What Happens During a Central Air Conditioner Installation
A central AC install usually takes most of a day. If you’ve never had one done, here’s what happens, and what separates a good install from a quick one.
Sizing first
The right size depends on the home’s heat gain: windows facing south and west, insulation, shading, number of floors. Oversized ACs cool fast and leave the house damp; undersized ones run all day on hot days. “One ton per so many square feet” is a rough rule, not a calculation.
The indoor coil
The evaporator coil sits on top of the furnace. It has to match the outdoor unit, and the furnace blower has to move enough air across it. We also check that the coil’s condensate drain is routed properly, since that water has to go somewhere every day all summer.
The line set
Two copper lines connect the coil to the outdoor unit. Sometimes the old lines can be reused after flushing and testing; sometimes they’re the wrong size or damaged and should be replaced. Lines are insulated and protected where they pass through the wall.
The outdoor unit
It sits level on a pad or wall bracket, with clearance on all sides for airflow and service access, and away from bedroom windows if possible. An electrician-grade disconnect is installed within sight of the unit.
Vacuum and charge
This is the step that gets rushed. The lines and coil are pulled into a deep vacuum to remove air and moisture, checked to make sure the vacuum holds, then the refrigerant is released and the charge adjusted using superheat or subcooling. Moisture left in a system shortens compressor life.
Start-up
We check pressures, temperature drop across the coil, blower speed for cooling, and thermostat settings, then show you how to change the filter and what to watch for.
Estimates for new installations are free and financing is available. See our air conditioning services or contact us at 647-657-2977. We serve Whitby and the GTA.
