more labor plus a 20% profit on top of that. We try our hardest to make a 20% net profit so that we can fix our trucks or buy new ones, give incentives, provide health insurance, provide warranty service, give to charity or the community and other things that are important to the individual HVAC contractor. BUT it never seems to work out that way. The average air conditioning contractor earns about 2% net profit or less. And that is why so many go out of business within 5 years. Many Contractors will under-price a job, just to get the job. They are not helping the customer because it will be impossible to find these contractors in 5 years, when things start to break. Some older companies have been in business for so long that they forget to raise their prices or are simply afraid to because they think they will loose customers. Well the problem with that is, you can’t take care of your customers if you are not making money.

They will eventually end up in the same boat as those other contractors, WORKING FOR ME! Well, that’s basically how a good solid HVAC contractor prices their jobs. My competition is going to hate me when they read this…oh well. 5. How Many Years Is The Warranty? There are two types of warranties in the air conditioning business. There is the manufactures warranty and the air conditioning contractor’s warranty. The manufactures warranty covers the equipment and all of the parts in it. The air conditioning contractor’s warranty covers the labor costs involved in making the repairs to the equipment and any other work that was done, like sheet metal work, electrical wiring, etc. The Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) products have a separate warranty (usually less) than the air conditioning so be aware of that when purchasing them. Some companies have a guarantee that stops the minute they leave your driveway. Or they will say that they’ll give you a 10 year warranty and POOF, they’re gone in 5 years.