AC Installation in Reno, NV
A new air conditioner in Reno will run from July through August every year. Tell us about the house, and a licensed contractor who covers Washoe County will get in touch.
Tell us about the job
It takes about a minute.
Reno cooling season is short but the heat still means business
Your air conditioner only has to carry you through July and August here, about two months of real work a year. But summer afternoons average 84°F, and a new system still has to be sized to handle that heat when it shows up.
A new central air conditioner installed here has to meet 14.3 SEER2, the federal efficiency minimum for equipment built since 2023. With Washoe County seeing 343 damaging wind events over the last ten years, outdoor units also need to be installed and secured with that in mind.
- 2 months
- July through August, your air conditioner is on duty
- 84°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 Washoe 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 license is issued to the contractor, not to this particular job. It means the Nevada State Contractors Board tested this contractor before letting them take on work like yours, and keeps a record of them on file.
For an air conditioner installation, that license is what stands behind the person doing the work. Most cities and counties in Nevada also require a permit from the local building office for this kind of installation, along with an inspection once the work is finished.
Sources: Nevada Legislature · Nevada State Contractors Board
- What size air conditioner does my house need?
- The right size depends on your home's square footage, insulation, window area, and layout, not just a number pulled off a chart. A contractor works this out with a load calculation, checking things like ceiling height and how much sun your walls and windows take on. Going bigger than what your house needs isn't better. An oversized unit cools the air fast, shuts off, and leaves the house sticky, so getting the size right matters more than getting a big one.
- Should I replace the whole system or just the outdoor unit?
- If your indoor coil and outdoor unit are matched to each other, replacing just the outdoor unit can work. But if the indoor coil is old or a different brand, a mismatched pair often runs poorly and can shorten the life of the new unit. A contractor can check whether your existing coil and ductwork are still a fit before deciding. Summers here only run July through August, but that's still reason to get the pairing right, since you want the system working when you need it most.
- Do HVAC contractors in Reno 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 doing the work, not each individual job. On top of that, installing a new air conditioner in most cities and counties needs a permit from the local building office, with an inspection once the work is finished.