Cost to install central air with no existing ductwork

The cost to install central air conditioning systems with no existing ductwork in your home is much more expensive than when you already have ductwork in place.

There are advantages and disadvantages to installing a central air system that you need to consider before you purchase a central air conditioning unit.

One of the disadvantages is the fact that these systems are complicated to install. In fact, installing central air with no existing ductwork can be very expensive, even if you try to keep costs low.

The pros and cons of installing central air conditioning

Central air conditioning is one of the most efficient ways to go about lowering the temperature of your space and is especially effective in larger spaces, like whole-house or building situations.

To add to this, central air conditioning systems also filter air and dehumidify spaces the way that smaller units do.

However, this type of unit can be complicated and expensive to install, since the system works by supplying and distributing air through a ductwork system in your space, but this does make the cooling much more even and consistent.

Cost to install central air with no existing ductwork

Air conditioning systems, especially larger systems such as central air units, are a big expense even though they hold so many benefits for the air quality and to improve the general comfort levels in your home.

This is why it is important to consider all the factors that can contribute to the total cost of installing a central air conditioning system.

If you live in an older home where there is no existing ductwork, your installation cost for installing a central air conditioning system will drastically increase because of the increased complexity and labour of installing the ductwork from scratch.

Installing a central air conditioning system in a home that has no ductwork can cost up to $10 600, or more. Thus, this is much more expensive than installing a central air conditioner when your house already has ductwork, but it is possible.

There are also some ways you can decrease the installation cost of a central air conditioning system even if your home does not have ductwork, by focusing on the factors that affect the total cost of the installation.

If the cost of installing a central air conditioning unit in your home without ductwork is too much, you should consider a ductless mini-split unit, which should be less expensive.

How does the cost of installing central air with existing ductwork compare?

The installation cost for a central air conditioning unit when your home already has existing ductwork is considerably less expensive, or more affordable, than installing a central air conditioning system when the ductwork and casings need to be installed from scratch.

This is mostly because there is less labour involved and the process does not take as long. In general, installing this kind of system when you do not have to design and build brand new ductwork for the system to function properly, will cost about $2000 to $7000, in addition to the cost of purchasing the unit itself.

If you do not already have ductwork in your home, this cost can increase by $3000 to $10600 and more, depending on your home and your contractor.

How to keep the costs of installing central air conditioning as low as possible

Since there is such a big difference between the price of installing central air conditioning when you already have existing ductwork, verses when you do not, there are a few factors to take into account, which will ensure that you keep your installations costs as low as possible, such as:

Factors that influence central air installation cost How to keep the cost as low as possible
Home size Smaller homes need less power to cool. You can keep this cost low by only cooling some rooms in your home
Ductwork location You can keep this cost low by keeping the ductwork as simple as possible and in easy-to-access locations
Number of vents and controls Once again, keeping the ductwork as simple and straightforward as possible will cut down installation time and costs

Considering a ductless mini-split unit

If the costs associated with installing central air conditioning systems in a home without ductwork are too much for you, a ductless mini-split system may be a great alternative option to consider.

This Commercial Cool 18,000 BTU 17 SEER Ductless Mini Split Air Conditioner, requires no ductwork in your home and can cool spaces of up to 1000 square feet.

The purchase cost is only $1435.32, which makes it relatively affordable, even though installation costs still need to be added to get the total cost.

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