Installing or replacing a central air conditioning system is one of a homeowner’s biggest expenses, so you’ll want to get it right the first time. It’s not practical for Consumer Reports to test central air conditioning systems because there are so many variables, including a home’s size and design, how the system is installed, and construction of the ductwork. Instead, we estimate the reliability of major brands on the market by asking our readers about their experiences with the systems they have purchased and had installed. “Choosing a brand with a lower breakage rate and better owner satisfaction will help boost your chances of getting an air conditioning system that you can depend on,” says Martin Lachter, a senior research associate at Consumer Reports. In our latest, 14,452 of our members told us about the central air conditioning system they purchased new between 2009 and 2016. We also asked them how satisfied they are with the central air system they purchased, the cost of repairs, and which parts broke.
Here’s what we found. Conventional central air conditioning systems are more common in regions with greater temperature swings, such as the northeast, and are used a median of five months a year. Our readers told us that they expect to get about 16 useful years of ownership no matter which brand they own. In our survey, no brand stood out as being the most reliable, but on the other end of the scale, York and Rheem are among the less reliable makers. Around 1 in 4 of the systems from these brands is estimated to break by the fifth year of ownership; breakage rates so high that Consumer Reports cannot recommend them at this time.
Satisfaction. In general, we predict that most owners of a central air system will be completely satisfied with the performance of their system by the fifth year of ownership, regardless of the brand. Two-thirds of the owners of American Standard systems are likely to be completely satisfied with the performance of their AC system by year five.
Owners of Goodman systems are predicted to be the least satisfied, followed by Rheem. We found that satisfaction rates track closely to a brand’s reliability for both higher and lower satisfaction levels, meaning consumer happiness is strongly connected to reliability, as you might expect with a product so tied to comfort. Parts that break. By the fifth year of ownership, the evaporator coil is the part most likely to break, with Ruud, Rheem, and York being the brands most susceptible to this problem. However, this problem is likely to affect less than 10 percent of all units by year five. Repair costs. Regardless of brand, when a repair is needed, most of our readers told us they pay out of pocket, meaning they don’t have a service contract.
Heil Furnace Model Numbers
Rheem owners paid a median repair cost of $252. Lennox wasn’t too far behind, at $236.
Somewhat less expensive to repair out of pocket was Carrier, $200, followed by Goodman, $204, and Trane, $219. We didn’t have enough repair cost data on systems from Amana, American Standard, Bryant, Ruud, and York to report on them. Even if you buy the most reliable air conditioning system, it can let you down if you don’t tend to some regular maintenance. Keep it clean. Be sure hedges and plants are at least 2 feet away from the outside unit. Clean grills and filters monthly.
Clear debris and dirt from condenser coils and check for blockages in the drain pipe. Seal and insulate ducts. Up to 30 to 40 percent of energy can escape through air leaks or when ducts aren’t insulated. Sealing them will keep you cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter. Seasonal checks. Once a year, have a licensed professional change all filters, clean and flush the coils, drain the pan and drainage system, and vacuum the blower compartments. The contractor should also check that the system is properly charged with refrigerant, that there are no leaks, and that all mechanical components are working properly. More Details To see the (Amana, American Standard, Bryant, Carrier, Goodman, Lennox, Rheem, Ruud, Trane, and York),. Source: Results are based on Consumer Reports’ 2016 Fall Product Reliability Survey of 14,452 owners of conventional central air conditioning systems.
Differences of fewer than 6 points between brands aren’t meaningful. Our statistical model estimates breakage rates (a system breaks down or ceases to function well enough to sufficiently cool a home) by the fifth year of ownership, for systems that receive annual professional maintenance but are not covered by a service contract. We also adjust for the average number of months of use over a 12-month period. The median number of months during which these systems are used is five per year.
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Manuals, parts lists, wiring diagrams for HVAC equipment: Free downloadable manuals for Air Conditioners, Boilers, Furnaces, Heat Pumps. Here we provide free downloadable copies of installation and service manuals for heating, heat pump, and air conditioning equipment, or contact information for the manufacturers who can provide that information for nearly all major brands of HVAC equipment. We include links to contact information for each manufacturer or producer of these air conditioners, heat pumps, furnaces, boilers and related equipment, parts, and installation, repair, wiring diagrams, manuals. We include immediate downloads of example installation & repair manuals and wiring diagrams for air conditioners, heat pumps, and heating equipment from a variety of manufacturers as well as contact information to obtain the exact manual or wiring diagram for your unit. We also provide a to this topic, or you can try the page top or bottom as a quick way to find information you need. is a licensed home inspector, past chapter president of the Hudson Valley chapter of the American Society of Home Inspectors, an educator, and building failures researcher in Kingston, NY who can be reached at or at 845-339-7984.
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How much does a central air conditioner cost installed? We answer that question in detail in this central AC price guide. The comprehensive discussion covers 4 important factors: Each factor affects the price. When you read elsewhere that “the average central air conditioner costs $5,000 installed,” that information alone doesn’t tell you enough.
For that cost, the unit could be a cheap, large and inefficient AC suitable for a large home in the North, or it could be a medium-sized, high-efficiency and high-quality model suitable for small homes in hot climates. Here are the topics addressed in this Central Air Conditioner Price and Review Guide. Content Navigation. Factors Affecting Central AC Cost Let’s consider those 4 important keys to central air conditioner cost.
This input will allow you to determine the ac unit that is right for your home. Quality Not all air conditioner brands offer similar quality. Here are the top companies divided by their place in the market. We’ve put brands together in parenthesis that have the same parent company and essentially the same product lineup:.
Budget brands – (lowest cost, 12 to 16-year durability): Examples are Payne, Aire-Flo, Airtemp, Goodman and Ameristar. Standard brands – (moderate cost, 15 to 18-year durability): Examples are (Heil, Arcoaire, ComfortMaker, KeepRite and Tempstar), (Armstrong and Ducane), (Rheem and Ruud), (Daikin and Amana), (Luxaire, York and Coleman), (Maytag, Broan, Westinghouse, Tappan, Frigidaire, Nordyne and NuTone). Premium brands – (highest cost, 18 to 25-year durability): Examples are Lennox, (American Standard and Trane), (Carrier and Bryant) Many sister brands make air conditioners that are identical except for the name. These air conditioner lists from Heil and Tempstar demonstrate the point. Interestingly, all the brands in that group are owned by United Technology Corporation, the parent company of Carrier and Bryant in the premium category.
This shows that UTC is seeking to capture consumers in various segments of the market. Lennox does the same thing with its Ducane and Aire-Flo brands. Performance Regardless of the quality niche they’re in, all brands make units in one or more of these performance categories:. Basic performance: These are single-stage central air conditioners with a SEER efficiency rating of 13-15. They are loud and might produce temperature fluctuations or cold spots in your home.
All brands make “Basic” ACs. Better performance: These are two-stage central air conditioners with SEER ratings of 16-19. They run on low, which is about 65 percent capacity, most of the time, so are quieter than single-stage units and cool more evenly.
They’re more effective at dehumidifying your home too. Most brands make “Better” performance air conditioners. Best performance: These are variable-capacity central air conditioners, called modulating or variable-speed by some brands. These units have compressors that modulate by very small degrees between 25 percent and 100 percent capacity with the result that the units are the quietest, most efficient, best at removing humidity and produce the most balanced temperatures. Variable-capacity ACs have SEER ratings as high as 24. These “Best” units are made by Standard and Premium brands.
Efficiency The. Like gas mileage ratings, SEER is a rating of how many Btu’s of cooling the unit can produce for the electricity it uses. The higher the SEER, the more efficient the unit is. Choosing the right efficiency rating for your purposes is discussed below. Size (Ton) Each residential AC model is produced in a range of sizes. Some start at 18,000 Btu while others start at 24,000 Btu.
This is a measurement of the amount of heat per hour the units remove from your home. Most central air conditioner models increase incrementally by 6,000 to 12,000 Btu. The largest residential units are 60,000 Btu. Within the industry, a term that dates to using tons of ice to cool buildings.
One ton of air conditioning capacity is equivalent to 12,000 Btu’s of cooling. Central Air Conditioner Prices AC Unit Prices By Brands.
$900-$3,100 Carrier/Bryant Premium $1,000-$3,800 Coleman/Luxaire Standard $1,000-$3,400 Day and Night Standard $1,290-$3,450 Frigidaire Standard $850-$3,150 Goodman Budget $700-$2,800 Heil Standard $950-$3,350 Janitrol Standard $850-$3,150 Lennox Premium $1,100-$3,950 Maytag Standard $1,000-$3,225 Payne Budget $950-$1,700 Rheem/Ruud Standard $1,000-3,200 Tempstar Standard $1,120-$3,100 Trane/American Standard Premium $1,100-$3,875 York Standard $1,000-$3,400 These prices are for the outdoor unit only, called the condensing unit. For complete installation costs including additional equipment required and labor costs, see section Installation Costs and Extras.
The above AC Unit prices are for just the outside unit, commonly called the air conditioner and technically known as the condensing unit. Other costs including installation are discussed in detail below. Most central air conditioners are sold by local HVAC contractors in a package that includes installation. However, you can find some air conditioners in the Basic and Better grades for sale by local and online wholesale dealers. Installers of central air conditioners must have a refrigerant license, so DIY installation is not an option for most homeowners.
Central AC Prices By Unit Size. $4,350 3.5 ton 1901-2200 sf $2,260 $4,710 4 ton 2201-2600 sf $2,450 $5,220 5 ton 2601-3200 sf $2,860 $5,890 Before installing or replacing your air conditioner, an HVAC contractor needs to size your system by “Manual J” calculation. This will take into accounts factors like where you live, insulation situation, windows types and direction and etc. Then you will get a right-sized air conditioner ranging from 1.5-ton to 5-ton. The above price is the average price of 20 common brands above. The air conditioner efficiency baseline is 16 SEER.
System Only includes the outdoor condenser and indoor evaporator coils (without the air handler and furnace). System Installed includes the system and installation (not include installing a brand new ductwork). Central AC Installation Cost and Extras How much does it cost to install a central air conditioner? Here are the basic AC installation price and the cost of extras.
$1,200-$2,000 Basic air conditioner installation cost This is the cost of installing just a new condensing unit and hooking it up to existing refrigerant lines. However, if your installation location is new construction or the AC being replaced is quite old, it’s likely you’ll have one or more of these additional costs: Brand New Ductwork: If your house has never been installed with an HVAC system before, you need to pay extra money for it. $2000-$3500 Quality R-6 insulated ductwork Related Article: Condensing unit pad: Most installers won’t put a condensing unit directly on the ground, so a pre-fab pad can be used or a concrete slab can be poured. $20-$150 Condensing unit pad Refrigerant lineset: There are two lines.
One carries refrigerant from the coil in the condensing unit to the indoor coil; the second returns the refrigerant to the outdoor coil. Linesets from 20 to 50 feet are produced; length affects cost.
$120-$400 Refrigerant lineset Evaporator coil: This indoor coil can be a cased coil that installs on top of your furnace or an uncased coil that installs in the furnace cabinet. The indoor coil, known as the expansion coil, collects heat from the air circulating over the coil. The heat transfers into the refrigerant, and it is carried to the outdoor coil where it is released. As heat is removed from the air, the indoor coil gets cold enough to condense moisture. Drier air in summer is more comfortable. The condensed moisture is collected in a drain pan. The evaporator coil must be sized to the capacity of the central air conditioning system.
$175-$500 Uncased evaporator coil $225-$575 Cased evaporator coil Thermostat: If your new central air conditioner or complete HVAC system has features the old one didn’t, you’ll probably need to replace your thermostat. You might want to do this anyway if you currently don’t have a programmable or Wi-Fi thermostat that allows you to monitor and control your heating and cooling using your smartphone and an app. $12-$100 Non-programmable thermostat $15-$124 Basic programmable thermostat $135-$500 Wi-Fi programmable thermostat You can read our for more information. HVAC Zoning Controls: The cost of zoning system is typically around $2,000 to $3,300 depending on the number of zones. For more information, read our. Other HVAC Optional Add-ons: There are a couple of optional add-ons you may have heard of. Those of you, who are interested in them, can take a look at:. Konica minolta bizhub 20 manual. What Size Air Conditioner Do I Need?
Getting the right size ac unit is essential to your indoor comfort and to the durability of the system. An AC unit that is too small will work too hard and might not cool the space effectively. This will also lead to premature mechanical failure. A unit too large will over-cool your home, creating temperature swings. The unit might also short-cycle, a malfunction that can destroy an AC compressor in the condensing unit.
Before having a Manual-J calculation made, you can get a pretty accurate estimate of the size unit you’ll need with the following information. First, find your location on below. The hotter your climate is, the more cooling power you’ll need per square foot of your home. This is a quick reference:. Zones 1 & 2 (hot): 22-30 Btu/sq.
Find out what your auto repair or auto service should cost with NAPA. The Repair Estimator is a quick and easy way to get cost estimates for the most common. How do we provide our estimates? YourMechanic flat-rate pricing is based on the labor time and parts required to fix your car. Our estimates show the full price. Fair price ranges for your car repair costs. For labor pricing, we rely on labor guides and expert input. Get fair price estimates for auto repair costs. Auto repair flat rate labor guide.
Zone 3 (warm): 20-24 Btu/sq. Zone 4 (moderate): 18-22 Btu/sq. Zone 5 (cool): 16-20 Btu/sq. Zone 6 (cold): 14-18 Btu/sq.
Zone 7 (very cold): 12-16 Btu/sq. Home Size $7,900 Carrier Infinity 21 Dallas, TX 2300 sqft I had this unit installed after the old unit was hit by lightning. I am not sure if I paid too much or that was just about the right price. So far, the system has not had any issues. It runs efficiently and keeps the down cooled down, just the way I like it.
What I liked about it most is how energy efficient. The contractor who did the installation job told me it could reach a 21-seer efficiency under the right conditions.
$3,500 (Unit Only) 2.5 ton Lennox Merit 14ACX College Station, TX 1800 sqft I decided to take the system with a five-year warranty. This is especially great if one is not planning to stay in an area for long.
Although, there is an option for a decade-long warranty I do not plan to stay that long. The system has so far provided reliable service in the two years since installation, something which is of great benefit to me. $2,200 (Unit Only) York LX 5 Flagler City, FL 2200 sqft The price I paid was inclusive of installation fees for new duct system in the home. This was after the contractor informed me the old system was just too inefficient. In addition, the price was inclusive of all the necessary permits.
After the three years, with regular checkups, the system is still working fine. $4,100 Ameristar 3 ton 16 SEER Phoenix, AZ 2900 sqft I got this unit installed recently. I am not sure but I think I paid a fair price, based on what others have paid.
The contractor included a ten-warranty for parts and labor as part of the deal. In addition, he offered a brand new outdoors foundation and a thermostat that is programmable. I am satisfied with Ameristar so far.
$6,150 Lennox Elite Chicago, IL 3000 sqft The entire installation process took the contract two days. In addition, some of the ducts need replacing. We also included some UV lights as part of the package. So far, the air conditioner has continued to run smoothly even after two years of service. $4,250 Airtemp 15 SEER Los Angeles, CA 1600 sqft Honestly, I cannot believe how much everyone else is paying for a central AC. We make good money but we would never pay for what some people are being charged. I believe some people here did pay too much. Airtemp is not a famous brand but did a good job for me.
$8,600 Trane XL16i 5 ton Houston, TX 3500 sqft Our nineteen-year-old Carrier could not take the heat last week. It finally broke down and we had the entire unit replaced with a 3 ton Trane. The entire process took the two workers about half a day.
$2,600 (Unit Only) 3 ton Goodman GSX13 New York 2400 sqft Central Air conditioning systems do not last very long here in Galveston. The salt air tends to corrode the units very fast.
As a result, our last unit only lasted seven years. In fact, we were quite impressed by how long our last Goodman lasted.
We decided to install this new four-ton unit. So far, it has been performing as expected without any issues. $4,390 Rheem 15 SEER Miami, FL 2000 sqft I have had the Rheem air conditioner running for two years now. I feel very happy with my purchase.
When my Carrier’s compressor burnt up only after five years of use. I decided to do some research and I think it really paid off. This new system has a higher seer rating; better warranty terms and is quieter. Anyone seeking to replace his or her Central Air Conditioner should as much time to gather as much information. The potential savings made are totally worth the trouble.
$3,200 (Unit Only) American Standard Orlando, FL 1900 sqft In Tennessee, the weather is hot with a lot of humidity. Thus, the unit runs almost nonstop from the months of May to October.
As an AC tech myself, this unit is undoubtedly top notch. When seeking to have a new system, a good contractor is crucial to a quality installation. Take time to read through customer reviews of installation companies. This is after you have chosen a unit that is best suited to your home.
In order to ensure a compressor lasts longer, make sure the filter drier is welded securely into the liquid line. In addition, pre-existing copper lines should be flushed. Be careful of quick talking technicians, who never seem to provide straight answers. This table is based on local customers feedback and online submitted information, we will update this table every 3-6 months to keep this up to date.
Last Update: May 2018 How to Get the Best Air Conditioner Prices. Firstly, keep in mind that installation quality is always the most important thing for residential HVAC project. So never sacrifice contractor quality for lower price.
Secondly, remember to look up the as we talked above. Thirdly, ask for at least 3 bids before you make the decision. You can for your local contractor, and this estimate already takes rebates and tax credit into consideration and filter unqualified contractors automatically. Lastly, once you chose the right contractor, remember to use the tactics from this guide: to get the final best price.
Are you in the market for a complete HVAC system? See our or for complete information on heating. Copyright 2014-2018, PICKHVAC All Rights Reserved. PICKHVAC Terms of Use: Some of the products seen on our site are delivered through a relationship with outside suppliers like Networx.com, Google, and others. We may or may not be compensated for purchased you make as a result of our recommendation. This will NEVER affect our opinion of a product or service! PickHVAC is also a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.
For people who love comfort, the invention of air conditioning ranks among the wheel, sliced bread, and fire. Staying cool on a hot and humid day used to require water until Willis Carrier debuted the first modern electrical air conditioning unit in 1902. The world has been a much more comfortable place ever since. Nowadays, the only thing that can threaten your comfort is a broken AC unit. When that day comes, Repair Clinic is here to help. We offer all types of air conditioner parts.
Whether you need central air conditioner parts or window AC unit parts, we have all the parts you need. Our air conditioner parts selection is second-to-none. We carry AC parts for all the major brands.
By entering your AC unit's model number, you'll discover the exact parts that fit your machine. If you need help finding a part, call our Customer Service team at 1-800-269-2609.
Heil Air Conditioner Reviews - Consumer Ratings Select Features. Two-stage scroll compressor in selected Heil air conditioners.
Sound blankets reduces noise levels of compressor in Heil air conditioners. Powder-coated galvanized steel cabinet assures long lasting durability for Heil air conditioner condensers.
7 mm copper tubing with aluminum fin coils work to save energy in Heil air conditioners. Two-speed fan motor in the condenser for selected Heil air conditioners. Selected Heil air conditioners are Energy Star rated. Heil Air Conditioner Reviews Questions for the Salesman/Dealer:. Can I use a regular thermostat or do I need to use a Heil thermostat for the communicating type of air conditioner they offer? The purpose of this question is that the thermostat appears to be proprietary.
So if the thermostat goes bad on a Friday you may have to wait until Monday to get a new one. You can just go down to the hardware store and buy a new one and install it yourself.
You have to go to the dealer for that and you will likely have to pay a service call even if it is under warranty. Do you offer extended parts and labor warranty? Labor is typically never included in the standard warranty and labor is not cheap.
See our for more information and helpful advice about purchasing HVAC equipment. Heil has changed hands many time times since its inception but is now owned by United Technologies which is the same parent company that owns Carrier and Bryant. For more information on Heil and their latest models and efficiency ratings visit the Heil website.
Heil Air Conditioner Reviews - Consumer Ratings. We had new Heil units installed in February when our heat went out. It was a new Heil gas furnace and air conditioner. We really only wanted a new furnace but after looking at everything and the age of our old air conditioner we didn’t want to have to worry about that going out soon also so we got the full package. We’ve had the guy come back once to check it out because we thought it was making a funny noise.
Turns out everything was fine and it works great. Another bonus was our power bill and gas bill is a lot less with the new Heil system we got. Brand new Heil AC with Furnace on a new build home. The Compressor is not kicking in and we just used it the first time since we moved in, in May 2017.
The fan runs, but the compressor doesn’t kick in and there isn’t enough air blowing through the house (RANCH) with full unfinished basement. Called the warranty company and they suggested changing the filter and checking the AC Breaker. It’s a new furnace and AC unit, filter still clean. If the AC Breaker was tripped, the unit wouldn’t run to begin with.
Sitting here and its 90% in house. Fan Motor went out under house.
Unit just turning 4 years old. They are telling me no motor available.
No long made. Now why in the hell would they not make the motor. We have not had any problems until this 6 days ago. So I guess you are to sit here and burn alive. I want an answer. My husband has breathing problems, my pets are hot and I am mad. The distributor gave the installer a wrong motor and then told them.
Oh we gave you wrong motor and we cant get another one. It is all under warranty. So this 65 year old woman and going to get on the phone and call everyone I can.
Heil Air Conditioner Reviews
I am not giving up. I want a brand new unit, like now. This unit was installed in new home, next month will be 4 years ago.
Heil Air Conditioner Prices
We had to rebuild after our home burned down. Report this ad.
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