How Long Does It take To Install A Central Air Conditioning Unit?

One of the most common questions our customers have is how long will it take to install their new central air conditioner. If it’s a standard installation, without any complications or corrective work that needs to be done, it’s almost always a 1-day job. That’s assuming you already have a forced air furnace and the ductwork in your home. If you’re replacing your existing air conditioner with a new ac unit, one day is certainly enough time complete the job.

If your installation does require work that falls outside of what is considered ‘standard,’ the technicians might still be able to complete the job in one day depending on how much additional work needs to be done, and how complex the problems are. At worst, it shouldn’t take more than 2 days to complete even the most difficult air conditioning installations.

So what type of issues can complicate a central air conditioning installation?

• Attic or crawlspace installations
• Having to install new ductwork
• Difficult access to the furnace
• Insufficient access to work around the furnace or coil
• Small access spaces can require dismantling your old furnace to remove it
• Adding supply air ductwork
• Adding return air ductwork
• Drilling through concrete walls
• Electrical issues
• Installing lineset through finished living spaces

These potential complications can also affect the cost to install a central air conditioner. There are too many variables for me to even guess at how much each of them could add to the cost of your installation. If your home does present any of the issues listed above, it becomes even more critical that you choose a reputable, well-known company that provides a written money-back guarantee so you can be confident that the work will be done correctly.

I’d estimate that at least 25% of the installation disasters I’ve seen in the past had one or more complicating factors, and these issues magnify the consequences of poor quality work done by below average technicians exponentially.