First time home buyer, How much will central AC run me?

mafmmx · Thu Jul 21, 2011 9:54 am

Hello all! New member and new owner! Just bought a 2011 Harmony 3bd 2bath 16x60 home.

I will be moving next weekend and i REALLY need to get central AC installed. I dont know much about mobile homes at the moment, i DO know it has a electric furnace ( no gas or propane, everything is electric in the park )

I am trying to see how much central AC "SHOULD" cost me so that i dont get ripped off.

My buddy who owns a 2010 double wide, said he paid a little over 2,000.00, When i called and asked i was told "probably" around 2900.00.. I did some searching and that seems like its a lot?

Was curious if anyone could toss some numbers at me?

This will be my first ever home that we own! Me and the wife are so happy! ( living in apartments all our lives )

Also, i am not sure if just any heating and cooling places instal units in mobile homes, or if i have to have a company who specifically works on mobile homes.

Everything is brand new of course in the home. I know it has the vents for the heat and all that. furnace is new, etc. so if that helps any.. .

Wookie · Thu Jul 21, 2011 3:59 pm

I just had one installed last year..... I have a gas furnace not eletric so I don't know if that matters on the price or not. But I paid about 3300 or 3400 installed. I do know the SEAR??? rating on the units themselfs are what makes the price differance. If you get a low SEAR rating then your eletric bill is going through the roof and the higher SEAR units save more energy but costs more. The highest SEAR rating they had was almost double the price about 6500$$$ and I got one that was in the mid range and my eletric bill has not gone up too much...........

Greg · Thu Jul 21, 2011 4:24 pm

Hi & welcome. Your best bet is to make some calls and get estimates, If you get 1 that's $1000 and 5 more around $3000 (I pulled the # out of the sky). Stay away from the low bid, there's something wrong somewhere.

Pay attention to the rated operating costs also.

Greg

mafmmx · Thu Jul 21, 2011 4:45 pm

Thanks for that info! The more i am reading, The more and more i think they go from around 2500-3500 now.

Thanks for that piece of info! I will keep that in mind when i am choosing a model.

1987Commodore · Thu Jul 21, 2011 6:15 pm

FYI, I have a Miller ac unit, installed in 1988. It is not as efficient as the new models, but I have had zero problems with it in all that time. All I have done is give it an annual cleaning.

stevieb · Thu Jul 21, 2011 7:32 pm

Hello
I had a Miller brand that lasted me 27 years with only a problem once. It was installed by a mobile home company.
I replaced the unit with a new energy efficient Carrier brand that cost over $4000.00 It was installed by a reputable heating a/c company. I am happy with the unit and new digital theromostat, however the installers were not to well versed in a mobile home install. They never connected the return duct work I looked in the return duct and saw the ground!!!!
My advice would be to go with a mobile home company, a Miller brand and be sure to think about a good loacation to cut the hole in the floor for the return. You will need an open location and easy access to change the filter.
Preferably not in a high traffic area or somewhere where you may want to put a sofa or big piece of furniture.

jpingram5 · Sun Jul 31, 2011 8:52 am

I would say around $2,500 to $3,500. I would personally get a Heat Pump because that electric furnace is going to sky rocket your bill in winter. As far as the SEER, go with 13 SEER. Most mobile homes central air system are very poor and usually have a central door air return. This causes poor heating & cooling inefficiency throughout the home. You might save a tiny bit but unless you have a proper designed duct system you wont see any better value with a 16 SEER+.

Norm Frechette · Fri Aug 05, 2011 7:42 am

I bought my home in 2008 and the cost then was about $3100

They installed a cooling coil in the Miller furnace and American Standard AC unit.

The installation included all the necessary plumbing and electrical work.

WildIrish · Sat Aug 06, 2011 8:25 pm

jpingram5 wrote:I would say around $2,500 to $3,500. I would personally get a Heat Pump because that electric furnace is going to sky rocket your bill in winter.

Only get a heat pump if you live in a climate with mild winters. According to my own experience and our electric company, heat pumps can only warm the air so much, and then you have to have a backup heating system kick in.

I lived in AZ, and heat pumps are a PAIN. They tend to freeze over, leaving you with no heat, and will even do the same in the summer when you're using the A/C. Being in AZ with no A/C in July isn't something I'd wish on my worst enemy...waiting for the repairman to come thaw the thing out is no picnic when it's 117 degrees.

Here in the Plains, we get very cold winters, so we have a gas furnace. I really wish it were electric, because gas is so expensive here, not to mention dangerous.

Just be very careful if you're considering a heat pump...they're a lot more hassle than they're worth.

jpingram5 · Fri Aug 12, 2011 9:23 pm

That is 100% correct WildIrish. I figured they already had a heat source such as oil or gas, which could then be used as a backup with the new heat pump. But I should have stated that living in mild to extreme climates should have backup source. The heatpumps are usually good down to around 25 - 35 degrees. Around that temp they start to struggle to keep up. So yes, please install a backup heat source.