Installations

While 87 percent of U.S. households use some type of air conditioning, central AC systems are the most sought-after for both convenience and accessibility. If flipping a switch for whole-house cooling is what you’re after, you may wonder whether it’s possible to install your own. And the answer is, you definitely can. Here’s how to install central air conditioning yourself safely and properly.

A central air conditioner relies on ducting and registers (openings) to carry cool air all over your home. Essentially, the system pulls air in from outside, cools it, and then pushes it throughout the house via the ductwork.

There are two types of central AC units: split-system and packaged. A split system involves an outdoor unit and an indoor cabinet, while the packaged type sits in a cabinet either outside or on the roof of your home. Packaged units are the ones which can also function as a heater with the addition of electric heating coils or a gas furnace.

A central air conditioner relies on ducting and registers (openings) to carry cool air all over your home. Essentially, the system pulls air in from outside, cools it, and then pushes it throughout the house via the ductwork.

If you already have an existing AC unit that you want to replace, there are some unique considerations. First, you need to recover any remaining refrigerant from your old unit. To do this, you must have an EPA refrigerant handling certification or find someone who does to safely remove the old material.

Of course, if you purchase a new unit that already has refrigerant, you may not need to buy more. However, an improperly charged unit will require additional refrigerant, potentially leaving you in a bind right when you’re about to install it.

Attempting to remove refrigerant without the proper training is dangerous, and we don’t recommend that any homeowner attempt to DIY this part of an AC installation or removal.