Articles | The Low Down on Central Air Conditioner Prices

In the dog days of summer, purchasing an air conditioner will seem like one of the soundest investments a home owner can make. Comfort, health and resale value of a home can all improve simply by adding air conditioning. Central air conditioning is one of the most popular options because it cools a whole house, does not require a bulky machine to be rolled from one room to another and is permanently installed in the home so eliminating the need to remove a unit from a window when the seasons change.

Once a person starts researching what is required to have central air conditioning installed, the process can begin to look pricey. Installing a system will require a professional who is trained and experienced in HVAC installation, parts and maintenance. Labor costs, parts and home reconstruction will also be included in the bill.

There are many different factors that will determine how much it will cost to install central air conditioning in a home. This includes whether or not the house already has duct work in place, the year the house was built and the size of the home. In general, smaller homes are typically less expensive to have air conditioning installed in than larger family homes.

If a home already has a forced-air heating system, adding a central air to this existing duct work will be less costly than for homes without duct infrastructure. For family sized home, around 2000 square feet, that already has existing duct work, it will cost approximately $4000 to add central air. This quote includes two laborers, two to three days of work and all the parts required to create a high quality and dependable cooling system. For the same size home and the same labor, but in a house that does not have duct work, the cost will be closer to $7500 or more.

In a situation where new duct work must be installed, the extra costs come from additional parts and labor. An HVAC installation professional will take the time and care to use their woodworking and craftsmanship skills to hide the ducts behind walls and other clever spaces. This work may be easier in some home rather than others based on the age of the home, structural integrity and original floor plan. Homes that make duct installation trickier than a home that is set up for such a system will most likely be more expensive to add air conditioning to and could increase the bill by up to $1000.

The last consideration when determining central air conditioner prices would be if the home owner chooses to purchase a warranty to cover any replacement parts and repairs that may be required for the air conditioning system in the next few years. Adding central air conditioning can turn a house into a comfortable sanctuary in hot weather and is often considered well worth the price of a central air conditioner.