HVAC FAQs
AC Not Working? You may not need a repair!
At Just Right Air in Salt Lake City, UT, we know how frustrating it can be when your air conditioner freezes. Check out our vlog for expert tips on unfreezing your AC and keeping it running smoothly all summer long.
How Much Will a New Air Conditioner Cost?
The short answer is that the only way to know what it will cost to replace YOUR air conditioner is to have a qualified comfort advisor inspect your home and existing equipment and give you the options for replacing your system. But since we know that might be a frustrating answer, we’ll give you some ranges and then some guidelines to help you understand why there is a wide range of prices.
A no frills, minimum efficiency air conditioner will cost you as little as $7,500 installed, while a full featured, high-end, high efficiency air conditioner could cost you as much as $13,500 installed. Additions such as ductwork changes, a whole-home humidifier, an advanced air filter or other accessories would add to these prices.
There are six factors that affect the price of the air conditioner you choose, and all are important to consider in determining the best air conditioner for your purposes:
Size
The most obvious cost factor is house size. In fact, you can get more specific and look at room size if you’re thinking about installing a single room air conditioner. Overall, the larger the area that needs to be the cooled, the more expensive your air conditioner will be.
Air conditioner strength is measured in “tons,” a measurement that refers to the amount of heat your AC unit can remove in an hour. Each ton corresponds to 12,000 British thermal units (BTUs). Be very cautious when calculating this. Bigger isn’t necessarily better. If your unit is too large for the space or your home, it will switch on and off repeatedly, wasting energy and costing you money while shortening the life of the equipment due to the accelerated wear and tear of repeatedly turning on and off.
Air Conditioner Ratings
In addition to BTU ratings (size), there are other numbers you need to evaluate before you purchase or replace your air conditioning system. Those two numbers are the EER and SEER ratings.
The Energy-Efficiency Ratio (EER) essentially tells you how energy efficient your AC unit is on the hottest day of the year. Since that only happens one day a year, the SEER rating is the most meaningful rating in determining which air conditioner to choose. The Seasonal Energy-Efficiency Ratio (SEER) looks at how energy efficient your system is through the whole season. The least energy efficient AC, that cost the most to operate in our climate, is a 13 SEER rated AC. High efficiency air conditioners go up to 40 SEER and higher. They use less than 1/3 of the energy than a comparable minimum 13 SEER unit. Just like buying a car that gets good gas mileage (MPG) makes sense, selecting a high efficiency air conditioner makes good sense.
Brand
There are many brands of air conditioners, with some well-known and others more obscure. In the case of home central air conditioning, the brand does matter. But just because a brand is well-known doesn’t mean it represents quality. For example, York is a well-known brand, but is no longer recommended by Consumer Reports as a trusted brand. As a general rule there is a correlation between price and quality in air conditioners, just as there is in cars and appliances. And bear in mind, the cheaper it is, the higher your air conditioner maintenance and repair costs will be.
Inexpensive AC Brands (Listed alphabetically)
- Coleman
- Goodman
- Payne
- Tempstar
Higher Quality AC Brands (Listed alphabetically)
- American Standard
- Carrier
- Daikin
- Lennox
- Ruud/Rheem
- Trane
Ductwork
If you must add or renovate substantial ductwork in order to achieve maximum comfort or system efficiency, your system installation cost could rapidly rise. The $3200-$8500 air conditioner price above assumes that your ductwork is in place and performs efficiently. If not, expect an additional $1,000, or more.
Labor
More often than not, homeowners hire HVAC pros to install or replace a new furnace. However, not all pros cost the same. An air conditioning pro who has been in the business for 20-30 years will charge more than a contractor just starting out. More experience generally means more expertise, which, costs more.
When it comes to labor, we always recommend you gather at least three HVAC quotes from local, reputable, certified, furnace companies. Just make sure one of them is Just Right Plumbing, Heating, & Cooling.
Features
Just like a new car, there are certain features you need and certain features you would like. Your new air conditioner cost will increase or decrease after you decide which features you decide to add.
Whether it’s a programmable thermostat, variable-speed blowers or zoned air conditioning, if you want to keep installation costs down, keep the features to a minimum.
Conclusion
We have installed simple low efficiency air conditioners for as little as $3000, and we have installed highly-complex high-efficiency heat-pump systems with high-tech features for over $14,000. The price for each air conditioner is truly as unique as you, your home and your cooling needs and desires.
Click to schedule your Free, No-Obligation, No-Hassle Air Conditioning Estimate
How Much Will a New Furnace Cost?
The short answer is that the only way to know what it will cost to replace YOUR furnace is to have a qualified comfort advisor inspect your home and existing equipment and give you the options for replacing your system. But since we know that might be a frustrating answer, we’ll give you some guidelines to help you understand why there is a wide range of prices.
A no-frills, base-model, minimum-efficiency furnace will cost you as little as about $5,000 installed, while a full featured, high-end, high efficiency furnace could cost you as much as $8,000 installed. Additions such as ductwork changes, a whole-home humidifier, an advanced air filter or other accessories would add to these prices.
There are six factors that affect the price of the furnace you choose, and all are important to consider in determining the best furnace for your purposes:
Size
The size factor works in two ways; the size of your furnace and the size of your house. The bigger the furnace, the more expensive your furnace installation cost will be. However, that does not mean you can go out and buy the smallest furnace there is. If your new furnace is too small, there won’t be enough heat flowing throughout the home.
Likewise, you shouldn’t buy the biggest furnace either. If you do, the furnace will overheat, short-cycle, rapidly increase your utility bills and reduce the useful life of your furnace.
Efficiency
Furnace efficiency is measured by AFUE (Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency). It measures how much energy is converted into heat. The higher the AFUE value, the more efficient the furnace is. For example, a furnace with an AFUE of 80 converts 76% of the fuel to heat and loses 24% out the exhaust pipe.
As time goes on, more and more efficient models are coming out. In fact, you can even purchase a high-efficiency gas furnace where the AFUE rating is as high as 98%. Of course, high-efficiency models cost more than lower-efficient models. But fuel savings and environmental impact make these attractive options.
Brand
There are many brands of furnaces, with some well-known and others more obscure. In the case of home furnaces, the brand does matter. But just because a brand is well-known doesn’t mean it represents quality. For example, York is a well-known brand, but is no longer recommended by Consumer Reports as a trusted brand. Just as is in cars and appliances, as a general rule there is a correlation between price and quality in furnaces. And bear in mind, the cheaper it is, the higher your furnace maintenance and repair costs will be.
Inexpensive Furnace Brands (Listed alphabetically)
- Coleman
- Goodman
- Payne
- Tempstar
Higher Quality Brands (Listed alphabetically)
- American Standard
- Carrier
- Daikin
- Lennox
- Ruud/Rheem
- Trane
Ductwork
If you must add or renovate substantial ductwork in order to achieve maximum comfort or system efficiency, your system installation cost could rapidly rise. The $2000-$7000 furnace price above assumes that your ductwork is in place and performs efficiently. If not, expect an additional $1,000, or more.
Labor
More often than not, homeowners hire HVAC pros to install or replace a new furnace. However, not all pros cost the same. A furnace pro who has been in the business for 20-30 years will charge more than a contractor just starting out. More experience generally means more expertise, which, costs more.
When it comes to labor, we always recommend you gather at least three HVAC quotes from local, reputable, certified, furnace companies. Just make sure one of them is Just Right Plumbing, Heating, & Cooling.
Features
Just like a new car, there are certain features you need and certain features you would like. Your new furnace cost will increase or decrease after you decide which features you decide to add.
Whether it’s a programmable thermostat, variable-speed blowers or zoned heating, if you want to keep installation costs down, keep the features to a minimum.
Conclusion
We have installed simple low-efficiency furnaces for as little as $2000, and we have installed highly-complex high-efficiency systems with high-tech features for over $14,000. The price for each furnace is truly as unique as you, your home and your heating needs and desires.
Click to schedule your Free, No-Obligation, No-Hassle Furnace Estimate
Energy Evaluation
Do you need a Home Energy/Indoor Comfort Evaluation? If you answer yes to any of the following questions, you probably do:
Are there any rooms in your home that are uncomfortable because they are always too warm or too cool?
A Home Energy / Indoor Air Evaluation will get to the bottom of why, and what you can do about it.
Are you considering buying a new furnace or air conditioner?
As recommended by DOE and EPA, before buying a new indoor comfort system, you should ask your heating and cooling contractor for diagnostic testing and computerized equipment sizing calculations.
Does anyone in your home suffer from allergies or asthma?
Your home may be contributing to your suffering. A Home Energy/Indoor Air Evaluation will help identify ways to make your home healthier and safer. Is the air in your home too dry or too humid? Improper humidity control can cause static shocks, dry skin and bloody noses in the winter and mold, mildew and structural damage in the summer. A Home Energy/Indoor Air Evaluation will identify ways to help you control the humidity in your home.
Are your gas and electric bills too high?
According to the Department of Energy, the typical home wastes 25% to 40% of the energy put out by the central furnace, heat pump or air conditioner. Are you throwing away 25 cents to 40 cents out of every utility dollar? Find out if you are and how to stop it!
Does the temperature in your home swing from too hot to too cold?
Wide temperature swings in a home are an indicator of improperly sized and installed equipment. A Home Energy / Indoor Comfort Evaluation will identify improperly sized equipment.
Call today to schedule an appointment for a Home Energy/Indoor Comfort Evaluation
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