AC Installation in Des Moines, IA
A new air conditioner in Des Moines will run from June through August every year. Tell us about the house, and a licensed contractor who covers Polk County will get in touch.
Tell us about the job
It takes about a minute.
Des Moines summers put a new AC to work fast
Cooling season here runs June through August, and summer afternoons average 83°F. That is three months where the unit outside your house runs hard, day after day.
Polk County also sees its share of hail and wind. Ten years of storm records show 162 hail events and 191 damaging wind events, with hail up to 3.25 inches recorded. An outdoor condenser sits exposed to that. Any new central air conditioner installed today has to meet a federal minimum of 13.4 SEER2, so the efficiency floor is already set before you pick a system.
- 3 months
- June through August, your air conditioner is on duty
- 83°F
- the average summer afternoon it cools against
- 162 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 $20 a year.
Estimates for a typical Polk County home, from EIA household energy data, Iowa fuel prices and NOAA climate normals. Your home will differ.
Iowa requires HVAC contractors to hold a state license.
The Iowa Plumbing and Mechanical Systems Board tests contractors before issuing that license, and the license belongs to the contractor, not to any single job. So the state has already checked the person doing the work before they ever get to your house, and there is a record of who they are.
For your installation, the license is what stands behind the contractor's work, and in most cities and counties in Iowa, the job also needs a permit from the local building office along with an inspection once it's done. That inspection is what checks the install itself, separate from the state's check on the contractor.
Sources: Iowa Legislature · Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals and Licensing
- What size air conditioner does my house need?
- The right size depends on your home's square footage, how much shade and window area it has, your insulation, and your layout, not just a square footage chart. A unit that's too big cools the air fast but shuts off before it pulls the humidity down, so rooms feel damp. A unit that's too small runs constantly all summer and still can't keep up on the hottest afternoons. A contractor sizes the system with a load calculation done room by room, and that's the only way to get the number right for your house.
- Should I replace the whole system or just the outdoor unit?
- If your furnace or air handler is old, replacing only the outdoor unit can cause problems, because the indoor coil and the outdoor unit are matched to work together. Pairing a new condenser with an old coil can mean lost efficiency and a shorter life for the new equipment, and some manufacturers won't warranty a mismatched setup. If the indoor unit still has years left in it and is compatible with the new outdoor unit, replacing just the condenser can work. A contractor can look at both pieces and tell you whether they'll work together.
- Do HVAC contractors in Des Moines need a state license to work on my home?
- Yes. Iowa requires HVAC contractors to hold a state license, issued by the Iowa Plumbing and Mechanical Systems Board. For an AC installation, you'll also need a permit from your local building office, and the work gets inspected once it's done. Ask to see the license before work starts, and confirm the permit gets pulled.