One thing you can count on in the Chicago area is that temperatures stay cooler a lot longer than they do in other parts of the country. This makes putting off certain tasks—like purchasing a new air conditioner—much more likely. But, soon enough summer will be here in earnest, and we don’t advise rushing into an air conditioner installation in Evanston, IL.
Before you rush out to purchase a new cooling system, there are a few things to consider. After all, don’t you want to ensure that you are prepared as you can be with a functional and efficient air conditioning system? If you know yours is not likely to last through another heat wave, or you suspect that its age is catching up with it, then buying a new one is a good idea—but what will it cost you?
AC System Cost Factors
We get asked this question a lot, naturally—“How much will my new air conditioner cost?” The short answer to this is, “it depends,” and it truly does. For instance, the installation of a ductless system could be more than that of a less efficient central AC system. But, if you don’t already have ductwork installed, then a central system installation could be more complex, and subsequently more costly.
Our staff is happy to assist you with choosing the type of AC system that best meets your specific needs. But there are still a number of pricing factors to consider.
- System Efficiency: What we are referring to here is one of the biggest factors you’ll want to consider—your new cooling system’s level of efficiency—its SEER rating. SEER stands for Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio, and the lowest SEER rating in our area is 14. For maximum efficiency, we recommend at the very least choosing a system with the SEER rating of 15 (the minimum to earn the ENERGY STAR label), but these ratings go up to 20 and higher. The higher the level, the more costly the installation will be. However, the money you save from month to month can make up for this cost.
- Air Ducts: Are you replacing, or perhaps even buying a new central air conditioner? This means you’ll need to have ductwork in place. More than that, if you already have ductwork snaking its way through your home, then you’ll want to make sure it’s in good condition. Were your ducts professionally installed to begin with? Are there any loose connections or leaks occurring? Damaged ductwork equals an inefficient cooling system. So, before you have a new one installed, having your ductwork professionally repaired needs to be a priority—which will add to your initial costs.
- Home Size: How large is the space your air conditioner is meant to cool? You’ll need an HVAC professional who will help you choose an appropriately sized air conditioning system. A common homeowner misconception is, “the bigger, the better.” However, this can do more harm than good to the actual air conditioner, causing it to short-cycle—that is, rapidly turn on and off, inefficiently so. And of course, too small of a system cannot adequately cool your home.
Contact Shavitz Heating and Air Conditioning today to schedule your air conditioning installation.