As industry leaders providing quality air conditioning, heating, and indoor air quality services to the Greater Austin area since 1977, McCullough Heating & Air Conditioning knows how confusing it can be for homeowners when it comes to replacing their AC system. In order to make sure you fully understand the many factors that could affect the price to replace your home’s air conditioning system, we’ve whipped together this handy blog to guide you through your purchase. While there are several different types of air conditioners you can buy with a fairly broad range regarding costs you will face, the two main systems we recommend include:As most products in the market, size/capacity inherently affects exactly how much you’ll be expected to cough up. When it comes to air conditioning units, size is expressed in tons. Generally speaking, larger air conditioning units tend to be more costly, as they have more capacity and can serve a larger area.In order to determine which size unit is right for your home, your air conditioning contractor will need to perform a heat load analysis (or Manual J load calculation).

These calculations take into account all aspects of your in-home environment, including the square footage of your home, window size and location, construction materials, wall construction and orientation, ceiling heights, flooring, appliances, insulation and more.The higher the Seasonal Energy Efficient Rating (SEER), the more energy efficient (and costly) the unit will be. The minimum efficiency air conditioner you can buy in Austin, Texas is a 14-SEER unit, but can also go as high as 26-SEER. Similar to miles-per-gallon for your vehicle: the higher the SEER, the more efficient the unit.Surely, we know how important it is to do your research and make sure you’re getting the best deal you can find in Austin, but keep in mind: you often get what you pay for. While it is true that a smaller, one- to two-person contractor might be able to charge less for nearly every service they offer, a vast majority of air conditioning contractors in area go out of business within five to eight years.

Before selecting a contractor, it is important to ask, “will this contractor be able to come back right away when I encounter any problems?” Put yourself in a small contractor’s shoes: If you were slammed with installs during the peak season, how likely would you stop what you’re doing to service a system you installed five years ago?what causes a window ac unit to freezeLook for qualified HVAC companies that…portable ac unit for saleFor more tips on what to look for in a professional contractor, please visit the ACCA Homeowners page.central ac unit comparisonThe cost of your air conditioning system replacement can be affected by other additional factors, including:For the best deal on your new air conditioning system, purchase in either late fall or springtime when contractors tend to be less busy and manufacturers are typically offering their best rebates.

Take advantage of rebates and tax credits from Austin Energy and combine it with those manufacturer rebates for the biggest savings. For example, you can receive up to $5,550 in rebates and tax credits, plus 5-year 0% financing with our Beat the Heat promotion from now to May 31st!Try and call around to schedule two to three appointments for quotes from different contractors in the Austin area on the estimated cost to replace your home air conditioning system. Since this is the third largest investment you’ll make (following your home and your vehicle), you want to be certain that the deal you’re getting and the contractor you choose to work with is reputable and trustworthy. We even recommend that you download the Residential Quality HVAC Installation Checklist from ACCA and using it to help you rate and select your contractor.If you already have a quote on a new air conditioning system and want to know if it’s the best deal you can get, feel free to reach out to us and we’ll be happy to give you a free second opinion!

What's Wrong With Your Air Conditioner? Capacitors Are a Common Cause of Air Conditioning BreakdownsLuckily, you can often replace them yourself. So it's a hot day in the summer sun. The family is coming over this weekend and you're very busy making all the necessary arrangements, when suddenly the A/C quits working. Well, before you call the local HVAC technician to come fix the unit, and re-allocate the money you were going to spend on burgers, take a quick look. Perhaps you're about to luck out by making a simple repair that will only cost you a few dollars and take very little time. You won't need any specialty tools, and you may not have to rearrange your entire day. Just a few minutes, a couple of tools you likely have around the house, and these instructions could save you a significant amount of money while keeping your family gathering right on track. What Is a Capacitor?Capacitors are small cylindrical objects that store energy. They either send a jolt to start a motor or send jolts to keep a motor running.

They work with the compressor, the blower motor, and the outside fan in your air conditioner. Checking Your Air Conditioning Capacitor A voltmeter, if you have one, can tell you if you have blown a capacitor, but it’s even simpler to find out just by watching and listening. Take a walk outside to your condensing unit, and look and listen for the following: Do you hear any humming? Do you see the fan spinning? If the A/C is humming but the fan is not running, you may have a capacitor problem. A Simple Trick to Test if the Capacitor Is WorkingIf the A/C is humming but the fan is not turning, find yourself a long skinny stick. Gently slide the stick through the fan grate and give one of the fan blades a gentle push, to see if the fan will spin. If the fan takes off on its own and keeps going, you very likely have a bad start capacitor. You see, the capacitor is there to give a boost to the fan motor upon startup. A capacitor stores power in a roll of electrically charged sheets of material.

When the capacitor is called to action, it is supposed to release its energy and give the fan a sort of electrical kick in the pants. If the capacitor is shot, the fan can't quite get going from just the 120 volts the motor supplies to it. You and your stick just took over the job of the start capacitor. There are a few things that could have caused your capacitor to blow. The heat of summer plus motor heat could have proven to be too much for the part, or it could be something else. Below I'll go over how to fix this problem yourself. Does this sound like what's going on with your A/C? Quick Overview: How to Replace an A/C Capacitor Yourself 1. Start by Turning Off the Power First of all make sure you know how to turn off power to your air conditioner. Don’t proceed if you do not. Turn off the power to the unit at the disconnect or breaker panel, which should be mounted on the outside of the house within a few feet of the outdoor condensing unit.

2. Finding and Inspecting the Capacitor After you have turned off the power at the disconnect: Remove the service panel on the A/C unit itself. Locate the start capacitor. (It's most likely silver, round or oval, and with multiple prongs on the top for wire connections.) Look at the capacitor surface where the prongs are attached, and ask yourself: does this surface look raised or domed? One tell-tale sign that a capacitor is shot is its shape. When a capacitor blows, at least 95% of the time its top will be pushed up or swollen, somewhat resembling a pop can that has been dropped and is ready to explode when given the chance. Is this what you see? If so, this is good news, and we'll have you back up and running in no time. 3. Discharging the Power in the Capacitor You've already shut off power to the air conditioner, but now you will have to discharge the power in the capacitor. WARNING: As I mentioned, a capacitor stores power. That has not changed because you've shut off the flow of electric current.

The capacitor may still have power ready to fire. Touching two of the terminals at the same time with your hand will discharge this power and make for a shocking experience. Throwing away a capacitor that hasn't been discharged could cause a fire in your trash can. Before you continue, discharge your capacitor by placing an insulated-handle screwdriver across the terminals, as shown in the video below. Video: Discharging a Capacitor 4. Dismounting the Old Capacitor Now that your old capacitor has been discharged, you can remove it. This is very simple. The capacitor is likely mounted to the unit by a metal band that has only one screw to remove. Remove that screw and the capacitor should come loose from the unit itself. 5. Noting Down How the Wires Connect Before you remove the wires from the old capacitor, be sure to make a diagram or label showing what wire goes where. 6. Disconnecting the Old Capacitor Once you're sure where the wires will connect to the new capacitor, you can remove the wires using a simple pair of needle-nosed pliers.

If the wires are tight, try not to just yank on them; use a rocking motion while pulling slowly. This will help keep you from touching another terminal, or possibly having the pliers slip and hit you in the face. Don't laugh, I've watched it happen.Now all you need to do is obtain the right replacement part and re-install it just as you removed this one. There are a couple of things you'll want to know when shopping for your new capacitor: the micro-farads (μF) and the voltage rating. The shape and size of the capacitor aren't really important as they can vary and still do the job. Even your mounting bracket will probably bend to accommodate a part of a different shape. Just know that you have to match the micro-farad number exactly. The voltage rating does not have to be identical, as it shows the amount of voltage the capacitor can see, not what it has to see; this means that if you need to you can use a capacitor with a slightly higher voltage rating than what you have now.

Your μF and voltage will be marked on your capacitor and will likely read something similar to 35/5 μF and 370V. If they are not written down, write down the make and model of your air conditioning unit, and use that information at the store or online to find the correct replacement part. Lastly, brand is not important here. A capacitor is a pretty universal part, and should be available at your local contractor supply company, though maybe not at a Home Depot or Lowe's. A capacitor for a residential-sized unit should be relatively cheap, and you may consider buying a second one for backup while you are there, along with a couple of spare time-delay fuses (but be sure to buy the right size fuse). In the heat of the summer, blown capacitors and fuses are a very common cause of air conditioner breakdowns. Get Your A/C Working Again! A Sample 35/5 Microfarad Capacitor I hope this was the answer to your A/C problem and that you were able to obtain and replace the part without any hang up for your family get-together.