Air Conditioning Replacements: From Easiest To Most Difficult

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There comes a time in all air conditioning units when it is time to go. The units are broken, malfunctioning, or just really old and outdated. With the many different ways that people keep cool, you might be wondering how easy your type of air conditioning will be to replace. The following sums air conditioning replacement up, from easiest to most difficult:

Heat Pump

A heat pump system is the easiest to replace. All of the components are fairly lightweight, and there is no refrigerant to worry about. Additionally, if you want to convert to something other than a heat pump system, the openings left in your home's siding provide the means for cables and wiring from other types of A/C appliances.

Central A/C

Several of the components in a central air conditioner are similar to a heat pump system. This is why it is so easy to convert from the heat pump to central air conditioning. Replacing a central unit only requires the removal of the condenser box and the fuse box outside. If the old fuse box uses the same type of fuses and number of amps as the new unit, then it does not need replacing.

Then the HVAC technician only has to remove the old condenser box and install a new one. He or she will check all of the old wiring, cables, and hoses to make sure they are up to code, in good shape, and can be reused, and that is it. If anything else needs to be replaced, it will, but it is a fairly straightforward replacement process.

Geothermal Horizontal Unit

Geothermal units last a very long time, but if you need yours replaced, you will have to tear up your yard to do it. The horizontal installation of this type of A/C is less messy than the vertical installation, which is why it ranks third in difficulty. Your HVAC technician only has to dig as deep as the coils go, which in a horizontal installation, is not that deep.

Geothermal Vertical Unit

This is the most difficult and messiest A/C replacement of all. It is because the heat exchange loop is buried several feet down, in a vertical position, so the technician practically has to dig a vertical tunnel in your yard to get it all out. The massive hole has to be left in place until the new vertical unit can be installed.


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