AC Installation in Hawthorne, NV
A new air conditioner in Hawthorne will run from July through August every year. Tell us about the house, and a licensed contractor who covers Mineral County will get in touch.
Tell us about the job
It takes about a minute.
Two months of heat, but real heat
Hawthorne only asks a new air conditioner to work July and August. That's a short season, but summer afternoons here average 86°F, and the unit you install has to handle that heat every one of those days.
Wind is the bigger factor over the life of the system. Mineral County has logged 61 damaging wind events in the past ten years, against just 3 hail events. Whatever gets installed outside your home should be set and secured with that in mind. Any new central air conditioner also has to meet the federal minimum of 14.3 SEER2, so that part is settled before installation even starts.
- 2 months
- July through August, your air conditioner is on duty
- 86°F
- the average summer afternoon it cools against
- 3 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 $10 a year.
Estimates for a typical Mineral County home, from EIA household energy data, Nevada fuel prices and NOAA climate normals. Your home will differ.
Nevada requires HVAC contractors to hold a state license.
The Nevada State Contractors Board tests contractors before it licenses them, then keeps a record of who holds one. The license belongs to the contractor, not to any single job, so it covers this installation the same way it covers every other job that contractor takes on.
For an air conditioner install, that license is what stands behind the work. On top of it, most cities and counties in Nevada require a permit for this kind of job, and an inspector checks the work once it's done.
Sources: Nevada Legislature · Nevada State Contractors Board
- What size air conditioner does my house need?
- The right size depends on your square footage, ceiling height, insulation, window placement, and how much shade your house gets, so there's no number to give without seeing the house. A contractor works this out with a load calculation, not a chart based on square footage alone. Going bigger than what the calculation calls for doesn't cool the house faster. An oversized unit cycles on and off more often and does a worse job pulling humidity out of the air.
- Should I replace the whole system or just the outdoor unit?
- If your indoor and outdoor units were installed together and matched for capacity, replacing only the outdoor unit can throw that match off. The two are designed to work as a pair, and mismatched equipment can run inefficiently or wear out sooner. If the indoor coil is old or was sized for a different outdoor unit, a contractor may recommend replacing both. The age and condition of the indoor unit is what decides this, so have a contractor look at both pieces before deciding.
- Do HVAC contractors in Hawthorne need a state license to work on my home?
- Yes. Nevada requires HVAC contractors to hold a state license, issued through the Nevada State Contractors Board. That license covers the contractor, not each individual job. For an AC installation, the city or county building office will also require a permit and an inspection once the work is finished.