What Makes a New AC Installation So Expensive?
With peak summer heat fast approaching, homeowners in Fieldale, VA, are starting to think about upgrading their home’s AC to cope. However, plenty of them get stopped in their tracks by what they see as the high cost of installing a new AC system. At first glance, it’s hard to blame them. However, when you understand the reasons why installing a new AC can get expensive, the cost is much easier to accept. Here’s what makes installing a new AC so expensive.
Higher Minimum Efficiency Standards
At the beginning of 2023, the US Department of Energy updated its minimum efficiency standards for air conditioners sold and installed in the US. Here in Fieldale, you can no longer buy a new AC with a SEER rating lower than 15. This means that a slew of less efficient and cheaper AC systems are no longer available to buy. That, in turn, pushed up the overall cost of installing a new AC.
Higher Overhead Costs
Another reason that installing a new AC is so expensive is that modern air conditioning equipment is more complex and specialized than ever. This means the AC technician installing your new system needs a specific set of costly tools to do their work and additional training to know how to use them. For example, many new AC systems now use a refrigerant known as R-454b, which is more environmentally friendly than its predecessors. However, systems that include it call for updated toolsets and procedures for safe installations.
Higher Component Costs
The prices that manufacturers pay for the materials and components that go into a new AC system are also on the rise. That means manufacturers are passing those costs on to you, the consumer. Manufacturers don’t have the option of switching to cheaper materials, owing to the performance required to meet the aforementioned efficiency standards. The good news is that this means your new AC will last longer and suffer fewer mechanical problems over time when compared with your older AC.
Trust the AC Installation Specialists
Since 1972, McKinney Heating & Air Conditioning has worked tirelessly to provide homeowners in Fieldale with the finest heating and air conditioning services around. Our expert team of HVAC technicians provides HVAC installation, repair, and maintenance services that meet the highest standards of excellence at all times. Plus, we also handle gas fireplaces, indoor air quality, and generators, too. And if you’re concerned about affording the new AC system your home requires, we offer financing on approved credit to help you. So, if your Fieldale home needs a new AC system to keep you comfortable this summer, call McKinney Heating & Air Conditioning today!
