AC Installation in Florence, KY
A new air conditioner in Florence will run from June through September every year. Tell us about the house, and a licensed contractor who covers Boone County will get in touch.
Tell us about the job
It takes about a minute.
Four months of real heat in Florence
Summers here run June through September, with afternoons averaging 85°F. That is four straight months where a new air conditioner has to hold that temperature down, day after day, without a break to recover.
Florence has also seen its share of hail and wind over the past ten years, 18 hail events and 86 damaging wind storms, which means the outdoor unit needs to be installed and secured with that in mind. Any new central air conditioner installed today has to meet a federal minimum of 14.3 SEER2, so it starts out more efficient than the one it is replacing.
- 4 months
- June through September, your air conditioner is on duty
- 85°F
- the average summer afternoon it cools against
- 18 hail events
- in ten years, and hail bends the fins on outdoor coils
- 13.4 SEER2
- the federal minimum any new unit must meet
NOAA nClimDiv, 1991–2020 normals
Going above the federal minimum saves little here, about $20 a year.
Estimates for a typical Boone County home, from EIA household energy data, Kentucky fuel prices and NOAA climate normals. Your home will differ.
Kentucky requires HVAC contractors to hold a state license.
The license is issued to the contractor, not to this particular job. Kentucky's Department of Housing, Buildings and Construction tests and records the person or company before they're allowed to take on work like this, so the license is proof the state has already checked them once, not something re-issued for your installation.
With a state license already covering the contractor, the other piece here is local. In most cities and counties, installing an air conditioner needs a permit from the building office and an inspection once the work is done, and that inspection is what confirms this particular job was done right.
Sources: Kentucky Legislative Research Commission · Kentucky Department of Housing, Buildings and Construction
- What size air conditioner does my house need?
- The right size depends on your square footage, ceiling height, insulation, window count and orientation, not just the size of the unit you have now. A contractor works this out with a load calculation, not a guess based on tonnage per square foot. Putting in one too large cools the air fast but leaves it damp, since the unit shuts off before it runs long enough to pull moisture out. Too small and it runs constantly through the summer and still can't keep up on an 85 degree afternoon. This is worth getting right before install, not after.
- Should I replace the whole system or just the outdoor unit?
- If your indoor coil and outdoor unit are different ages or different efficiency levels, replacing just the outdoor unit often does not work well. The two are matched at the factory to move refrigerant correctly, and pairing a new condenser with an old coil can mean poor cooling and a shorter life for the new part. A contractor can check whether your existing coil and refrigerant type are compatible with what's available now. New systems also have to meet the 14.3 SEER2 minimum that took effect in 2023, which older coils were not built around.
- Do HVAC contractors in Florence need a state license to work on my home?
- Yes. Kentucky requires HVAC contractors to hold a state license, issued through the Department of Housing, Buildings and Construction. The license covers the contractor as a business, not each individual job, so it's worth confirming before work starts rather than assuming it. Beyond the license, installing an air conditioner in most cities and counties also needs a permit from the local building office and an inspection once the work is done.