How Much Does It Cost to Put In a Heating and Cooling System?

The average cost of a brand-new HVAC system throughout the United States is about $10,000; however, a new system can range anywhere from $5,000 to $15,000 depending on the size and type of heating and cooling equipment that you need.

Often when a new HVAC system is installed, the existing duct work needs to be adapted to the new system which can also increase the cost for homeowners. Cost aside, installing a new system does have its benefits.

Newer HVAC systems are more efficient and can save you money on your electric bill. A new system can also give you peace of mind—worrying about having heat in the winter or cooling in the summer is never fun.

If you own a 1,000-square-foot home, you will need to spend around $6,000 for an air conditioner and about $5,000 for a furnace. With those prices in mind, it is important to remember that the brand, quality, and efficiency of the equipment that you buy can increase or decrease the price of a new system.

When it comes to efficiency, furnaces range from 80% to 97% efficient and air conditioner range from 13 Seer to 28 Seer. The Seer rating of an air conditioner is its efficiency rating (a higher Seer rating equals higher efficiency).

When deciding how efficient you want your HVAC equipment to be, keep in mind that while furnaces and air conditioners with higher efficiency ratings should save you some money on your electric bill, they also have more internal components (sensors and controls) that can fail. In other words, because of the increased frequency of repair, a higher efficiency model may end up costing you more over the life of the system.

Regardless of how efficient you want your HVAC equipment to be, it’s important to choose quality equipment that will last and to choose a company that will install your equipment correctly. Choosing to purchase oddball or uncommon equipment or to have your equipment installed by someone other than an HVAC professional usually leads to increased costs, buyer’s remorse, and a lot of headaches.

After your new HVAC system is installed, it is important to maintain it. Changing your systems air filter regularly and getting yearly routine maintenance done will increase its reliability and lifespan.

When it comes to the kind of air conditioner that you want to install, you have many options to choose from. Two of the most popular options are central air conditioning systems or mini split (also known as ductless) systems.

Both types of air conditioning systems have their pros and cons. Generally, mini split systems are smaller, more efficient, and require little or no duct work; however, they are typically twice the price of a traditional central air system and finding a qualified technician to repair a mini split system when it fails can be difficult.

Because of their size, it is also common for a home to need multiple mini split air conditioners, and they often are not as robust as a standard central air conditioning system.

While central air conditioning systems are larger and require a duct system to move air through your house, they are more common, cost less to purchase and install, and technicians are easy to find. Typically, an average home only needs one central air conditioning system whereas one mini split system is rarely enough.

Traditional central air systems are usually easier to repair and maintain, too. They also have repair parts that are readily available which means less down time during a repair—think about it—when your system is down during a sweltering July afternoon or a freezing January night every hour you’re without cooling or heating can feel like an eternity. Because of the many pros listed above, we generally recommend that customers purchase a traditional central air conditioning system.

If you need to replace your HVAC system, the best times are in the Fall (September to November) or in the Spring (March to May).

Sometimes, HVAC systems fail during the peak of summer or winter and you’re forced to have a new system installed. When this happens, be sure to ask about manufacturer rebates or other ways that you can increase your savings.