Air Conditioning Replacement & Installation
Free in-home estimate, a written proposal and A&E's own crews. Here's what an AC replacement includes.
If replacing is the right call
Nobody plans to buy an air conditioner. It usually follows a breakdown, a big repair estimate or a system that has simply stopped keeping up. If you're still deciding whether to repair, start with how we make that call. If you've decided it's time, this page explains what a replacement with us includes and what to expect along the way.
It starts with your house, not a price sheet
Every replacement begins with a free estimate at your home. Tell us what the current system does well, where it struggles and whether you're comparing another proposal. The equipment is only part of the job. Access, ductwork, drainage and electrical work all shape the right answer, which is why two installations can look alike on paper and turn out to be very different jobs.
You'll have a written proposal before any work is scheduled. If you already have a quote from another company, bring it along. We'll review it with you for free, and our quote checklist shows what to look for.
Request a free estimate or call (941) 778-0773. Our office will text or call you, whichever you choose, to set a time.
15 questions every homeowner should ask an HVAC contractor
License verification, permits, a matched system, ductwork and written warranties — the things that decide whether an AC install actually fits the house.
What's included
Every A&E replacement is a matched indoor and outdoor system, as code requires, installed by our own employees. We haul away and dispose of the old equipment, pull the permit and see it through inspection, and stand behind our work with a one-year workmanship warranty. The manufacturer's parts and labor coverage is separate, and your proposal spells it out in writing along with the equipment models, the supporting work and anything that would cost extra, so you know exactly what you're buying before installation day.
Installation day
Most AC replacements are finished in one working day. More involved installations can take longer, and your proposal will say so up front. Before we arrive, clear a path to the equipment and settle any pets. Before we leave, take a few minutes with the crew to go over how to run the new system, which filter it uses and what to keep with your warranty paperwork.
Heat pump or straight AC?
The short answer: when it's cooling, a heat pump and a straight air conditioner do the same job the same way. The difference is how the house gets heat. A heat pump runs in reverse to heat the house; a straight AC leaves heating to something else, usually electric heat strips in the air handler or a gas furnace. More than half of the systems we've installed over the past two years were heat pumps.
The useful question is what heats your house now:
- Electric heat strips with a straight AC. This is where a heat pump usually earns its place. The U.S. Department of Energy says a heat pump can cut the electricity used for heating by about half compared with electric resistance heat, and most heat pump systems keep a set of strips as backup.
- A gas furnace. Keeping the furnace and replacing the air conditioner is often the simplest path, and we work on gas furnaces. If you're curious about a heat pump instead, ask us to price both.
- A heat pump already. Then it's one decision rather than two: your heating and cooling are the same equipment, replaced together as a matched indoor and outdoor system.
On a heat pump proposal you'll see two efficiency ratings: SEER2 for cooling and HSPF2 for heating. Here, the system cools for most of the year, so SEER2 matters most to your bill. If your question is really about heat that isn't working, see heat pump and heating repair.
Only need to cool one room, like a garage, sunroom or master bedroom the central system can't keep comfortable? See ductless mini-splits. Temperature fine but the air feels damp? See indoor air quality.
Pricing that fits your house
We don't advertise a starting price, because a starting price doesn't tell you much. What you'll pay depends on the equipment you choose and the work your home needs, and your written proposal shows both. If you're moving to a replacement after a repair with us, we'll review what you've paid us and credit what we fairly can. How we price our work.
Request a free replacement estimate, or see our financing options if you'd rather spread out the cost.
Installs from our crews
We've been cooling homes around here since 1983. In the twelve months to September 2026, our crews completed more than 550 AC system replacements.
Air & Energy is a Florida Certified Air Conditioning Contractor (license CAC1817161, which you can look up at myfloridalicense.com), and Trane has named the company a Trane Comfort Specialist. Once your new system is in, regular maintenance is how we keep an eye on it; skipping it can affect warranty coverage.
Common questions
How much does it cost to replace an AC unit?
It depends on the equipment and the work your home needs. The estimate is free, and the job is quoted in writing before any work starts.
I just paid for a repair visit. Does that count toward a new system?
For your air conditioner, yes: we review what you've paid us and credit what we fairly can toward the new system.
Can you look at a quote I got from another company?
Yes, for free. Call and tell us you'd like a second opinion. Sometimes we find a smaller fix, and sometimes we agree replacing makes sense. Either way, we'll tell you plainly. How we decide.
Do I need to replace the indoor unit too, or just the outdoor unit?
A replacement system has to be a matched indoor and outdoor pair, so ask any contractor to show you both models and how they match. If only one part has failed, start with a repair visit.
How long does a new AC installation take?
Most replacements take one working day on site. More involved installs can take longer, and your proposal will say so.
Do you pull the permit?
Yes, on every installation that needs one. We pull it, get it inspected and close it out, so you don't have to.
What happens to my old unit?
We haul it away and dispose of it as part of the installation.
What warranty comes with a new system?
The equipment carries the manufacturer's warranty, and our own workmanship is guaranteed for one year. Ask us what applies to the system you're considering.
Can I finance a new AC?
Yes. See our financing options.
Do you install in Lakewood Ranch?
Throughout Lakewood Ranch, including the Sarasota County side, as well as Bradenton, Palmetto, Ellenton, Parrish and the rest of Manatee County.
Start with a look at your house
Call and tell us what you have and what's going on. We'll set up a free estimate visit, look at the system and the house, and put the price in writing before anything is scheduled.