How long does it take to replace
an air conditioning unit?
How Long Does It Take To Replace An Air Conditioning Unit?
Air Conditioning has become an integral part of the modern everyday lifestyle. It is hard to think of a place where we do not see an air conditioner unit used. The malls, movie theatres, offices, at homes, AC units are present everywhere. However, we often tend to overlook the need for continual and proper maintenance (and repairs, if needed) for these AC units.
If you take all the units that are present in each city across the globe it adds up to an obscene number – arguably the biggest reason why the HVAC Industry has seen its biggest growth since its inception. On the topic of maintenance and repairs, a common question that crops up is, “What is the amount of time necessary to have an AC unit replaced?”
Now, even though the customer will always want the repairs done in the least possible time, while done at the highest level, several factors impact the time that will be required to replace your AC unit. So let’s take a look at the things involved in installing a brand new unit and the factors affecting how long it takes for a total AC replacement.
Time Required for Installation
Once you’re done with selecting the AC unit you want you can move on to the actual installation of the unit. The first thing that you must take into account before you start trying to install a new AC unit is the size of your home. The installation time will also depend on how accessible the storage space for your internal AC components is. Quality of all your ductwork, the dimensions of your AC unit, and all other factors taken into account the installation of an AC unit should take anywhere between four hours to eight hours, on average.
The Type of Repairs You Need
The first factor that will greatly affect the amount of time that you need to have your AC unit replaced is its location in your home. The first step you have to take in this situation is to deduce the type of AC repairs that you need. In case you are on a strict budget, you must ensure that you only try to replace one segment of the AC unit. Making an effort to replace the entire AC system will be extremely expensive and take up a huge amount of time. However, on the flip side, that will ensure that you will not require any repairs for a long time.
Dimensions of Your Home
At the time of replacing your AC unit, there is a chance that you might also need to have the ductwork replaced and the new vents installed. The larger the size of your house, the more amount of work will be required, thus pushing the deadline back even further. Also, the conditions that your vents and ducts are in will play a part in how long the AC unit replacement takes. Dust can easily clog up the airways and mold can keep growing in dark passages and block them up. This will add to your schedule since the ducts must also be cleared first before the AC unit can be replaced. Having to repair the whole duct system will also make the entire replacement process a whole lot more expensive. However, it is always a prudent decision to get an improvement on all of the components, if it’s affordable.
Where Your Home Is Located
You also need to consider your home’s location when you are trying to calculate how long it is going to take you to replace your AC unit. Repair crews find it a lot easier to access townhouses or family homes, making the whole process a lot quicker. High-rises are a lot harder to access and thus repair and/or replacement crew(s) will require a lot longer to complete the replacement.
Calculating the Time for Replacing an AC unit
The problem is that, since there are a multitude of factors that affect the total time necessary for replacement, it’s virtually impossible to figure out an exact time limit. Just putting an AC unit in for the first time can take up to eight hours, on average. During a replacement, you have the whole process of taking out the previous unit and rechecking the entire system for any faults. Only when every component is in pristine working condition can the new unit be installed. You have to be flexible enough to roll with the ups and downs and accept that there will be variables like availability and budget at play.
The only thing to be sure of is that the simpler the repair, the less it will cost (both time and money) you to get the replacement done. For example, in case your AC unit is outside the walls of your home, and thus easily accessible, the whole replacement could take less than 24 hours. However, if there is a need for upgrading your ductwork along with the entire system, it will cost a lot more time. Accessibility issues, dust and dirt clogging, passageways blocked by mold, etc., tend to complicate things.
In the End
Since it is arguably impossible to get an exact calculation of the time you will need to replace your old AC unit with a new one, what you can aim for is collecting all the information you can about the factors that may affect your replacement process. Spend more time doing diligent research and find out as much as you can about the type of work that you need to be done, the exact measurements of your home, and the state of all the components of your system. Make sure that you hire professionals to do the job.
In case the work does not meet the necessary standards, you will have to do the whole thing again, basically doubling the time and money you have to spend. Contact professionals beforehand to find out what is easily accessible for them, whether your home location has any advantages, how much it may cost, whether they provide discounts, and the type of service they provide. Once you have all the information in front of you, make a schedule and stick to it to the best of your ability.