AC Replacement Costs More When There's No Ductwork

“We have an addition on our house that we need heat for in the winter. The room receives zero heat from our furnace in the winter - if it is 30 degrees F outside, it is basically 30 degrees in there. It's a 400 SQ ft room with a vaulted ceiling and lots of windows. I am unsure whether we actually NEED the hyper-heat mini-split or not. The standard models are supposed to work down to 5 degrees, and our average lowest temps are in the 20s, but I have heard conflicting information on their effic”

“My 1940s ranch (~1000 sq ft) is undergoing a major renovation and will have a second level added as well as additional space off of the first floor. The living space being added is roughly ~1000 sq ft on the second level and ~500 sq ft off the first level, so the total combined living space should be about ~2500 sq ft. We live in NJ, and need to figure out what HVAC set up makes the most sense. Currently, the house has an 18 year old Peerless oil boiler (installed in 2008) that was converted to”

“I'm looking to add a heat pump to the 1st floor of the house. I got quote from 2 companies and got quotes from both for a ductless mini-split system and a ducted system. After some thinking, I am going for a ducted system. Quote from Company A is $30k for a Bosch 5T ODU with a 4T air handler. Bosch BOVA60RTBM20S 5 ton 20 SEER2 R454B Premium ODU Bosch BIVA48RCBM20X 4 ton 20 SEER R454B Premium Air Handler Quote from Company B is $42k for a Carrier 3.5T and a 3T air handler. Carrier 37MAHAQ33AA”

“We had a new central AC system installed in 2020. We only cooled the top floor because there was no existing ductwork, and the main living areas (living, dining, kitchen, 3 bedrooms) were on the top floor. In 2023, the system wasn’t cooling well. The fan motor stopped running outside (which I’m now wondering was a symptom and not the actual issue). We had it replaced; parts were covered under warranty so it cost about $400 in labor. I’ve always felt like the system wasn’t quite working efficient”

“If the HVAC has a problem, the entire house suffers. The upfront and maintenance costs for HVAC I would guess are higher. And the electricity bill with mini splits can be much lower if one is mindful about only turning on a mini split if one is in the room. Any thoughts? My 37 year old HVAC is reaching its last breaths, and as I consider what to do, I am considering installing mini splits and moving away from a central heating and cooling system. I grew up in Panama and now live in Texas. Mini s”

“I bought a 1900 sq ft townhome 3 years ago in metro Atlanta. It was built in 1984 and is 1 and 1/2 stories. Furnace is in a utility closet on 2nd floor but most duct work goes up and through the unheated attic then down chases to first floor. Of the 44 units, I am the only one that is all electric although some folks added mini splits when they built out their basements. The previous owners went "all electric" in July 2016 probably because the power company gave them some sort of incen”

“We live in CT USA. Our house is about 1900 square feet. It's a ranch with a 3 bedroom, 2 bathroom, and partial finished basement.We are thinking of replacing our oil furnace with heat pump. We got a quote of $22k for a 5 ton heat pump or $31k for a 6 head mini split. Is it a fair quotes? Later on, they said that some of our ductwork needs to be removed and rebuilt, since it has asbestos. It's dangerous for their crew and for us. These ducts are about 70-80 linear feet, all sub-ducts and”

“My home is 110 years old and has never had a hvac system before so there is no prior ductwork. There is plenty of crawl space and attic space as my home is on a raised foundation. There is no insulation in the home. The only place that can have insulation is the attic. Not looking for quotes just advice. Thanks! submitted by /u/notgknows94 [link] [comments]”

“We have a 1300 sq ft home (4bed/2bath) built in the 1960s in SoCal that will need all new ductwork. Our attic is too small and we have the option of putting central air in our hallway closet versus 5 mini split heads (4 bedrooms + living room) with 2 outdoor units. I’m aware that the closet option would add some noise and take up storage space. The quote from the company is about $5k more for the mini split installation which they are recommending over the closet option due to being able to set”

“We recently bought a home and need to replace our HVAC unit as the current one is 20+ years old and basically done (we knew this when we bought). The issue is our current unit is in an uninsulated attic in the South that gets extremely hot and had an issue with the condensation drain leaking in the past. Our house is roughly 1200ft 2bedroom, one story, that has a very open layout meaning only 3 interior doors. Does it make sense to consider installing 2-3 mini splits to cool the house versus hav”

“Prepping for an offer on a foreclosure and trying to get ducks in a row. ~3700 sf w/unfinished basement. 3.5 ton Basement system for 1st floor (and a couple vents in the basement). 3 ton Attic system for 2nd floor. Systems original to 2007 and both needing significant service (board replacement, recharging, air handler replacement, tray replacement etc) but total replacement seems to be the smarter choice. Currently 80% gas furnaces. HVAC company we had out to look at it suggested switching to h”

“I have a 100-year old brick house in central KY. It has a gas furnace in the basement. There are 3 fan units outside the house. I believe the gas furnace and the biggest fan unit serves the main floor of the house. The other 2 fan units are connected to something in the attic and they serve the upstairs (2 separate zones). I currently pay about $500/ mo for electric during the summer to keep the rooms we use to 72 degrees. That’s not all AC of course, but AC is the biggest part. Half of the upst”

“I have heard central air loses 30% energy to duct work. My june, july & august electricity bill was north of 400 buck in southwest nm. this is an almost 100 year old home, made of stucko, wood and blocks. Seems to hold temps decent enough. Our Central air unit is around 6-8 years old and uses R22 it's a 1500sqft home. What are my best investment options to bring down the light bill, without breaking my very limited bank? submitted by /u/Tingsilike [link] [comments]”

“We are getting a new furnace to replace our ancient c. 1950's gravity asbestos ducted furnace. It is massive by comparison to new heaters and the ducts look like a giant octopus that you have to duck under or you will hit your head. I've read and watched so much advice, telling me high efficiency gas furnaces are not worth it and there is too much maintenance/ expensive parts to break. But because our house is built right up against the neighbors house, installing the 80%, means having t”

“I have central heat and central air - and our house is a split level. I am pretty satisfied with both our furnace and A/C. I have been through a whole efficiency process - blower door test, upgraded insulation, air sealing, new windows and all of that. During what passes for temperature extremes for our climate, our upstairs - where the bedrooms are - heats up and cools down way slower than I'd want them to. I am entertaining putting a Daikin ductless system in the hallway between all of the”

“Hello! I have a single story home with an unfinished attic and a cement crawl. Currently have a 3.5 ton AC system that needs to be replaced. Most of the house is on one zone except for the sunroom which is on its own zone. The sunroom faces southwest so it doesn't get a ton of direct sun coming in but obviously the windows let it a lot of heat regardless. I have gotten a number of quotes and most of them say to continue with the zoning and stay at 3.5 tons. One guy says he really thinks I sh”

“Wife and I just bought a single floor 1100 sqft house that currently does not have AC. The heat is boiler, so this also means we dont have existing ductwork either. We have received several different quotes from multiple companies, and we are finally ready to bite the bullet. The most recent company has a "bundle discount" as we are having some electrical work done too, so they have the most attractive pricing so far. We have three quotes, all quotes are for AC + Air Handler + New Duct”

“Hi All, We're in the process of planning fora major renovation (gut job) of a 100 year old semi-detached house in Toronto Canada. The house is roughly 1100 Sq ft above grade (2 floors) with a plan to finish the basement (6'5" unfinished ceiling). It's both very exciting but very daunting as my family navigates this project. The plan includes: Replace all drywall/floors New electrical (200amp panel) Replace all plumbing HVAC (Heat pump, furnace, heat pump hot water tank) Energy s”

“I have a 21 year old house and my AC guy just said I need a whole new duct system. That my old ducts are too small for my 3 ton system. 1687 sf, 1 story house, 8 supplies and one return. Easy access in the attic. Chat gpt says it should be 5-7k. I’m in 95630. I had a 2 ton system before. Should I shop around? submitted by /u/Monsies1978 [link] [comments]”

“Help me understand. I see Reddit posters saying they got mini-splits for $1500 (Not DIY). I've also seen posters say they paid upwards of $30k-$50k for new HVAC. I've gotten several estimates for $15k to replace central AC and reuse ducts. I've asked neighbors what they paid and whole house 1600 sqft. HP/splits was $25k range. What are people getting for $1000? What is your system and what did you pay? Please do not reply with distorted DIY prices. I can DIY a car repair for 5%-10% o”

“Hi Everyone, I have a house, that only came with heating, and no AC. It’s a home that’s two story, and has exposed Airducts. I have been asking for quotes on getting AC installed, and I’ve been floored at the pricing. I’ve been quoted over 20,000 dollars, and have been told that the only solution that would deliver air across the whole house would be mini split systems. I’m struggling with both the pricing and also the notion of mini splits because I absolutely hate the look, but I’m open to tha”

“So, the room over my garage has a through wall unit (heat and air) that has gone out. The room is heavily used (basically a permanent part of the house) and requires an 18k unit. The easy road would be something like a Friedrich KHM18A34A (18k, heat pump, through wall). There would be no core drill, no vacuum, no line set cover, no bricking in the existing opening, etc. The alternative would be a mini-split (I have to have a ceiling/wall unit - not the traditional high-wall so the cost is consid”

“Have three air conditioners for summertime just in bedrooms. Thought about adding a mini split for master bedroom just for cooling as the ac is old. Had four companies come by, all wanted to do whole upstairs. Heat and cooling, replace baseboard heaters. I like baseboard heaters. No maintenance, last for decades, cost a bit to run. Some companies want an air handler in unconditioned attic with flex hose and diffusers. Greenfoot said they could do that but only use hard ducting. No suggestions of”

“Looking to get a 1.5 or 2 ton (I assume) unit for my home and a mini split with two heads for my upstairs. I don’t have vents running upstairs. Looking to know what are some reasonable prices and companies for something like this to install. Based in the Cleveland area and have around 1300 sq ft home if that helps submitted by /u/Purple_Leg1817 [link] [comments]”

“Two (2) Carrier 3 ton comfort series slimline condensers, two (2) 40,000 BTU furnaces, ​two (2) high efficiency coil plenum coils, remove and replace all accessible existing ducts, new supply and return plenum, and new deluxe supply and return grills. Includes standard removal and haul away of existing equipment , clean and pressure check lines, new pads, electrical disconnects, drain pans and secondary safety switch, furnace stands. (1) year maintenance and labor, manufacturer 10 year warranty.”

“This heat pump works pretty well, but it’s only feeding into one master bedroom and an en-suite bathroom. (You may remember I got advice on the heat pump recently installed that handles the other parts of the house…) Anyway, this install is pretty inconvenient. It takes up the walkway, isn’t installed straight or aligned to the corner. We’d like to have it somewhere else or just lower profile. What are our options? Replace? Mount? Move? Cost estimates (even wild guesses) welcome. Thanks in advan”

“My wife and I are adding a ducted system to our top floor and a ductless one to our bottom floor. We're currently deciding between two contractor options: Option A is a guy who recently started his own company. He seems to be legit (lots of experience working for bigger places), honest and hardworking. And he's 10,000 cheaper than Option B. Because he's new, he doesn't have much to share of past jobs or (any) reviews, so he's a bit of an unknown. Option B is a well regarded c”

“Hello everyone, I have an unfinished downstairs (520 SF) in an 1940's two story house in Florida that has been used for storage for several years. The upstairs has a central system. It has block walls and is insulated and stays pretty close in temp/humidty to the upstairs year round but no existing hvac system. I had the area rewired by an electrician and am now looking at my options for hvac. I have a flaring kit and vacuum pump/gauges to pressure test and would be comfortable doing a mini”

“We've seen it happen more than once—homeowners are told they need a complete HVAC replacement when the issue turns out to be a repair. While there are definitely times when replacing a system is the right choice, it's always worth getting a second opinion before making a major investment. A reputable HVAC company should take the time to: Explain what's actually wrong. Show you the failed components when possible. Discuss both repair and replacement options. Help you make an informed”

“Anyone know what it costs to replace a gravity heating sytem with an HVAC system (central air and furnace)? Curious, since were not replacing it but adding it...1000sq ft home. Thanks. Currentley in Dayton if that helps. submitted by /u/BasicVictory3822 [link] [comments]”

“As the title says, I may need a new HVAC unit installed as my old one is dying out. Any rough estimates on how much it could cost to have a new put in that also an outdoor roof unit on the roof of our condo building? It is a two ton unit. submitted by /u/Blarg321 [link] [comments]”

“We had an HVAC pro check out our HVAC. He says they are functioning, much like a 90 year old human and are essentially on borrowed time. Despite being 20 years old, they are still functioning though. Do you recommend just using these units until major issues arise and replacing when repair costs climb to high or just replacing now? submitted by /u/Snardvark-5 [link] [comments]”

“We are looking to reduce our cost but also just generally increase efficiency in our home. Pardon my ignorance. 3900sqft (old Victorian) We have two Ac units and a furnace. Would a heat pump for the summer months be a viable solution? Can we maintain the operation of the furnace for the winter (we are in Denver, CO) where we do get extended cold stretches? submitted by /u/folorecords [link] [comments]”

“Currently live in Cali and been using portable ac unit, but tired with the loud noise it has. I need 4 rooms to cool down. 3 bedrooms and the kitchen. I need a reliable, quiet, and easy to get replacement parts for. Any brands I should look into and avoid? submitted by /u/Jacen77MC2 [link] [comments]”

“As the title states, I currently have base board heating but no HVAC system. Window shakers are the cooling source. I got quoted a solid price (after shopping it out) for a single zone ducted system on a 2 story home. We are in renovation mode so it makes sense to get in before we close off the attic and finish the second floor. Questions: Adding a hydronic heating unit to the air handler? 750-1000 dollar option but would definitely assist in taking the chill out the air in the NE during a snap.”

“My house was built in 1930, 1,400 sq ft, two stories. No ductwork because it has a boiler and I use ac window units in the summer. I’m just starting to research mini-split units that advertise they’re both heating and cooling. I’ve read that the units are poorly made and hvac companies won’t service them, so I don’t want to be in that boat. The radiators are original to the home, and are extremely loud! I don’t mind some noise, but some of them are so loud they sound like they’re going to explod”

“So I currently have 2 pretty old (pretty sure it’s like 15-20 years old) central air hvac systems. 1 is for the upstairs and 1 is for the downstairs. Electric for AC and gas for heat/forced air. My electric bill is insane (like $800 this month). Not all of that’s from the HVAC but over 60% of it is (according to the electric companies smart meter) Would it be better to replace the central air systems for 20-30k (last estimate I got was about 15.5k per system.) or should I just get some mini spli”

“I bought a home that used to have an old oil boiler for heat, no AC as we're in an area where it's only recently becoming common. Well the old boiler is still in the crawlspace and too large/difficult to fully remove. The old ducts are there too along with all the floor registers. I was hoping it would be relatively straightforward to convert to something like central heat/ac and make use of existing ducts. However, an HVAC person pretty much said that wasn't going to happen due to t”

“I am replacing a very old AC/furnace with a heat pump in my 1,564-square foot two-story townhouse. I’ve gotten two estimates so far, and their explanations and recommendations were very different. Company A told me that when determining what size/tonnage of unit you should get, you can’t just go by square footage; you have to figure out how much the ducts can handle. He attempted to use a device (I forget what it was called) that measured the duct capacity, but because my existing unit is so old”

“My wife and I just bought a 2100 sqft single story house with 6 bedrooms and a large kitchen and living room. It currently only has baseboard heaters and no existing ducts. We want to know what the best option is. Mini splits, heat pumps, or packaged units or something else. We live in the Seattle area. I am a contractor and can do a good amount of the work. submitted by /u/brando22lock [link] [comments]”

“Hi everyone, We’re trying to decide on an AC upgrade. Since it’s just the two of us (and mostly just me at home during the day), we're wondering which setup makes more sense. We’re debating between multi-zone mini-splits and traditional Central AC. I’m really trying to figure out if only cooling the room I'm currently using actually saves on the electric bill, or if central air ends up being just as cheap for two people anyway. I’m also curious if people with mini-splits actually use the”

“TL;DR: Looking for advice on replacing my parents' furnace. Their house is over 70 years old (around 3,000 sq ft), has uneven heating because of the duct layout, and the current furnace may be nearing the end of its life. I was quoted a Trane S9X1/S9X2 with a 10-year parts and labor warranty. I'm looking for advice on whether it's a good choice, what a fair installed price should be, and what questions I should be asking before making a decision. I'm looking to replace my parents”

“I have a very old 100 plus year old house in Northern Ohio. We get some pretty hot days and some pretty cold days but on average not terrible most of the year. Currently we have forced air furnace in the basement obviously with ducting to the rooms. Efficiency of the house is definitely probably low it has original style windows and I did have it sided about 10 years ago and did add a wrap and a layer of insulation between the original wood paneling and the siding. Other than that I'm sure i”

“Our current HVAC system is 21 years old and circling the drain (not sure how it’s lasted this long lol). We reached out to a company who gave us these options (picture attached) with the following quotes: The Basics ~ $12,500 The Lynnhaven ~ $14,000 The Broad Bay ~ $18,000 The Linkhorn ~ $21,000 Are these reasonable prices? We’re in the VA beach area. I don’t know anything about HVAC. 😅 I know our current unit is a 2.5 ton system single stage. House is 1284 sq feet. submitted by /u/”

“Hello everyone! I am curious to see how much they should be charging for a regular HVAC replacement? 2.5 to 3 ton system. I want to know the differences with MAs save and what should I expect 1400 sqft- condo covered upstairs and next door submitted by /u/sUPPerSAIyan [link] [comments]”

“My home is in the SLC Utah area and has the original Furnace & AC system from when it was built in 2000. it is a 2-story home with a finished basement, 2100sq ft above ground and 900 sq ft basement. The original system is 3 Ton AC unit & 4-ton Coil, with a 110,000 btu gas furnace. As for the replacement, does it make sense to just go with the same sizes? I know this is pretty common for 2-story houses, but the 2nd floor has never stayed cool enough. Also in the summer, it seems that the”

“Thanks for checking out my post. I have an 1800's home with upgraded insulation and windows in Zone 5...that has 3 mini splits downstairs...that do an excellent job cooling the main floor. The upstairs is a totally different story....temps in the 80's and higher. There are 3 bedrooms, a study, laundry room, and bath. My daughter's bedroom has a 6K Mitsu mini-split which cools her room but nothing else. I am trying to decide whether to put mini splits in the other 2 bedrooms upstairs”

“I’m going nuts with my HVAC. We’ve had a few companies out and they all say what we have is as good as it’s going to get. We have an original, 900sqft single level area of our house that has fine air pressure but barely any insulation in the attic (and none in the walls). Then we have an addition that adds a basement and an upstairs. That has a separate attic with R60 insulation that we added. The airflow in both addition spaces is abysmal because the duct is running from our crawlspace vertical”

“I am replacing my entire upstairs system. I asked for an upgrade option where the outside condenser is quieter because we have this same Rheem unit now on our lower level and it’s loud. They are near our front porch where we spend a lot of time and turn the units off when we sit out there because they are so loud. The cheaper option Rheem condenser is single stage and the upgrade Bryant one is 2 speed. He explained that 2 speed is more efficient, will be cheaper to run, & be more comfortable”

“Mini splits will run roughly $4-8k installed per 2-bed unit depending on how many heads/zones you need, cheaper if you can share an outdoor condenser across two units. For the sprinklers, get your local fire marshal involved early since a lot of triplex-scale additions can qualify for NFPA 13R (residential) instead of full 13, which is a meaningfully lighter and cheaper install. Budget for a riser room and check your existing water service size and pressure before you get quotes, undersized serv”

“I have a small home 950 sq feet. I am attempting to make it liveable once again. I was looking at the gas furnace that needs to be replaced and of course it can't be that easy. The flu is falling apart inside. So I was wondering what my options might be. I wish I could say money is no object or that this is the only major expense this house is going to need. If I can get rid of the flu that would be a plus. I could remove a wall that would otherwise have the flu in it. What might be my most”

“for the cooling side, mini splits really are the budget pick, nothing else comes close in price for retrofit. central air would need ductwork and that gets messy in a old building like that sprinklers gonna hurt though, it's not just the pipes, you need the riser room and maybe upsized water service depending what the city says. I seen bids range from like 8-15k per unit in my area but that was few years ago, might be worse now”

“In the market to replace our HVAC (AC is dead and the furnace is on the last legs). I got 5 quotes and I have narrowed it down to the top (2) for a full AC + furnace replacement and could use some real-world input before I sign. Goal is a system that's low-hassle for the next 10-15 years - not chasing max efficiency, just want to avoid callbacks and premature failures. Reference | House size: 1924 square ft Quote 1: AC: American Standard 5A7A3, single-stage, SEER2 13.4 R-454B Furnace: Americ”

“I'm replacing all of the ductwork in my first-floor condo (~1,500 sq ft). The condo is well shaded, and I'm also installing a new variable-speed HVAC system. My HVAC contractor recommends using fiberglass duct board for the new ducts. From what I've read online, it seems like insulated sheet metal ducts are generally considered the standard/best practice. He says sheet metal with installation would probably cost about twice as much and that I likely wouldn't see any meaningful be”

“Currently have a two family (up/down). I’m thinking about upgrading the hvac system in it. At the moment it only has heat (steam radiator )for both units. I’m stuck between doing a central air/heat system. Or going the ductless mini split route. My house does have a shallow basement and being it was built in the 1920’s I don’t see how running ductwork would be easy. I would love to add AC and give each unit its own way of controlling the temperature. Vs once the radiator is on everyone has heat”