AC Installation in Missoula, MT
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Missoula summers don't ask much of an air conditioner
Summer afternoons here average 74°F. That's mild. A new system won't be running flat out most days. What it will face is Missoula weather in the other sense. The area has seen 21 hail events and 69 damaging wind events over the past ten years, with hailstones as large as 2.5 inches. The outdoor unit sits outside through all of that, so where it goes and how it's mounted matters as much as its size.
Any new central air conditioner installed today has to meet a federal minimum of 13.4 SEER2. That's the baseline a contractor will start from when sizing a system for your house.
- 74°F
- the average summer afternoon it cools against
- 21 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 Missoula County home, from EIA household energy data, Montana fuel prices and NOAA climate normals. Your home will differ.
Montana requires HVAC contractors to hold a state license.
Montana licenses HVAC contractors through the Department of Labor and Industry, and that license belongs to the contractor, not to any single job. Work under $2,500 does not need a licensed contractor.
Since Montana licenses the contractor, that license is what stands behind the work here. In most cities and counties, installing an air conditioner also needs a permit from the local building office, along with an inspection once the work is done, checking that the unit was put in and connected correctly.
Source: Montana Legislature
- What size air conditioner does my house need?
- The right size depends on your square footage, how much shade and window area your house has, your insulation, and your layout, so a contractor needs to look at the house to size it correctly. An oversized unit cools the air fast but shuts off before it pulls the humidity out, so rooms feel clammy. An undersized one runs constantly and still struggles on the hottest afternoons. Ask whoever quotes the job to walk through a load calculation rather than just matching the size of your old unit or guessing from square footage alone.
- Should I replace the whole system or just the outdoor unit?
- If your indoor coil and outdoor unit were installed together and matched for each other, replacing only the outdoor unit usually is not a good idea. The two are matched for airflow and refrigerant charge, and pairing a new condenser with an old coil often means it never runs at the efficiency it is rated for. It can also void the manufacturer's warranty on the new equipment. A contractor can check the age and condition of your coil and tell you whether it is worth keeping.
- Do HVAC contractors in Missoula need a state license to work on my home?
- Yes, for work like this. Montana requires HVAC contractors to hold a state license through the Department of Labor and Industry, and installing an air conditioner is well above the small-job threshold where licensing is not required. The license covers the contractor as a business, not the individual job, so it is worth asking to see it before work starts. You will also likely need a permit from your local building office, with an inspection once the installation is done.