AC Installation in Roanoke, VA
A new air conditioner in Roanoke will run from June through September every year. Tell us about the house, and a licensed contractor who covers Roanoke will get in touch.
Tell us about the job
It takes about a minute.
Four months of real heat, every year
Summer afternoons in Roanoke average 86°F, and that runs from June through September. Your air conditioner has to hold that line for four months straight, not just on the hottest week of the year.
Any new central air conditioner installed today has to meet 14.3 SEER2, the federal efficiency minimum. That's the floor a new unit starts from, before you even get to sizing it for a Roanoke summer.
- 4 months
- June through September, your air conditioner is on duty
- 86°F
- the average summer afternoon it cools against
- 2 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 Roanoke 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 licenses the contractor, not the job. That license stays with them from one house to the next, and it's what's on file when you're deciding who to let in. Virginia does exempt small jobs, work under $1,000 doesn't need a licensed contractor, but an AC installation runs well past that figure, so the contractor doing this job needs to hold the license.
Most cities and counties also require a permit for an installation like this, with an inspection once the work is done. That inspection is what checks the unit was put in correctly and the wiring and refrigerant lines meet code. The license says who is allowed to do the work. The permit and inspection are what checks the work itself.
Sources: Virginia General Assembly · Virginia Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation
- What size air conditioner does my house need?
- The right size comes from a load calculation, not the square footage of your house. A contractor measures your windows, insulation, ceiling height, and how much shade your house gets, then runs the numbers to find the tonnage that matches. An oversized unit cools the air fast but shuts off before it pulls the moisture out, so the house feels clammy. An undersized one runs nonstop on your hot afternoons and still can't keep up. With summer highs here averaging 86°F, getting this number right matters more than picking a brand.
- Should I replace the whole system or just the outdoor unit?
- In most cases you replace both the outdoor condenser and the indoor coil together. They're matched to work at a specific efficiency and capacity, and pairing a new condenser with an old coil usually means you lose the efficiency gain you're paying for, sometimes voids the warranty too. If the coil and ductwork are in good shape and only a few years old, a contractor can tell you whether it's a safe match. Since 2023, new central air conditioners have to meet a federal minimum of 14.3 SEER2, which is worth asking about when you're comparing what's being replaced.
- Do HVAC contractors in Roanoke need a state license to work on my home?
- Yes. Virginia requires HVAC contractors to hold a state license through the Board for Contractors, and installing an air conditioner is exactly the kind of job that requires one. The license is issued to the contractor, not per job, so it's worth asking to see it before work starts. Small jobs fall outside the licensing requirement, but an AC installation is not one of them. Most cities and counties also require a permit and an inspection once the installation is done.