What To Expect During Air Conditioner Installation | Azle, TX
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Spring is a great time to consider air conditioner installation in Azle, TX given the temperatures are still low enough that a few days without your AC won’t cause any issues. It is also a great time to take care of replacing your AC so that you don’t have to worry about any disruptions during the summer if your system suddenly takes its last breath. A lot of people prefer to proactively replace their AC when they know that it is reaching the end of its lifespan. Taking action and doing this before the breakdown allows you to budget for the new model and to schedule the air conditioner installation at your own pace.
However, even if you scheduled an air conditioner installation in Azle, TX you may still not be familiar with the process and may be anxious in the days leading up to the actual installation. While it should not be a complicated process for you as a homeowner, knowing what to expect can help place your mind at ease. It can also make you more comfortable with the process and having someone in your home during these uncertain times. Any local HVAC company should be taking proactive measures to ensure that you and your family are safe throughout the entire process of air conditioner installation.
How Long Does Air Conditioner Installation Take?
In general, you can plan on air conditioner installation taking about four to eight hours. Therefore, it is best if you just plan for the process to take the entire day, although you will not be required to do anything. The crew will need open access to your home and if you have a pet you may want to make plans for them to stay with a neighbor or at the very least out of the way in a kennel for the safety of everyone.
Will They Install My AC on the Same Day as the Assessment?
Getting a new AC is not as simple as calling and making an appointment for a system to be installed. While that would be nice, there are a lot of variables that come with the installation of an AC system, and given the high price tag of your system, you want to make sure you get all of these variables correct. For this reason, you will need to call and schedule an initial assessment for a new AC system before you can actually schedule for the system to be installed.
During the visit, the HVAC technician will discuss your old system to see if you had any complaints and if the size was adequate for cooling your home. If it wasn’t this is a good time to address the issue and install a better system. Keep in mind that over the last few decades HVAC systems have changed dramatically which means that almost every system on the market is going to be better than what you have in your home right now. Most systems are incredibly energy efficient compared to any model that is over a decade old and there are some new technologies that might be worth paying the extra dollar for it will dramatically lower your energy bills. You will want to discuss all of these options with the HVAC technician that comes to your home.
The tech is also going to assess your home to decide the best place to place your indoor cabinet, vents, registers, condenser, and potentially air ducts if they are going to make any changes. The process will be a bit more thorough if this is the first time you are having AC installed in your home. If you are simply replacing a system then the network may already be in place. However, be aware that the technician may decide to move where your AC sits if they feel it will improve the airflow or if the new AC system is larger and needs more space to better accommodate it.
In addition, if your air conditioner installation in Azle, TX is going to involve a ductless system then this might require a few different adjustments. The aim of the assessment either way is to figure out the best place to put the AC so that your home is properly cooled. If you have any questions about your new AC, the assessment is a great time to ask so that you can feel prepared for when the time comes to actually install the unit.
After the assessment, if you agree to their recommendations plans will be made to actually schedule your air conditioner installation, but you should be prepared to wait at least a few days. HVAC companies do not keep AC systems in stock and will need to have them delivered to the home where they will be installed. In addition, they need to have an employee available for the entire installation since it is an entire day, so they may need to schedule out a few weeks to take care of both issues. This is just another reason why it is such a good idea to proactively schedule your air conditioner installation appointment so that you aren’t stranded without AC in the hot heat of an Azle, TX summer.
What Can I Do to Prepare for Air Conditioner Installation in Azle, TX?
The HVAC technicians who come out to your home will take care of almost every component of your air conditioner installation for you, but there are a few things that you can do in the meantime. To start the air conditioner installation process, the HVAC technicians will need clear access to your outdoor unit both during the removal process and the installation process. If your unit sits near the driveway, it would be extremely helpful if you can park your vehicles in the neighbors’ driveway or street on the day of installation so that the HVAC tech has clear access to the unit. Also, removing any children’s toys that may be lying around in the way or dirt and debris is also helpful.
In addition to working on the outdoor condenser unit, the HVAC technicians will also need to remove your old evaporator unit and install the new one. Therefore, you need to ensure that they have enough workspace open and clear around the inside portion of your AC unit. In general, a four-foot radius around the HVAC system and a pathway to it is recommended to ensure the process moves along smoothly and that your personal belongings are safe from any damage. The same advice holds true regardless of whether your HVAC unit is in a utility closet on the first floor or located in the basement. Keep in mind also that they will need to access the circuit box to turn off the electricity while they work so it is a good idea to have a clear access point to it.
Finally, they will likely need to run the thermostat and inspect airflow once the system is fully installed so you will need to provide clear access to the major air ducts in your home and your thermostat. Taking care of all of these tasks in advance will help the air conditioner installation move along much more smoothly.
How Does Air Conditioner Installation Work?
Now that you are ready for your air conditioner installation in Azle, TX you may find it interesting to find out what exactly will happen when the crew arrives at your home. If you have an old system in place, the very first thing that the HVAC techs will take care of is emptying out the refrigerant in it. Refrigerants are very dangerous and it can not be vented or poured into the atmosphere. In fact, only certified HVAC technicians are even allowed to handle it, and it must be properly placed into a recovery machine. This is all carefully managed by the EPA so this step will be taken care of first to ascertain the working conditions are safe for everyone.
Once this is complete then the circuit your AC is connected to will be disconnected and all electrical wiring will be disconnected. You will notice that there is an emergency disconnection box that will be utilized to ensure the unit is off. This box holds a special conduit known as a whip that is responsible for passing the power to the AC system. Most HVAC companies will replace the whip when they are doing a new air conditioner installation to ensure that everything is safe with your next system. If your old system was installed before the disconnect box was mandatory, then a new box is required to be installed during air conditioner installation.
At this point, the techs will now shift to preparing the area to accommodate the new AC system. In most cases, the location will remain the same, but a few things will be done to spruce up space. For example, the pad that your AC sat on will be replaced, and since most AC systems are larger than their older counterparts it is possible that the ground will need to be leveled and adjustments will have to be made to properly fit in the new unit. Most HVAC contractors these days recommend a composite pad since it is made to be outside and will likely last for the entire life of the AC system. Concrete on the other hand can shift and crack with time, but if you already have a concrete pad that is in decent shape and will accommodate the new unit it is possible that they will reuse it.
You cannot move the condenser unit once it is installed, so HVC technicians are very careful about preparing the area it will sit on very carefully. They will likely assess it over and over again to ensure that it is safe for use.
Now the attention shifts back to the indoor of your house. The evaporator coil sits inside of your home above your furnace (except for in a few rare instances where it may be located underneath your furnace). The refrigerant lines connect to it as well as the outdoor unit. This will need to be removed and a new unit will need to be placed in here as well. The efficiency of this step heavily depends on how accessible the coils are because if they are tightly compacted into a small space it can take some time. This is one reason why creating as much room as possible for your HVAC techs during air conditioner installation is helpful.
Once this is done, the copper lines that are used to tunnel the refrigerant will be replaced to ensure that they work perfectly when your new system is fully connected. This is the only time that the line set is accessible which is why it is strongly recommended to replace them at this point. Corrosion or rust in these lines will lead to a refrigerant leak which can be very dangerous.
At this point, it will be time to complete the air conditioner replacement by actually placing the new unit into your Azle, TX home and testing it. Once everything is connected and all fixtures are tightened and rechecked, the technician will power it up and run the AC for at least ten minutes to ensure that it is properly cooling your home. They will also check the airflow to ensure that nothing is constricted and everything is working as it should be. If there are not any problems, they will then educate you on how to use your new system and you will be ready to go.
Are you ready to schedule an assessment and new air conditioner installation in Azle, TX? One Hour Air Conditioning & Heating of Fort Worth is ready to help. Call us to talk about your options and we will gladly answer any further questions you may have.