If your current system is limping through its last summer, or your home never had central air at all, start with a free estimate. We measure, we ask about hot rooms and cold rooms, and we give you options at a few price levels with honest trade-offs for each.
Call (970) 555-0134 to schedule a free in-home estimate.
What a proper AC installation includes
- A real load calculation: We run a Manual J calculation using your home's square footage, insulation, windows, orientation, and occupancy. Rule-of-thumb tonnage guesses are how homes end up with systems that short-cycle or never catch up.
- Altitude adjustment: At 4,982 feet, thinner air moves less heat. Equipment capacity and airflow settings get adjusted for Loveland's elevation so the rated tonnage is close to the delivered tonnage.
- Matched indoor coil: The outdoor unit and indoor evaporator coil are engineered as a pair. Mixing a new condenser with a tired old coil costs efficiency and can void warranties.
- Refrigerant line inspection: Lines get flushed or replaced, pressure-tested, and pulled to a deep vacuum before charging. Moisture left in the lines shortens compressor life.
- Airflow setup: Blower speed gets set to the new system's requirements, and we check the ductwork can actually deliver the air. A 4-ton system on 3-ton ducts is a common find in older homes.
- Condensate protection: A proper drain with a safety float switch, so a clog becomes a service call instead of a ceiling stain.
- Thermostat and walkthrough: We program the thermostat with you and show you filter sizes, shutoffs, and what the warranties cover.
Signs it is time to replace instead of repair
- The system is 15 years old or older and needs a major part
- It runs on R-22 refrigerant, which is phased out and expensive
- Repairs are becoming an annual ritual
- Some rooms never cool no matter how long the system runs
- Summer bills keep climbing while comfort keeps dropping
- The outdoor unit is loud enough to hear through closed windows
A common guideline: multiply the repair quote by the system's age. If the answer tops $5,000, replacement usually wins. It is a rule of thumb, not gospel, and we will run the numbers both ways with you.
AC Installation in Loveland homes
Loveland installs split into two broad camps. Around Lake Loveland and downtown, many 1960s through 1980s ranches still run their second or third air conditioner, often paired with ductwork that was sized for a smaller unit decades ago. Those jobs usually include duct corrections, and skipping them is why some "new" systems disappoint.
On the east side, Centerra-area homes built in the 2000s and 2010s are now hitting the age where builder-grade systems wear out all at once — whole neighborhoods installed the same equipment in the same years. Those installs are usually cleaner, with modern ducts and electrical, and the decision is mostly about efficiency tier.
We also do a steady number of swamp cooler conversions in older Loveland homes. Swapping evaporative cooling for refrigerated air means adding the indoor coil, refrigerant lines, and often electrical capacity. It is more work than a like-for-like swap, and the estimate should say so up front.
What affects the cost of a new AC
Most Loveland homeowners pay between $5,500 and $11,000 for a central AC replacement, and $10,000 to $16,500 when the furnace is replaced at the same time as a matched system. The main drivers:
- Tonnage and efficiency: higher SEER2 ratings cost more up front and less per month. Loveland Water and Power rebates sometimes apply to higher tiers — we will flag the current programs on your estimate.
- Duct condition: undersized, leaky, or damaged ductwork adds cost, and fixing it is where much of the comfort gain lives.
- Electrical: older panels sometimes need a new circuit or an upgrade for the condenser.
- Conversion work: swamp cooler removals and first-time central air installs run higher than straight replacements.
Every estimate is itemized, so you can see what is equipment, what is labor, and what is optional.
Related services
Still weighing repair against replacement? Start with AC Repair for what a fix would involve. Ductless might fit better for additions and older homes without ducts — see Mini-Split Systems. For whole-home electric heating and cooling in one system, look at Heat Pump Services.
Call (970) 555-0134 for a free AC installation estimate in Loveland, CO.