[Yankeerose00]

We are house hunting now and there is a house we are interested in. We haven't had a showing but it looks good on paper and in photos, good location, and it seemed like a good price. But I see they have no central air. Central air for us is like heat. It's a necessity. We have window units in this rental and we hate it.
So just how big of a job is it to put central air in a house? Is it not that big of a deal or is it this huge undertaking that is just not worth it?
The house is 2300 square feet and was built in 1978.

I've actually seen quite a few homes w/ no central air and so far I've been scratching them off. But maybe I should reconsider. I just don't want to get into a 30k job where our house is torn apart for the better part of 6 months.
Anyone put in central air?

[shoehoard]

One of the reasons we bought our house was because it had central air. We looked at probably 3 dozen homes and maybe 2 or 3 had central air.
However, we were very interested in a home that had window units (owner bought in 2006 and wouldn't budge on price - until he had to a year later ). When we viewed the home with window units over July 4th weekend, we didn't feel the least bit uncomfortable. We sat at the kitchen table writing up our offer and felt just fine. However, the upstairs was a different story and quite stiffling. We found that true of most homes we toured with window units. Downstairs was fine - upstairs was sticky, even with window units.

Originally Posted by Yankeerose00

We are house hunting now and there is a house we are interested in. We haven't had a showing but it looks good on paper and in photos, good location, and it seemed like a good price. But I see they have no central air. Central air for us is like heat. It's a necessity. We have window units in this rental and we hate it.
So just how big of a job is it to put central air in a house? Is it not that big of a deal or is it this huge undertaking that is just not worth it?
The house is 2300 square feet and was built in 1978.

I've actually seen quite a few homes w/ no central air and so far I've been scratching them off. But maybe I should reconsider. I just don't want to get into a 30k job where our house is torn apart for the better part of 6 months.
Anyone put in central air?

[seymourct]

Bought in 2005, w/no AC in home and we put it in. Really easy cause we did not have to do 2 levels. RR homes just have a run in the attic, downstairs has NEVER needed ac.

Hubby's dad's home (colonial) was built in 70's and they put AC in... really ugly tubes running through the closets to get to the downstairs rooms . Those tubes (nearly foot round) ate up a good 1/5 of most of the closets upstairs.

[DawnMTL]

Originally Posted by shoehoard

One of the reasons we bought our house was because it had central air. We looked at probably 3 dozen homes and maybe 2 or 3 had central air.
However, we were very interested in a home that had window units (owner bought in 2006 and wouldn't budge on price - until he had to a year later ). When we viewed the home with window units over July 4th weekend, we didn't feel the least bit uncomfortable. We sat at the kitchen table writing up our offer and felt just fine. However, the upstairs was a different story and quite stiffling. We found that true of most homes we toured with window units. Downstairs was fine - upstairs was sticky, even with window units.

Shoehoard is right -- the majority of homes here do not have central air. I wouldn't, though, throw them in the "no" pile just because they have window units. Yeah, it's true, the upstairs doesn't cool as much as the downstairs with window units (darn science, and that "hot air rises" crap! ) but, upstairs, if you turn on a window unit and shut the door to that room, it feels oh-so-sweet walking in there from the humid hallway.

[andthentherewere3]

Originally Posted by DandJ

Yeah, it's true, the upstairs doesn't cool as much as the downstairs with window units (darn science, and that "hot air rises" crap! ) but, upstairs, if you turn on a window unit and shut the door to that room, it feels oh-so-sweet walking in there from the humid hallway.

So true!

Also bear in mind that many people buy window units too small for the room size, in an effort to save money. Then they discover that the window unit doesn't cool the room.

[HeadedWest]

Originally Posted by andthentherewere3

So true!

Also bear in mind that many people buy window units too small for the room size, in an effort to save money. Then they discover that the window unit doesn't cool the room.

But don't buy one that's too big. Then it will cool down but not run long enough to dry out the air in the room.

The small units work quite well for bedrooms if you keep the room cool all the time. We set the temperature higher during the day, but we don't turn it off entirely. Keeps the air nice and dry.

[Yankeerose00]

The house I grew up in NJ had window units. Then in Florida and Virginia, we had central air. So for the past 20 years I had central air until moving up here into this rental and back to window units.

I really dislike them. We have brand new units in this rental and they still make too much noise. I have to keep the tv turned up to hear it over the a/c. I hate when one room is hot and muggy and the other room is cold. It's too jarring walking from one cold room to a hot room. I know most people are more cold blooded than me so warm doesnt bother them. My husband and I think CT is too warm. Our ideal weather would be New Hampshire or Maine, lol. So living with window units is a no-go for me. Plus no matter how new they are, they just aren't near as energy efficient as central a/c is.
But Seymourct what you wrote about taking up the closets scares me. This house is a 2 story house. I don't think I want to mess with it. I'd say the homes we've looked at have been mostly central air. Probably 1/3 are window units.

[Cambium]

Its no big deal. Anything can be done...it's a matter of looking at the work involved and the price.. I gutted my house out so I can't say from expierence but always working around a/c guys I know what goes on.

What type of house is it? Ranch? Colonial? If you have an attic or basement it can be done.
Pretty simple. You need an Air Handler, Compressor, thermostat and vents.. Compressor goes outside. Air Handler either in basement or in attic. From air handler they branch out the ducts for the vents. You'll have exposed duct work in attic but very simple to put vents in ceiling of 2nd floor.

To get from 1st floor from attic is tricky. Unless you put another air handler for downstairs. 2 zones.

[Silli]

Assuming the heating system is forced hot air, I don't know why it would be an issue. Radiators are a different story. Why don't you get an HVAC estimate on the house, if you're really interested?

[Yankeerose00]

For heating, it just says oil on the listing. I don't know if it has forced hot air or radiators. I don't know much about heating.
the house is two levels and I would definitely want two handlers. Our first house in Florida had one handler for two floors and not only is it a waste to cool upstairs when you aren't even going to bed, but the 2nd floor was never cool enough. We had two handlers in Virginia and that really worked the best.
I'm going to email a few contractors and get just and idea of cost. I don't even want to waste a seller's time if it's too big of a job.
Snowman, that's good to know that it's not such a huge job. If we could do it for under 10k and have it done within a month that would be great.