How Much Does an Air Conditioner Cost?

 

As summer approaches, you might be thinking that it's time to get a new air conditioner. Before you go out air conditioner shopping, however, perhaps you should get a sense of how much is this is actually going to cost you.

Central air conditioners are the most expensive of all of the available units, costing many thousands of dollars. But some small portable AC units can cost you as little as $100.

Whynter 12000 BTU Portable Air Conditioner

To get a high-quality portable AC unit from a top manufacturer, you can expect to spend anywhere from $300-$700. These are the most expensive of the non-central air-conditioners. You will pay a premium for the convenience of a portable AC unit.

Bear in mind, however, that Consumer Reports doesn’t actually recommend any portable AC unit. CR has tested portable air conditioners and its reviewers argue that portable units don’t cool as well as they claim.

A brand-name window air conditioner, however, is can be priced much more reasonably, running anywhere from $150-$400 for a low level of BTUs (under 8000 BTUs, for example) while a larger capacity unit can run anywhere from $400-$800. Finally a through-the-wall model can cost you anywhere from $300-$1500.

Frigidaire 15100 BTU Window Air Conditioner

In terms of installation costs, these can vary widely depending on which type of air conditioner you plan to buy. For example, portable and window AC units require no special installation. So once you buy the unit, it that is all that you will spend except for, of course, the monthly electricity bill. A window unit might require some minor installation, but you can do it yourself and it won’t cost much at all.

For moderate installation costs, consider a through-the-wall unit. To install one of these air conditioners, you can expect that the cost will be under $300. This is pretty low because these units don’t require ductwork.

When shopping for a central AC system, the cost of the unit and installation increase considerably. If you already have a furnace in place and the duct work is already done, you can expect that adding a new central air conditioner to your home will cost about $3500-$4500. Of course, the price will vary depending on which brand you buy, which model you choose, and how big the cooling capacity is.

If you have to put in new ductwork as well as install the AC unit, the price of installing central air can jump up to $8000. If this is the case in your home, you might consider going with a ductless mini split system, which does not require ductwork.

If you're replacing old central air conditioner, bear in mind that there may be higher costs involved because the installers may need to fix the insulation in the older ductwork. 

This is important because you did not want the cool air to leak out of the ducts if they are poorly insulated. This can happen if the cool air is escaping the ducts and not making it to you room. This can cost you a ton of money and energy bills.

Should You Buy a Split AC or a Window Air Conditioner?

As summer approaches, you might be thinking about buying a new air conditioner so that you aren’t sweltering during the dog days of summer. But deciding which unit to buy can be stressful.

One of the most common questions is should you buy a split AC? Or should you opt for a window air conditioner?

A window air conditioner includes the entire air conditioner unit inside one box. This type of unit is small enough to fit on your windowsill where it should be firmly attached to the frame. This can provide excellent cooling for a single room.

SPT 12000 BTU Window Air Conditioner

A split AC, is more expensive and more complicated. It includes two units that basically relies on an indoor and an outdoor unit.

Design: A window air conditioner comes in one unit with the compressor and condenser housed together. The unit is designed to sit on your windowsill and be anchored in place. By contrast, a split AC comes with two units. The compressor and condenser are in the unit outside your house while the air-handling unit is inside. 

Amvent 18000 BTU 1.5 Ton Ductless Mini Split

Space: A window AC is about the size of a microwave and remains in the window. A split AC is larger because it comes with two separate units.

Installing: For DIYers, you can install a window AC very easily. You just need to anchor it to the window. A split AC, by contrast, may require professional installation because you need to connect tubing from the inside unit to the outside unit. This requires drilling holes through the wall.

Noise Level: A split AC is much quieter than a window unit because the noisiest part of the unit – the compressor - sits outside of your home.

Cooling Capacity: Both a split AC and a window unit do a good job cooling a room (especially when compared to the mediocre cooling capability of portable AC units). But a split AC can has much more power than a window unit and, as a result, is capable of cooling a much larger space than a window unit. In fact, some split ACs can blow cool air 30-40 feet.

Energy Efficiency: Interestingly, both the window AC and the split AC have very similar electricity needs and, therefore, cost about the same to run in terms of electricity costs.

Room Size: Window AC units are designed to cool rooms that are 300 square feet or smaller. By contrast, a split AC is capable of cooling larger spaces.

Cost: Window AC units are pretty reasonable. In fact, you can find some units priced at under $200. On the other hand, a split AC unit can cost quite a bit more. Moreover, you may also need to pay for professional installation depending on your situation.

Bottom Line: If you are looking to save cash or you are renting an apartment, you should probably go with a window AC. On the other hand, if you live in your own home and have some extra cash to spend, go with the split AC.

Tips for Buying a Central AC

Investing in a new central air conditioner system can be an expensive and time-consuming process. Here are some tips that make this as painless as possible. 

Although many people would prefer a DIY approach to putting in a central AC, experts caution against this for a number reasons.

First, a central AC system requires ductwork to move the hot air out in the cold air in. This can be a complicated and tricky process and you probably want an expert working on the ducts in your house.

The second issue in installing a central AC is that you need to check the insulation around the ducts in order to make sure that your cold air is not leaking out. This is so important because you do not want to waste money on electricity bills because you are losing your cool air due to poor insulation.

So what should you do if you are looking to purchase a new central A/C?

The first thing you should do is some research about which is the best AC unit for your home. In particular, you should measure how many square feet you need to cool. You should also determine which AC features are most important to you. You should also think about the current climate zone you live in because this can determine how powerful unit that you need.

Your second step is to contact local air-conditioner contractors. If you're looking for recommendations, consider asking friends or joining a referral service like Angie's List. Bear in mind, however, that many AC service providers will only deal in one specific brand of air conditioners. If you are looking to purchase a different unit, you may not be able to use an installer that specializes in a different one.

Next, you need to start collecting price quotes for purchasing and installing your new AC unit. Experts recommend that you get at least four different price quotes from different contractors. These quotes should include the price of the actual central air system itself as well as the cost for installation.

In the past few years, some consumers have chosen to purchase AC units online directly from distributors. This can be a good deal and save you a bit of cash. For example, you can purchase central AC units from online merchants like Amazon.com or Overstock.com.

If you choose to buy online, however, make sure that you thoroughly research which central AC unit you wish to purchase. You also need to know if installation requires you to buy any additional components, like systems for ductwork. Also, ask about guarantees and warranties.

And if you do choose to purchase your own central AC online, make sure that you have a local contractor who can install it. It's also good idea to speak with your contractor about the costs and process of installing it before you make the purchase.

Make sure you do your homework before making an online purchase. This is a pricey investment and you don’t want to get stuck with an AC unit that can’t be installed.

How Does an Airconditioner Work?

Have you ever wondered how an airconditioner actually works? Here is an overview of the ins and outs of central AC.

A central airconditioner is a large appliance that is permanently installed inside or outside of your home. The purpose of the central AC is to cool your entire home. As a result, this appliance packs quite a bit of power in order to force cold air throughout your entire house.

With the central AC, there is a unit inside your house that pulls the hot air out of each room. A separate device pushes cool air back into your home. At the same time, the AC unit also works to reduce humidity.

Basically, there are 3 steps in how a central AC is able to cool your home.

First, it sucks the hot air out of each room. This requires the use of evaporator coils in the AC unit. Inside each room, the evaporator coils – along with the refrigerant – pull the heat into the unit.

There is a fluid - called refrigerant - used inside the air conditioner that has a very low boiling point. Because it has such a low boiling point, it is able to easily go from a liquid to a solid. In recent years, manufacturers have found more environmentally-friendly refrigerants to use. Earlier in the twentieth century, they often used Freon as a refrigerant but they learned that it depleted the ozone layer.

The second part of the process requires that the condenser unit remove any moisture from the hot air that it has collected. This is also known as the dehumidification process.

Inside the AC unit, the refrigerant moves from the compressor to the condenser. It is the condenser, which will eventually push the hot air outside. This is why essential AC so important to have in hot and humid climates. The airconditioner does a terrific job in not only cooling the room but also reducing the humidity

The third and final step in the air-conditioning process involves the compressor, which forces cool air back into your home. The cool air is pushed through the ducts into the room.  

Essentially, central AC functions like the 3 phases of water that we learned about in high school chemistry class: solid, liquid, and gas. When a substance moves from one form to another (like ice melting into water or water boiling in evaporating), this is referred to as a “phase change.” When a phase change occurs, one of two things can happen: either heat is removed from the environment or heat is released into the environment.

In a central airconditioner, the refrigerant cycle turns liquid into a gas. This is also known as evaporation. It is this evaporation process that allows the AC unit to pull the heat out of your house.

After the refrigerant is forced into the compressor and the condenser, it returns to liquid form as water. This phase change does the opposite of the previous one, by returning heat. The main difference, however, is that the AC unit forces the heat to the outside of your home.

So essentially, an air conditioner works by removing heat from the inside of your house and transferring it to the outside of your house.