AC Installation in Arlington, VA
A new air conditioner in Arlington will run from June through September every year. Tell us about the house, and a licensed contractor who covers Arlington County will get in touch.
Tell us about the job
It takes about a minute.
Four months of real heat, every year
Arlington asks for cooling from June through September, and summer afternoons average 86°F. That is the stretch your air conditioner has to handle, four months of running most days to keep the house comfortable.
Any new central air conditioner installed today has to meet 14.3 SEER2, the federal efficiency minimum for units built since 2023. Beyond that, the county sees its share of severe weather, including damaging wind, so where and how the outdoor unit is installed matters as much as the equipment itself.
- 4 months
- June through September, your air conditioner is on duty
- 86°F
- the average summer afternoon it cools against
- 5 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 Arlington County home, from EIA household energy data, Virginia fuel prices and NOAA climate normals. Your home will differ.
Virginia requires HVAC contractors to hold a state license.
The Board for Contractors tests contractors before they get that license and keeps a record of who holds one. It's tied to the business, not to any one job, so the same license covers this installation and whatever other HVAC work that contractor takes on. Virginia does carve out an exception for small jobs. Work under $1,000 doesn't require a licensed contractor. An air conditioner installation runs well past that.
Because Virginia licenses at the state level, that license is what stands behind the person doing this job. Most cities and counties also require a permit for an air conditioner installation, with an inspection once the work is finished. That permit is a separate check from the license itself. It confirms the installation was done correctly and signed off by the local building office. The license confirms the contractor was tested and is on record with the state.
Sources: Virginia General Assembly · Virginia Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation
- What size air conditioner does my house need?
- The right size depends on your square footage, your insulation, how many windows you have, and which way your house faces, so it takes a load calculation to get a real answer. A unit that's too big cools the air fast but shuts off before it pulls the moisture out, so rooms feel damp. One that's too small runs constantly and still can't keep up on the hottest days. A contractor can walk your house and run the numbers for you.
- Should I replace the whole system or just the outdoor unit?
- If your indoor coil and outdoor unit are matched and both still in good shape, replacing just the outdoor unit can work. But if the system is old, mixing a new outdoor unit with an aging indoor coil often means they don't run at the efficiency either one is rated for, and it can shorten the life of the new equipment. A contractor can check whether your coil and ductwork can handle a new outdoor unit or whether the whole system needs to come out together.
- Do HVAC contractors in Arlington need a state license to work on my home?
- Yes. Virginia requires HVAC contractors to hold a state license, issued through the Board for Contractors. The license belongs to the contractor, not to any single job. Installing an air conditioner isn't the kind of small job that skips this requirement, so it needs a licensed contractor. You'll also need a permit from your local building office, with an inspection once the work is done.