AC Installation in Blanding, UT
A new air conditioner in Blanding will run from June through August every year. Tell us about the house, and a licensed contractor who covers San Juan County will get in touch.
Tell us about the job
It takes about a minute.
Three months of real heat, then hail to think about
Blanding only asks for cooling June through August, but those afternoons average 89°F, and a new system still has to keep up on the hottest days in that stretch. A short season doesn't mean a small job. It means the unit sits idle most of the year and has to start up strong when summer hits.
San Juan County has logged 16 damaging wind events and 12 hail events over the past ten years, with hailstones up to 1.75 inches. The outdoor unit sits outside through all of that, so where it's installed and how it's protected matters as much as its size. Any new central air conditioner installed today also has to meet the federal efficiency minimum of 13.4 SEER2.
- 3 months
- June through August, your air conditioner is on duty
- 89°F
- the average summer afternoon it cools against
- 12 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
A higher-efficiency unit would save about $40 a year to run in San Juan County compared with a new unit at the federal minimum.
Estimates for a typical San Juan County home, from EIA household energy data, Utah fuel prices and NOAA climate normals. Your home will differ.
Utah requires HVAC contractors to hold a state license.
The Division of Professional Licensing tests and licenses HVAC contractors in Utah. That license belongs to the contractor, not to any one job. Work under $7,000 falls outside that requirement, so a small repair might not need a licensed contractor behind it.
An air conditioner installation runs well past that threshold, so the license is what stands behind the person doing this job. Most cities and counties also require a permit for a job like this, with an inspection once the work is done, and that inspection is what checks the work after the contractor leaves.
Sources: Utah State Legislature · Utah Department of Commerce
- What size air conditioner does my house need?
- The right size depends on your square footage, how much shade and sun the house gets, your insulation, and the layout of your ductwork, not just one number off a chart. An undersized unit will run constantly through June and August and never quite catch up on an 89°F afternoon. An oversized one cools the air fast but shuts off before it pulls the moisture out, so the house feels clammy. A contractor works this out with a load calculation on your actual house, and that's the only way to get it right.
- Should I replace the whole system or just the outdoor unit?
- If your indoor coil and outdoor unit were installed together as a matched set, replacing just the outdoor unit usually means putting a new compressor next to an old, mismatched coil, and that hurts efficiency and can shorten the life of the new unit. New central air conditioners have to meet a 13.4 SEER2 minimum, and hitting that number reliably usually means the coil and refrigerant lines are up to the job too. A contractor can check what you have and tell you whether the coil is worth keeping.
- Do HVAC contractors in Blanding need a state license to work on my home?
- Yes, Utah requires HVAC contractors to hold a state license, issued through the Division of Professional Licensing. There is an exception for smaller jobs, which do not require a licensed contractor. Ask to see the license before work starts, and check whether the job needs a permit and inspection from the local building office, since most cities and counties require one for an air conditioner installation. A contractor can tell you what applies to your job and price it for your house.