New AC Estimates Should Never Be Done Over The Phone

Many of our new customers request that we give them a new AC estimates over the phone for a new central air conditioner. They will tell us what another HVAC contractor quoted them and then want us to give our price. The problem with this is that we do not know exactly what that other company is quoting. 

We know that when we give you an estimate, it includes everything. There are companies out there that quote you for the air handler and the condenser unit, that is it. They include nothing else like copper lines, drain lines, thermostats, ductwork, etc. and during their air conditioner installation process these items are “added on” and your estimate which seemed like a “good deal” is now costing you more money. 

While we can give you a “guestimate,” this is by no means an exact estimate. There are many factors that need to be considered when installing a new air conditioning system in your home.  Homeowners from Venice through South Punta Gorda have been trusting Four Seasons Air located in Port Charlotte for over 36 years to give them a fair, honest evaluation of their current system and the best possible recommendations for replacement options.

The equipment that you currently have in your home is more than likely considerably smaller in size than the new high efficiency equipment being installed today. If your air handler is currently in your attic between rafters, there is a  chance the new air handler will not fit. Many new air handlers are installed in the garage horizontally hanging from the ceiling. Condenser units are much larger than ten or more years ago, and we need to measure for clearance from your home, along with where refrigerant lines, pads and drain line placement will be.

Before installing a new air conditioner, you also need to consider your ductwork. Does it need to be re-sealed? Is it damaged from small rodents, wear, or heat? Is it large enough to accommodate the new system’s air flow efficiently? 

Another factor to consider is changes to your home since you last installed a new AC system. New windows, adding a room, insulation and other factors can contribute to the size, or tonnage, your system needs to be. Do you always have a room warmer than another? Would you like to cool your lanai instead of having window units? This is the time to consider these factors before deciding on a new AC system. Maybe you should consider having a mini-split ductless AC system installed in a lanai or garage/work room?

A word about HVAC lingo….

The world of HVAC has a set of terms that often sound bizarre to people who are not professionally trained. Four Seasons Air takes the time to explain every aspect of the installation process to their customers, including explaining terms which might not be familiar to our customers. Communication with our customers and keeping them informed about scheduling, permitting, inspections and warranties is especially important to the overall installation experience you receive with the install teams at Four Seasons Air. 

One bit of HVAC lingo that people find hard to understand is tonnage. This is a vital part of new air conditioning installation and replacement. Although you can always trust our teams to install your new AC system expertly, so you end up with the ideal new AC for your home and your budget, we would like to share a bit about what tonnage means and how it fits into the installation process.  

What is Tonnage and Why It’s Important 

Tonnage is a confusing word because it sounds like a measure of the weight of an air conditioner. But it is not at all! Tonnage is a measure of how powerful an AC is at cooling down a space. Tons are units of cooling power, so when we say that a system is a “two ton” or “five ton” unit, we are indicating how powerful it is, not its weight. 

One ton = 12,000 BTUs of heat removed per hour from a space. BTU stands for British Thermal Unit, which is a measure of heat similar to a calorie: it is the amount of heat necessary to change the temperature of a specific amount of water by one degree Fahrenheit. This is something to keep in mind: an air conditioner provides a house with cooling by removing heat from it. This is why units of heat are used to measure how powerful an air conditioning system is at providing cooling. 

Why is 12,000 BTUs calling a ¬ton? The reason is that this is the amount of heat necessary to melt a one-ton block of ice. If your home uses a 2-ton air conditioner, it removes enough heat from your house per hour to melt two tons of ice.

HVAC Experts Must Determine Tonnage 

The average residential air conditioning system is between 1.5 and 5 tons. To find the right tonnage air conditioner to provide sufficient cooling, professionals must size the air conditioner.

It is easy to make the mistake of believing the more powerful an AC, the better. But you do not want a 5-ton air conditioner if your home only requires 2 tons of cooling per hour. An oversized AC will drop the temperature too rapidly, causing the compressor to shut down early and restart a brief time later. This “short-cycling” creates massive energy drain and an early replacement for the system. It also leads to poor humidity control, something that is essential in a place as humid as SW Florida. 

We hope this information helps you to understand why we can not give an exact quote over the phone. You can rest assured that when Four Seasons Air Conditioning, Inc. gives you a quote for a new AC system, which is exactly what you will pay – no surprises. With choices from leading manufacturers like Carrier, Lennox, Goodman, Rheem and more, you can be assured that you will get a quote giving you at least three options, in most cases four, taking into consideration SEER rating, your budget and availability of equipment.  

Call Four Seasons Air Conditioning, Inc. today and find out for yourself why Four Seasons’ customers consistently rate us with 5 Stars, amazing reviews and refer their friends and family to us year after year. 36 Years serving Southwest Florida, A+ rated by the Better Business Bureau. Call today for your Free New AC Estimate while winter rebates are still available. 941-548-4216   or use our contact form and we'll call you to set up a convenient time for you!