AC Installation in Cheney

When a new air conditioner makes sense

A new AC is the right call when your old unit keeps breaking down, uses an old refrigerant that is getting hard to find, or never kept the house cool to begin with. It also makes sense if your home has a furnace but no cooling at all.

We size the system to your house, not to the last unit or a rule of thumb. An oversized AC cycles on and off, leaves the air damp and wears out early. An undersized one runs all afternoon and still falls behind on a hot July day.

Most of what goes wrong with new air conditioners comes from the install, not the equipment. Loose wiring, a wrong breaker, a refrigerant leak at a brazed joint, a drain that backs up. We do those parts carefully because they are the parts that keep your home safe.

What the install includes

Load calculation

We measure rooms, look at windows, insulation and which way the house faces. That tells us how much cooling you actually need.

Removal of the old unit

We recover the old refrigerant with proper equipment instead of venting it. Then we haul the old condenser and coil away.

Level pad and outdoor unit

The condenser sits on a solid, level pad with clearance for airflow and service. A tilted unit is hard on the compressor.

Electrical done to code

New disconnect within sight of the unit, correctly sized breaker and wire, and a whip rated for outdoor use. The power stays off while we work.

Line set, coil and drain

We braze joints with nitrogen flowing to keep the inside of the lines clean, then pressure test and pull a deep vacuum. The condensate drain gets the right slope and a safety switch where needed.

Startup and walkthrough

We check charge, temperatures and amp draw, then show you the thermostat, the filter and the disconnect.

Signs it is time to replace your AC

• Repairs keep stacking up

  If you have paid for a few repairs in the last couple of seasons and the unit is older, a new system is often the better spend. We will tell you plainly which way we would go.

• It uses R-22

  Older units run on R-22, which is no longer made. Recharging one gets more costly every year.

• Some rooms never cool down

  Upstairs bedrooms stuck in the 80s can mean the system was sized wrong from the start.

• Power bills creep up

  An aging compressor draws more power for less cooling. You see it on the bill before you feel it in the house.

• Burning smells or tripped breakers

  These point to electrical trouble. Shut the system off and have it looked at before you run it again. Our AC Repair page covers that visit.

How the job goes

1. 1

   Free estimate at your home

   There is no charge for us to come out and price a new system. We check the equipment you have now, run the sizing numbers and go over your choices.

2. 2

   Written quote and permit

   Before we touch anything, the price goes down on paper. The outdoor unit, the coil, the labor and the permit each get their own line. Once you say yes, we pull the permit.

3. 3

   Install day

   We lay down floor covers, shut off power at the panel and get to work. Most straightforward replacements take a day. We keep tools and old parts out of the way of kids and pets.

4. 4

   Test, clean up, inspect

   We start the system, check it and leave the work area clean. The inspector then signs off on the permit.

What changes the cost of a new AC

We can't give a fair number until we have seen the house, the furnace and the panel. Your written quote lists the equipment and the labor line by line. Here is what pushes it up or down.

System size and efficiency

Bigger tonnage and higher efficiency ratings cost more up front and less to run.

Your furnace and coil

The indoor coil has to match the outdoor unit and fit your furnace. An older furnace may need attention first, which we cover on our Furnace Installation page.

Electrical work

Some homes need a new circuit or a panel with room for one. We find this during the estimate, not on install day.

Placement and access

A long line set run, a tight crawlspace or a hard-to-reach attic adds time.

Permit

Permit fees are part of the job and listed on the quote.