What ton of cooling means
A ton is the unit of air conditioning capacity. It traces back to the cooling from melting a ton of ice over a day, and it is stated in BTUs per hour on the equipment.
Also called tonnage, AC tons.
Where it matters on a HVAC job
Customers often ask for the same tonnage they had, but the old unit may never have been sized right. A load calculation decides tonnage. Oversized units short cycle and leave the house clammy, which is a callback you can avoid at the quote.
What it costs
The central air conditioner installation cost guide has the typical job at $6,000 and the usual range at $5,000 to $14,000. The guide shows its sources and what moves the price. The hvac load calculator prices a job line by line.
Work it out
- Free calculator: HVAC load calculator
- Cost guide: Central air conditioner installation cost
- Licensing: HVAC license rules by state
- Tools, templates and guides: Free HVAC resources