AC installation and replacement in Tucson, AZ: local prices and installers

Tucson is desert, with hot, dry early summers and a humid stretch when the summer storms arrive. Your AC works hard for a large part of the year, so the way it is installed decides how well it copes and how long it lasts.

Some older Tucson homes were built around evaporative coolers and later converted to refrigerated air, or still have both. If your ducts were laid out for a swamp cooler, tell the contractor. Those ducts may be the wrong size or leak too much for a modern AC, and the quote should say what will be done about them.

A standard replacement includes the outdoor condenser or heat pump and the matching indoor coil or air handler. Homes with a rooftop package unit get a one-cabinet swap that can need a crane. The installer should also check the electrical disconnect, breaker size, return air path and condensate drain.

Size comes from a load calculation, not from the label on the old unit. Insulation, window area, shade and duct losses all change the answer. The AC tonnage calculator gives you a starting range so you can tell when a quote is far off.

Tucson winters are mild, so a heat pump can handle both cooling and heating in most homes. An AC with a gas furnace or electric heat strips is the other common setup. Single-stage equipment is the least expensive. Multi-stage and variable-capacity equipment costs more and runs longer, quieter cycles. Ask for the installed price of each option so you can see the real difference.

Arizona licenses contractors through the Arizona Registrar of Contractors (ROC). Ask every bidder for the ROC license number and look it up yourself before you sign. The Arizona license lookup guide shows what to compare on the record: business name, status, and a classification that covers residential AC and heating work.

Replacing an AC or furnace commonly requires a permit and an inspection from the local building department. Rules are set locally, so ask each contractor whether a permit applies to your job in Tucson, who pulls it and whether the fee is in the price. A contractor who suggests skipping the permit is asking you to carry the risk.

• Brand, model numbers and tonnage for the outdoor unit and the indoor coil, air handler or furnace.
• The SEER2 rating of the matched system, with the AHRI reference number.
• Whether the load was calculated (Manual J) or the size was copied from the old unit.
• What happens to the ducts: inspected, sealed, repaired or left as they are.
• Electrical work, the disconnect, the thermostat, the condensate drain and the pad or roof stand.
• Permit and inspection, removal of the old equipment and recovery of the old refrigerant.
• Equipment and labor warranty terms in writing, and who registers the equipment.