What condenser means
The condenser is the outdoor half of a split air conditioner. It holds the compressor and a coil where the refrigerant gives up the heat it picked up indoors.
Also called outdoor unit, condensing unit.
Where it matters on a HVAC job
A dirty condenser coil raises pressures and bills; cleaning it is the core of a cooling tune-up. On replacements, the condenser and the indoor coil need to be a matched pair for the rating and warranty to hold.
What it costs
Jobs that involve condenser are priced in the central air conditioner installation cost guide: about $6,000 typical, usually $5,000 to $14,000. The guide shows its sources and what moves the price. The hvac replacement cost calculator prices a job line by line.
Work it out
- Free calculator: HVAC replacement cost calculator
- Cost guide: Central air conditioner installation cost
- Licensing: HVAC license rules by state
- Tools, templates and guides: Free HVAC resources