AC installation and replacement in San Diego, CA: local prices and installers

San Diego's climate changes over short distances. Near the coast, summers are mild, and many older homes were built with a furnace and no central AC. A few miles inland, summer afternoons are much hotter and AC is standard. That means two different jobs get called AC installation here.

A replacement swaps an existing outdoor unit and indoor coil for a new matched pair. A first-time installation is larger. If the house has a furnace and ducts, the installer adds a coil, an outdoor unit, refrigerant lines, a condensate drain and an electrical circuit, and checks whether the ducts can carry cooling airflow. If the house has no ducts, ductless mini splits are the usual answer.

Many San Diego homeowners choose a heat pump for this work, because one system then provides cooling and replaces an aging furnace. Close to the ocean, salt air corrodes outdoor units faster, so ask about coil protection and placement.

A mild climate needs less capacity than people expect, and oversizing is the common mistake. An oversized system costs more, cycles on and off and wears faster. The size should come from a load calculation for your home's insulation, windows, sun exposure and distance from the coast.

The AC tonnage calculator gives a rough range to hold against each bid. Ask whether your electrical panel has room for the new circuit, since older homes sometimes need panel work before AC or a heat pump can be added.

California contractors are licensed by the Contractors State License Board (CSLB), and AC work falls under the C-20 classification. Check each bidder with CSLB's Check a License tool, following the California license lookup guide.

CSLB's consumer guidance applies directly to an AC job:

• Get at least three written bids based on the same scope, and be wary of one far below the rest.
• Home improvement projects over $500 need a written contract that states the work, price, payment schedule, who obtains permits and the completion date.
• The down payment should not exceed 10 percent of the contract price or $1,000, whichever is less.
• Most alterations need a permit from the local building official, and requirements vary by city and county.

• 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.

Compare the bids line by line. A low total often means a missing line.