Cost of HVAC installation systems for a comfortable home all year round. Heating in winter, cooling in summer, and air conditioning add to an improved indoor air quality. Humidity management and protection of pipes from freezing during cold weather. But a big amount is needed to spend when a unit breaks down or malfunctions.
Having an idea of how much to expect from HVAC installation costs will let you budget for it. Different factors determine HVAC installation costs, including size of home and types of systems, among others. In addition, our guide outlines everything else you should know about installation, be it a furnace, an air conditioner, or whole HVAC installation. Keeping track of information will take you a step closer to making wise decisions for your home as well as your budget.
Installation Prices for HVAC Systems
Costs incurred while installing HVAC systems are quite contingent on the type of system you desire to install. For instance, window air conditioning units could come as cheap as $470; however, the costliest systems-the geothermal heat pump can set you back as much as $36,530.
If you’re going to be getting a standard HVAC system, expect to pay from $5,540 to $10,980 on the average. Such costs include everything from fixture installation to the disposal of an old unit.
Low |
Average |
High |
| $470 | $5,540–$10,980 | $36,530 |
Types of HVAC and Differences in Their Cost
Heating, cooling, and ventilation systems are some common systems that an HVAC system can do to an establishment. Such systems normally have separate heating and cooling components but combined units are available for getting comfort throughout the year.
So each type of HVAC system comes with its own varying prices when it comes to independent units or packaged system installations. To know what costs to expect of an HVAC system type, look at the table and then the sections below.
Cooling Systems
On the sunny days of summer, when you have hot air outside, the cooling systems of every home make it cool and comfortable. The most expensive method of cooling your home is a central air conditioner. The least expensive way is a window air-conditioning unit. The wide installation of an HVAC system will actually range from $470 to $5,965, depending on the kind one chooses.
Cooling Systems |
Low Cost |
High Cost |
| Window Air Conditioner | $470 | $3,225 |
| Ductless Mini Split Air Conditioner | $2,285 | $5,825 |
| Central Air Conditioner | $3,080 | $5,965 |
| Self-Contained Packaged Air Conditioner | $6,400 | $7,510 |
Central Air Conditioning
Probably most common of air conditioning forms, costs anywhere from $3,080-$5,965 to install, depending on the brand. It is quite possible that this value will exceed that range from ten thousand dollars per unit. The Central AC further brings warm air through the condensation unit where the air is compressed in gas form before it sends cool air by passing it through the evaporator coils.
Ductless Split Air Conditioning
These systems are usually available between $2,285 and $5,825. The systems have no ducts or vents with which to cool your home but they work by going out to an evaporator. Evaporator systems can help with the temperature in a room or smaller space.
Self-contained Packaged Air Conditioner
Self-contain the air-conditioning systems best suited for apartments, mobile homes, or condos as they include the condenser and evaporator in just one packaged unit. The cap is between $6,400 to $7,550, in general.
Window Air Conditioner
Window air conditioners are most commonly the cheapest, from $470 up to $3,225. These also happen to be the easiest to install in the window without outside help
Heating Systems
Install heating systems to your house in cold and winter months. Average prices range anywhere from $1,800 up to $13,020 based on type and efficiency.
Heating Systems |
Low Cost |
High Cost |
| Electric Furnace | $1,800 | $7,100 |
| Gas Furnace | $3,280 | $7,550 |
| Oil Furnace | $6,425 | $9,125 |
| Boiler | $7,345 | $13,020 |
What Impact Does the Square Footage of Your Home Have on HVAC Pricing?
Size directly indicates the kind of HVAC system that one requires in a house. Heating requires 30 to 60 BTUs per square foot. Air conditioning requires about 20 BTUs for every square foot of space. Thus, the amount of installation costs varies from one system to another primarily on the basis of size, efficiency, and brand.
Here is the average cost overview of heating and cooling systems depending on your home’s square footage::
- 1,000 square feet: Heating: $3,280–$4,275 | Cooling: $1,550–$2,960
- 1,500 square feet: Heating: $3,500–$7,650 | Cooling: $2,895–$3,305
- 2,000 square feet: Heating: $3,500–$7,700 | Cooling: $3,670–$4,070
- 2,500 square feet: Heating: $4,000–$7,800 | Cooling: $4,075–$4,485
- 3,000+ square feet: Heating: $4,600–$8,100 | Cooling: $5,025–$5,435
These values should be considered the cost range typically incurred in installing an HVAC system based on the size of your house.
What Is an HVAC System?
An HVAC is a kind of arrangement of devices or instruments that provide heating, conditioning, and ventilation in buildings, either domestic or commercial types. Broadly speaking, an HVAC system greatly controls the conditioned space inside a building based on parameters such as temperature, humidity, and quality of indoor air.
Heating: To increase the temperature in the room: cooling-in makes it cool, and ventilation brings in the fresh air from outside and expels all the airborne contaminants. Some of the systems are not so varied in complexity-an air conditioning system can be as simple as a single window unit or it could be the most elaborate central system, using ducts to aerate the house.
Furnaces
A furnace heats your house through an exchange of air by blowing fresh cold air into it. The cold air is routed into a combustion chamber, where the heat exchange occurs, which goes through the ventilation system and into the house.
Heat Pumps
The heat pump thus works in two directions: as heater when draws cold air from outside, allowing inside warm diffusion; as an air conditioner, it blows warm air to the outside. When the heating operation is switched on, the unit extracts cold air from outside, heats it through coils and pumps a warmed air into your home.
Final Thoughts
The Average Cost for an HVAC will be about $5540 up to $10980, and even $470 at the low end, whereas very sophisticated systems can run to as much as $36,000. Certainly, this indicates that there is a system for every budget; however, the cost as above is still dependent on several factors such as the square footage of the house, the size of the system, efficiency rating, and location.
