Q & A

Answers to commonly asked questions from the experts on Thumbtack.

What is an HVAC system?

The letters in HVAC stand for heating, ventilation and air conditioning. An HVAC system enables you to regulate your home or building’s internal temperature (thermal control) for comfortable living and working. You can bring heat levels down in the summer and up in the winter, keeping your home or office livable year-round. HVAC systems can also help with humidity levels and regulate indoor air quality in a home or office. There are many types of HVAC systems and technologies available.

Many homes have a forced-air HVAC system. Both the heating and the central air conditioning units share a ductwork system where they either push in or pull out warm or cooled air. There are also heating and cooling systems that don’t require ductwork — such as ductless mini-splits — but work on the same principles of heat exchange. The national average to hire an HVAC specialist is $2,920-$3,670, with costs varying depending on the work you need done and the equipment you are installing.

How much does it cost to get central air?

Prices for central-air HVAC systems will vary. The national average to hire an HVAC specialist is $2,920-$3,670 but can run as high as $5,000 or even $12,000 depending on the capacity you need and other factors. Installing central air conditioning requires an entire system that works together to draw hot air out of your home. The system includes an outdoor unit, which houses the condenser and compressor, and the evaporator coils. If you don’t have an existing duct system, ductwork will need to be installed, which will affect labor and material costs. Leaking or damaged ducts will also need to be replaced.

How many years does HVAC last?

The number of years an HVAC system lasts depend on the type and brand of components that make up your system. The lifespan of an air conditioner averages between 15 and 20 years. The life expectancy of a tankless water heater is approximately 20 years, while a storage water heater is closer to 10-15 years. Ducts may need replacing within 10-15 years. Your equipment will have a longer life if you have regular tuneups and maintenance to keep everything in good working order. If you’re having repair problems and your HVAC system is over 10 years old, it’s a good time to consider the costs and benefits of repairing vs. replacing. Energystar.gov provides the following tips to help you decide whether to repair or replace:

Your HVAC system needs frequent repairs and your energy bills are increasing.
Your cooling or heating equipment is less efficient.
Rooms in your home are too hot or too cold.
Your heat pump or air conditioner is more than 10 years old.

Replacing your system with an Energy Star-certified unit could save up to 20 percent on your heating and cooling bills.

Your furnace or boiler is more than 15 years old.

You may choose to replace your system with an Energy Star-certified furnace (which is 15 percent more efficient than a conventional furnace) or an Energy Star-certified boiler (which is 5 percent more efficient).

Your home has humidity problems.
Your home has excessive dust.

Leaky ducts can pull particles and air from attics, crawl spaces and basements and distribute them throughout your house. Sealing your ducts may be a solution.

Your heating or cooling system is noisy.

You could have an undersized duct system or a problem with the indoor coil of your cooling equipment.

Your score on the Home Energy Yardstick is below five.

That means your home energy use is above average and you're probably paying too much for your utilities.

How much does it cost for a new air conditioning unit?

If you’re ready for a new air conditioning unit, it’s time to start exploring HVAC prices. The price will vary depending on the type of air conditioner you buy and its cooling capacity. Window units, which require minimal installation, are one of the most affordable options on the market. If you’re purchasing from a big-box store, you can expect to pay approximately $120-$1,000 for a window unit. Window units are appealing for their quick setup and relatively low cost, but they can use more energy over time than central air and only cool the room in which they’re installed. Portable air conditioners don’t have the cooling power of a window unit, but they do have the perk of being transportable from room to room. Expect to pay between $225 and $800 for a portable air conditioner, on average. For a whole-house air conditioning system with coils, condenser and line (not including installation or ductwork), the cost from a big-box store can range from approximately $2,000 to $4,000 or more. If you don’t have (and don’t want to put in) ducts, a ductless mini-split air conditioner is a good option, although pricey up front. Pricing can range from $650 to $4,250 per unit on average; you’ll need one unit for each room in which you want temperature control.

Noorin D.

Verified review

Sharony Fast Services was an excellent service! They responded quickly, gave me an estimate for the work (and by far the best quote I received from any other service), and completed the job in less than three hours. Not only did they provide excellent service, but they replaced my entire wall heater AND provided me with a new valve at no additional cost. Sharony Fast Services really went above and beyond to make me a happy customer and I am very very pleased.

Hayley D.

Jose did such an amazing job installing our new HVAC system. He is honest and does the job quickly and at a great price. He beat out all the other estimates and was very professional. Thanks Jose!!

Chris F.

Originally hired Shiner plumbing. They cancelled the last minute, just like other reviews had posted. So I called Elite plumbing and they were able to send someone else the same day. Will definitely recommend this company. And stay away from Shiner plumbing.

Douglas G.

Responded quickly with the lowest quoted price for a repair the day after Christmas. Service was above outstanding...repaired the mistake I made with my HVAC and then did a complimentary check of the rest of the system, going over preventative maintenance recommendations to save us money later.

Frederick H.

Carlos was great. Came for a free estimate and ended up fixing the issue right on the spot. On-time, professional, and knows his work. Would definitely use his services again!

Peter L.

Brindicci Engineering did a wonderful job for me, showed up on time, identified the problem right away and fixed it at a reasonable price. I would us them again in a heartbeat.

Kyle M.

I originally hired a different technician to come fix a leak coming from the emergency drain line on my HVAC. They made three trips here and couldn't fix the problem. They told me I'd need to completely reinstall my five year old HVAC. Then I had Andrey come out, and he was able to flush the line and have it working like new within an hour. A+ quality work. Thanks, Andrey!

Anoop K.

Zack was very prompt in responding and punctual. Had very good knowledge and was very skill full, knowing my hvac is ages old. Great to work with, will recommend anybody else to hire Clov-Air.

Debbie T.

Ben was quick to respond to my need for an HVAC specialist. He went right down to business upon arrival and within 30 minutes, I had a new capacitor and all the wires were neatly bounded up and put back together. AND he didn’t gouge on the price. I don’t know what is the cost of this job in general, but I liked that he didn’t try to rake in the hours and he was proud of his work. Of course I’m a happy camper now, and so is my doggie :-)

Jorge H.

Allan is very knowledgable and professional. He came in, found the problem and fixed it on the spot. Excellent work and I'll definitely contact him to fix/maintain my HVAC system in the future.

Malini P.

Overall very good experience. Hector is very honest. Got a good feeling about the company and in speaking with him. Pricing very reasonable. Overall clean work. Very responsive company. We had 2 entire HVAC and furnace systems replaced. Unfortunately furnace had a technical glitch in the system within the first couple of days. As soon as they found out the problem, someone came out to fix it immediately. Now everything is running smoothly. You never know with any product, if something might go wrong or a part may be recslled...so it’s important to have a company that is very responsive and ready to fix any problems encountered. We felt that we were in good hands.

Raffi M.

I loved working with Hyeco Air. They came to my house to move the HVAC Furnace from my garage to the attic. Many company's said it could not be done off the bat (maybe it was too much work for them and they wanted quick money.) Assurance: Hyeco Air came to my house, assessed th e job and assured me that the job could be done. Efficiency: He was highly efficient as it took him just 1 day to disconnect everything from the garage, move it to the attic and reconnect everything back. A job that takes some company's a couple days. Professionalism: Hyeco Air was punctual and professional. He provided astute input on how the process would be, and his recommendations. Value: I am a firm believer of paying for good work. I had no doubt that Hyeco's work was going to be anything less. His price was great for my budget.

Timur A.

We needed to install a mini-split a/c in our house in Los Angeles. Armando arrived the next day after inquiring, to perform a free inspection and provide an estimate. He was extremely polite, professional and detailed. He took a lot of pictures and gave a very competitive quote on the spot. He has returned with his team, when scheduled, and did an excellent job installing the a/c. His company can install any HVAC systems too. I recommend his service most highly, he does sn exceptional job!

Chris H.

Extremely happy with the evaluation of my HVAC system and duct work prior to talking about price and the proposed new system. We were given multiple options and everything was very well explained. Install went well and since we installed during a cold weekend, Ken scheduled to come back out once it gets warmer to fine tune the AC portion of the system. Ken truly cares about his trade and it shows.

Connie C.

I recommend Rick highly. My a/c went out late afternoon on a Sunday and he responded within an hour of my posting on Thumbtack. I found him to be highly efficient, knowledgeable & fair.

Michael T.

Had multiple contractors come out to give us an evaluation/quote on our HVAC system. Everyone except TJ came in and started telling me what I needed without listening to what my problems and issues were with the system. TJ took the time to listen to what my issues were and recommended a couple solutions to fix. We ultimately replaced the entire system (compressor, furnace, etc) and added a new duct line and vent register. TJ rerouted the gas line to our furnace, relocated and hung the furnace in our attic, installed a smart thermostat in a new location, and more. His crew is very friendly and they all work quickly. They leave the work site cleaner than when they arrived which is so nice. Their quotes are very reasonable compared to what the other contractors were quoting. TJ even checked in the next week after everything was complete to make sure I was happy with the new system! I would highly recommend giving TJ a call for any and all of your HVAC needs.

Marsha S.

I have a Ruud HVAC system that was installed in March 2010 by the previous owner (who died unexpectedly in late April 2010). In September 2015 the air conditioning system started failing and I went through repeated attempts with the company that had installed the unit to fix costing my over $1400. It was never able to cool at all and the pipes kept frosting over, so I eventually gave up on fixing it. Now let us fast forward to April 2018 when I had an electrical fire in my living room that burned my flooring, wall, and ceiling. Because of that event, I went looking for a contractor who could do the needed repairs which took me 3 months before I found a wonderful contractor. As a result of working with that contractor, we talked about my air conditioning system and he recommended Calwide’ HVAC specialist Ronon Oshri to me. I thought, what the heck, I’ll let them take a look. Ronon was efficient and very knowledgeable and was able to identify the main problem that the installer never even assessed in 2015. Unless you live in the San Fernando Valley, you cannot imagine how necessary it is to have an adequate HVAC system. I can highly recommend Cal Wide for HVAC work and they are my go-to for keeping the system in good working order.

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