Sizing an Air Conditioner Correctly Is the Foundation of a Good Installation
An air conditioner that is too large will cool the air quickly but shut off before it removes humidity, leaving your Skokie home feeling clammy and cold at the same time. An air conditioner that is too small will run without stopping on the hottest July afternoons, driving up your energy bills and wearing out components years before their time. Getting the size right is the single most important decision in any AC installation, and it is where All Temp Heating & Air Conditioning starts every project.
We perform a proper load calculation rather than replacing your old unit with whatever tonnage happened to be there before. That calculation accounts for the square footage of your home, ceiling height, window count and orientation, insulation levels, and the number of people who live in the space. A Skokie brick bungalow with original single-pane windows has very different cooling needs than a newer, well-sealed build a few blocks away. By measuring these factors, we match the equipment to the house instead of forcing the house to work around the equipment.
How Our AC Installation Process Works
A clean installation is what separates a system that runs quietly for fifteen years from one that gives trouble in its first season. When you schedule an installation with All Temp Heating & Air Conditioning, we walk through each step so there are no surprises, and we protect your home and belongings while the crew works. Our courteous, fast, and friendly staff treats your property as if it were their own.
Here is what a typical central air conditioning installation looks like from start to finish:
- In-home assessment: We evaluate your existing ductwork, electrical service, and the layout of your home, then complete the load calculation that determines the correct equipment size.
- Equipment selection: We review efficiency ratings, sound levels, and budget with you, and recommend a system that fits both your home and your comfort goals.
- Removal of old equipment: The existing condenser, evaporator coil, and any failed components are disconnected and hauled away responsibly.
- Setting the new system: We place the outdoor condenser on a level pad, mount the indoor coil, and connect refrigerant lines, drain lines, and electrical whips to code.
- Evacuation and charging: We pull a deep vacuum on the line set to remove moisture and air, then charge the system to the manufacturer’s exact refrigerant specification.
- Startup and testing: We verify airflow, temperature split across the coil, and thermostat operation before we consider the job complete.
Every one of these steps matters. Skipping the vacuum step, for example, leaves moisture in the lines that turns acidic and corrodes the compressor. Overcharging or undercharging the refrigerant robs the system of efficiency and shortens its life. We take the time to do it right because a rushed installation costs you far more in the long run.
Technical Specifications That Shape Your New System
When you choose a new air conditioner, a few technical numbers determine how it will perform in your Skokie home. Understanding them helps you make a confident decision, and we are always glad to explain the trade-offs in plain language during your consultation.
The SEER2 rating measures seasonal cooling efficiency. A higher SEER2 number means the system produces more cooling for each unit of electricity it consumes. Because Skokie summers bring long stretches of heat and humidity off Lake Michigan, a higher-efficiency system can meaningfully lower what you pay to stay comfortable from June through September. Tonnage describes cooling capacity, where one ton equals twelve thousand BTUs per hour. Most Skokie single-family homes fall somewhere between two and four tons, but the load calculation, not a guess, sets the final figure.
Sound rating is another specification worth considering, especially in the closely spaced homes common throughout the area. Modern condensers run far quieter than the units they replace, and a low decibel rating means you and your neighbors barely notice the system on a warm evening. Variable-speed and two-stage compressors add another layer of comfort, running at lower capacity most of the time to hold steady temperatures and remove humidity, then ramping up only when the heat demands it. As one of Bryant’s highest-rated dealers in the nation, All Temp Heating & Air Conditioning offers equipment across the full range of these specifications, so we can match your priorities whether they lean toward maximum efficiency, quiet operation, or a straightforward, reliable installation.
Situations Where a New Installation Makes Sense
Not every cooling problem calls for a full installation, and we will always tell you honestly when a repair is the smarter choice. That said, several situations point clearly toward replacement, and Skokie homeowners come to us for each of them. An aging system that needs frequent repairs often costs more to keep alive than to replace, particularly once it passes the ten-to-fifteen-year mark and repair parts become harder to source.
Homes that never had central air present another common scenario. Many older Skokie properties were built with radiator or boiler heat and no ductwork for cooling. In these cases we design a system from the ground up, whether that means installing new ductwork or fitting a ductless mini-split solution that delivers zoned comfort without major remodeling. We also handle installations tied to additions and renovations, where a finished attic or expanded living space needs cooling that the original system was never sized to provide. Rising energy bills are yet another signal, since an old, inefficient unit can quietly cost far more to run than a new one, and the monthly savings help offset the investment over time.
Why Families Across the Area Trust All Temp Heating & Air Conditioning
All Temp Chicago Heating & Air Conditioning has become the first choice for tens of thousands of families throughout the Chicago and suburban areas, and that reputation was built one careful installation at a time. We remain a family owned and operated company, which means the people who answer your call and stand behind the work share a personal stake in doing it well. We are not a faceless national chain rotating through your neighborhood, we are your neighbors serving Skokie and the surrounding communities of Chicago, Bolingbrook, Skokie, Evanston, Lincolnwood, Morton Grove, Niles, Park Ridge, Woodridge, and Darien, IL.
Beyond air conditioning installation, we sell and service quality furnaces, boilers, air purifiers, humidifiers, ventilation systems, and water heaters, and we provide expert equipment installation, tune-up, and repair. That range matters because your air conditioner does not work in isolation. The same ductwork, thermostat, and electrical system serve your heating equipment too, so having one trusted company understand your whole home means fewer complications and better results. When you invest in a new cooling system, you want it installed by a team that will still be here to tune it up next spring and handle any question that comes up along the way. That is the standard All Temp Heating & Air Conditioning holds itself to, and it is what keeps Skokie homeowners calling us year after year.
If you are ready to talk about a new air conditioner, or you simply want an honest opinion on whether your current system has life left in it, reach out to schedule an in-home assessment. We will walk through your options, answer your questions without pressure, and help you make the choice that keeps your family comfortable through many summers to come.