Did you know that about 100 million homes in the United States have air conditioning? That is because the heat during the summer months can reach unbearable levels. Having an AC in Florida comes with several benefits. You no longer have to leave your doors or windows open. Plus, an air conditioning unit will improve the overall health of you and your family. But how much is the cost of AC installation?
That is a question many people ask when they consider installing a unit in their home. If you want to know all of the facts about AC financing, keep reading our helpful guide.
Factor One: Size of Your Home
The first factor that will decide the price of your air conditioning unit is how big of a home you have. The square footage is a critical element because the AC must have enough power to generate cool air through every room.
Most air conditioning units can cool about four hundred square feet of a home per one ton of air capacity. To figure this out, we refer to the BTU measurements.
That acronym stands for British Thermal Unit, and we use it to measure how much energy it takes to increase water to about one degree Fahrenheit. Most AC repair professionals will refer to the BTU unit, so you should understand what it means.
For instance, a 400 square foot house would create roughly around twelve thousand BTUs. However, let’s say you have a much larger home. If you have a 2000 square foot house, all you have to do is divide that number by four hundred.
You do this because the four hundred square feet represent one ton of the air conditioner’s cooling capacity. 2000 divided by 400 equals 5. That means that you require a five-ton air conditioning unit to generate enough power to cool down a 2000 square foot house.
That means that an air conditioner that weighs five tons will cost about $2,000. That price is solely for the AC, though. Once you add installation into the price, you will see it grow to about $3500-$4000.
Of course, if you have a smaller space, that price will be a bit lower because you won’t need as big of a unit to cool your house. Likewise, if you live in a home much larger than two thousand square feet, the air conditioner size grows.
Along with the number of tons, the price will also soar. However, it is well worth the money to ensure that your home is equally heated when the summer heats get to be too much.
Factor Two: SEER Rating
The next factor is the SEER rating. SEER stands for Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio. What that means is the rating determines the ratio of energy output during a given season, like summer.
You then take that ratio number and divide it by the amount of energy the air conditioner uses in watts. You can think of this rating system as putting gas in your car.
The more gas your car has, the further it can drive. So, the higher the SEER rating on your air conditioner, the better it will cool your home. Professionals measure the SEER rating by looking at your indoor temperatures over an entire season.
Once they see what temperature your house is, they can calculate how high of a rating you need to keep your house comfortable. The lowest SEER rating you can have is 13, while the highest is 21 to 24.
If your rating is anywhere between 13-25, you can expect a cost of about $2800. However, a lower rating is sometimes not the best option.
If you have a middle-grade rating of between 15-18, you will spend about $3500 to $4500 for the unit plus installation. If you want to go big with the highest rating possible, you will look upwards from $6000.
Factor Three: Type of Cooling
Depending on what speed your air conditioner is can affect the price of the unit. A single-speed AC means the system has few functions, mainly to switch on and off.
We refer to these as single-stage ACs. They may be older technology, but you can still request those models. With a single-stage, you will pay around $2,000, give or take.
However, many people opt for the higher-quality option, which is variable-speed air conditioning. The AC units use compressors that allow you to customize your AC experience.
For instance, if you want the unit to run low on a day that isn’t too hot, you can set it to reduce the speed. Alternatively, if the heat is unbearable one day, you can have your unit work overtime and on a higher power.
Of course, with more functionality, the price goes up. With a variable AC unit, you might spend around $4000-$6000.
Factor Four: Installation Costs
The costs mentioned above are strictly for the air conditioning unit. Along with that, you must consider installation pricing, which ranges by AC repair company. That said, the average cost to install an AC unit is between $4200-$5900.
Factor Five: Long-Term Repair Costs
Once you set yourself up with an AC financing and repair company that installs the unit for you, you are all set. Afterward, your AC should run for a few years.
But as with most appliances, they will require repair. Air conditioners have a habit of freezing up or not blowing cold air due to several issues.
Those problems range from corroded coils to low refrigerants. The nice part about this is the repair costs likely won’t be as much as the initial cost of installation. You will see numbers anywhere between $180-$500, depending on what happens to your unit.
More on the Cost of AC
As you can tell, several factors play into the cost of AC in your home. You first have to factor in the size of the air conditioning unit and SEER rating.
Remember, you have to pay for the cost of installation plus the repairs long-term. It may seem pricey at first, but it all works out when you feel that refreshing air circulating through your home. Do you want to install AC in your home?
Florida Heat and Repair is here to help with the installation of Fort Myers AC. If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact us and get a quote today! You can also click here to learn more about AC financing through our business.
