Cooling · Tri-Cities
AC installation in Richland, WA
A new air conditioner should be sized to your house, not copied from the unit it replaces. AirCare sets it on a level pad, connects it properly and commissions it with gauges before leaving.
Chapter 01
Sizing the system to the house, not to the old unit
The easy mistake in a replacement is to match the nameplate on the old condenser. Houses change: windows get swapped, attics get insulation, a room gets added, trees grow up or come down. A system that is too big cools in short bursts and shuts off before it pulls much moisture from the air. One that is too small runs flat out all afternoon on a 100-degree Tri-Cities day and never gets ahead.
So the first visit is an in-home look at the house, its sun exposure, and the ductwork the new system will push air through. Sound ducts are what make the best-case price possible, and leaky or undersized ducts are better found before the quote than after the install.
New grey condenser installed on a pad in river rock
What install day involves, from the pad to the gauges
The outdoor unit goes on a level pad so the compressor is not fighting a tilt for the next fifteen years. The line set that carries refrigerant to the indoor coil gets run and insulated, the electrical disconnect is wired, and the condensate drain is routed where it will not freeze up or flood a flowerbed. Then the lines are evacuated and the system is charged and commissioned with manifold gauges, so the pressures are proven rather than assumed.
Kevin Slover hired AirCare to replace two entire heat pump systems that were 26 years old, and wrote in a Google review that “The removal and installation was handled expertly and has performed flawlessly.” He also said he hired them for “their willingness to lay out the options in a way I could easily understand and then make decisions with.”
Installs are handled by the people who own the company, Trevor Nelson and his brother Cameron, so the person who sizes the job is the person who stands behind it.
Chapter 03
What it costs, and why a professional install protects your warranty
AirCare's own published guidance for central air is roughly $3,500 to $9,500 installed when the existing ductwork is sound, and that adding or replacing ducts can push a project past $15,000. That is a range for planning, not a quote. A firm number comes after the in-home look, and the estimate is reviewed with you before any work starts.
One more reason to hire a licensed crew: manufacturer warranties generally depend on the equipment being installed by a professional, with the charge and electrical set up to spec. AirCare is licensed, bonded and insured as a Washington contractor, L&I licence AIRCAHC759DC, and the pricing is flat-rate with no surprises.
If you are weighing central air against a ductless system, or a heat pump that heats and cools in one, ask. You will hear the options, including the one that costs less. The 24/7 line is (509) 579-9979.
AirCare Heating & Cooling, owner Trevor Nelson. Licensed, bonded and insured, WA L&I licence AIRCAHC759DC. Call (509) 579-9979, answered 24 hours a day.