Air Conditioner installation and replacement includes numerous mechanical systems and can be extremely dangerous work.
While having a licensed contractor install your air conditioner can avoid the worst of these fears, there are still recommended processes in an AC installation that not all contractors follow.
That’s why it’s important for you to know the underlying process for air conditioner installations. You might not be doing it yourself, but you’ll want to vet your contractor to ensure they aren’t cutting corners and are optimizing your home comfort experience.
“Home comfort experience” sounds fancy, but really what we mean is that you want your AC to work well. Not all installations are created equal, and the difference between an AC running at 100% efficiency and even 80% can mean thousands of extra dollars in energy bills and repairs down the line.
Let’s make sure you avoid that, with our guide below.
Information From Air Conditioner Estimate
An air conditioner installation starts before installation day. Ideally, it starts when a contractor sales representative visits your home to provide an estimate.
See, this isn’t just about speaking with you face-to-face (or at least it shouldn’t be). It’s because to provide an accurate estimate, a trained professional needs to gather information from your home and existing system.
Sales representatives in HVAC are often also technicians, or they have enough formal training to provide information to company technicians about the details of the installation.
What information is this? The most important is the Manual J Load Calculation, a detailed calculation that measures the energy needs of your home. Depending on the results of this, you may need a more (or less) powerful cooling system than you currently have in your home. Being off in either direction can be a costly mistake.
What else should they be looking at? Every home is unique, and while many installations follow similar procedures, the HVAC rep should be looking for anything unique about your home that may create challenges for the installation team.
This could include access to ductwork, the location of the indoor unit, or the placement of the outdoor unit. For example, if your outdoor unit ends up being significantly taller than your existing system, does it still fit in the space? Does it block a first-floor window? These things may necessitate moving the unit, which adds to the installation procedure.
Site Inspection
For more complicated jobs, an installation technician may need to visit your home separately. This is usually when there’s more than just an AC install happening.
If, for example, you’re replacing significant amounts of ductwork, or having ductwork added to accommodate an addition to your home, additional calculations and estimates will need to be made.
This is rare, but can be necessary to ensure that you’re being quoted the right price and that the installation team has all the right tools and parts for the job.
Preparation of Installation Area
The day of the installation, you’ll usually receive a notification by email or text (or both) that your installation team is on the way.
Installations can be done by a single technician. Many companies will have teams of two working together, though, both for speed and safety. The quality of the job is not dependent on the number of techs, though.
Once they arrive, they’ll prepare the areas in your home by doing several things, including putting down drop cloths when necessary and cleaning the area around your equipment.
Safe and clear access to equipment is important, so you can assist your install team by having large items moved away from your indoor HVAC unit.
Safety measures are also important at this point. Relevant electrical outlets are turned off to ensure that there is no danger to the technicians. Other home systems may need to be shut off temporarily as well depending on where the installers are working.
Removal of Existing Cooling Equipment
Before a new installation can take place, your old equipment needs to be removed.
Disposal can be handled in a number of different ways, but every contractor should have a safe and environmentally friendly method of disposing of your old equipment.
This may also involve cutting metal parts and drilling, particularly if the unit is wedged into a tight space in your home such as a closet or crawlspace.
This also includes removing the refrigerant from your existing refrigerant line. Simply venting refrigerant into the atmosphere is illegal, so this needs to be secured properly to be disposed of in a safe manner.
Handling refrigerant requires EPA certification not as a company but on an individual level. Your installers should have proof of this certification if asked.
Installation of New Equipment
There are numerous parts and dozens of steps in an installation. Major equipment such as the indoor evaporator coil will need to be installed, but there could be dozens of steps alone to this depending on several factors.
The coil may be cased or uncased, necessitating a different setup. The drain pan will need to be configured. It will need to be connected to the rest of the system, including the ductwork. Attaching the new unit to the plenum can involve ductwork design to ensure proper airflow, so metalwork may be involved at this stage to ensure a firm seal on ductwork and proper volume of airflow based on the power of your system.
Wiring will need to be hooked up to each major area as well, and the line set – which includes electrical wiring, refrigerant line, and insulation – will need to be run from the indoor to the outdoor unit. Ensuring that this is properly connected and secured is vital.
This is all just the considerations for one major part. We haven’t talked about the outdoor unit, installation and connection of the blower motor and fan, filter dryer, condensate line, and more.
This isn’t a DIY that will take you through each step. That’s what HVAC training schools are for. But it’s enough to know that this step takes up the bulk of the time and will involve multiple steps both inside and outside your home.
Wiring Installation and Connection
Ok, so the indoor coil is installed, as is the blower motor, as is the outdoor unit. The outdoor unit has been leveled (this is important!) so that it doesn’t malfunction down the line. Every major piece of equipment is in place.
The electrical wiring between systems now needs to be reestablished.
It’s also possible that new electrical wiring will need to be installed. This can be particularly true when you’re upgrading to a more sophisticated air conditioner. Modern technology can keep you cooler, but it also often requires more sophisticated thermostat technology to properly control. This, in turn, requires new electrical considerations.
A licensed electrician may even be needed if new electrical lines are being created. Some HVAC contractors are also licensed electricians, and they’re able to legally handle this themselves. Other times, a third-party contractor will need to be called. Your HVAC company should handle this in advance. You should never be looking for an electrician on the day of an installation.
Testing and Commissioning
You’re done! Well, not quite. Once the installation is complete, an installer’s job is not.
Very few air conditioner installs are perfect. This is true even for experienced installers.
So how do we make sure everything was done optimally? We test the system.
Testing – often called commissioning – is a series of tests to ensure that an AC isn’t just running but is running efficiently.
If your installer is just ensuring if the AC turns on and off, this is not fully testing the equipment.
Tests can include temperature at different points in the system, time it takes to cool a space, airflow at different points in the ductwork and home, electrical levels and a thorough testing of all options in the thermostat’s system.
Skipping this step means the job isn’t being done as well as it could be. Will your AC still run? Sure. Will it run efficiently? Probably. But why not be sure?
Cleanup and Review
Now that the equipment is both installed and tested, the process of cleanup should begin. Installing can be messy work! An installer should be prepared with cleaning tools to keep your home looking like it did before they arrived.
Additionally, a review of the install and a tutorial on your new system should happen. If a technician bolts out the door without this step, they’re doing you a disservice!
Some systems have integrated phone apps and advanced controls that can be difficult to learn. Make sure you’re getting the most from your air conditioner with this step!
Air Conditioner Installation in Sacramento, CA
An entire air conditioner installation will usually be completed in a day, around 6-8 hours of work. If it’s a full system or requires significant ductwork modification or installation, that estimate can be considerably longer. But most installs are in-and-out within the same day.
We’ve installed thousands of systems for Sacramento residents and look forward to helping to keep you cool in the hottest summer months. When it’s time for you to replace your AC system, reach out to CABS Heating and Air Conditioning for a free, no-obligation quote. We’re excited to make your comfort goals a reality!
