The central heating system keeps your house warm in the cold winter months, making sure everyone in your family stays healthy and fit. It provides warmth to every corner of your house, from your living room to your bedroom. When you buy a house, central heating is usually a part of it. If not, you will need to install it from scratch.
You may also need to replace an old central heating system with a new one to ensure better heating and higher energy efficiency. An inefficient and old system can quickly skyrocket your monthly power expenses and also affect your family’s health. That’s why having a new, energy-efficient, and better controlled central heating system is important.
A. Factors Affecting the Cost of Central Heating Installation
Before you install a new system or replace your old central heating system, it is important to know how much the project will cost. Simply Googling “24-hour heating near me” isn’t going to help you plan the central heating installation for your home. Different factors will affect the cost of your central heating installation in Big Bear.
Let’s see what these factors are.
1. The Size of Your Home
The size of your home is one of the first things you will need to consider when installing a central heating system. In fact, most contractors will ask to survey your house before providing you with a detailed quote.
As you may have already guessed, the more rooms you have, the bigger central heating system you will need to keep your house warm. You will also need to lay down a more extensive ductwork with multiple vents and returns to ensure balanced heat distribution throughout the house.
You may also need heating equipment, whether it is a heat pump or a furnace, with higher heating capacity. Finally, a bigger house size means you will need highly skilled labor to complete the work faster. As you can see, all of this will translate into higher installation cost.
2. Ductwork
Depending on the size and layout of your house, you may also need to install extensive ductwork, returns, and vents. Most homes may already have ductwork. However, if it is in poor condition or needs extensive repair, you will need to replace it.
Also, if you have added a new room or remodeled parts of your house, you will need to install new ductwork, including vents, filters, and returns. Depending on the complexity and the amount of ductwork involved, the installation cost will also increase.
As a result, most professional HVAC contractors will inspect your existing ductwork first to see if it requires repair and/or replacement before commencing the work. It helps to plan the work in stages, and also in preparing your budget.
3. Heating Controls
You can find a variety of heat controllers such as thermostats and wireless sensors that can help you set the room temperature. While these devices may not increase or decrease your overall installation costs by much, they can help you cut back your fuel costs by increasing your energy efficiency.
You can get digital and dial (analog) thermostats, which you can manually set to a preferred room temperature. Your central heating system will shut off once the desired room temperature is achieved. These are the cheapest options available.
You can also buy a smart thermostat. Although slightly more expensive, it can sense the room temperature and your energy usage, and make temperature adjustments automatically. You can access it with a mobile or web app as well.
In addition to temperature controls, you can use wireless sensors on your windows and doors. These sensors will send a signal to the central heating system when a door or window is opened, and the system will turn off. So, you can save energy and money. Furthermore, you can get a security alert when a door or window is opened.
4. Heating Equipment Size and Features
Whether it is a furnace, boiler or heat pump, you will need equipment that perfectly fits your heating needs. If you use a heating equipment with lower capacity, it will have to overwork, resulting in frequent wear-and-tear.
This means you will regularly be searching for “heater repair near me” on your phone or calling your go-to handyman for frequent repairs. As the heating device has to overwork, it will most probably wear out before its set warranty period.
On the other hand, if you use a high-capacity heater, your fuel costs will increase. That’s why you need to choose heating equipment that fits your needs perfectly.
5. Labor Costs
Labor costs form a considerable share of your overall central heating cost. The cost of labor will increase based on various factors. For example, if you need extensive ductwork, you will have to pay for additional labor.
If installation requires you to carry out any additional masonry, construction, or plumbing work, your labor cost will increase. The cost will also change (increase or decrease) depending on your location. The labor costs are usually higher in cities and suburbs than in rural areas.
B. How Much Will It Cost?
As mentioned, the actual cost of central heating installation will vary from project to project. According to Improvenet, the cost of a full central heating system ranges between $4,000 and $20,000. The maximum price includes extensive ductwork.
However, instead of saving a few hundred dollars on your initial installation cost, you should always think long-term. Shelling out a few extra hundred dollars now can help you avoid costly and time-consuming repairs in the long run. Unless you like frantically searching for “24-hour heating near me” on your phone, it’s better to spend more on initial installation.
C. Always Hire a Professional and Certified HVAC Contractor
From getting a detailed quote to timely and high-quality installation, you can get it all only if you are working with a professional and certified HVAC contractor. When searching for “24-hour heating near me,” make sure to shortlist only certified contractors, preferably with at least three-four years of experience.
You can ask the shortlisted contractors to share their license and certification details. They will also offer an on-site inspection to provide you with a more detailed quote that includes all the essentials mentioned in this post. You can compare these details to select a suitable one.
Conclusion
As you can see, the cost of central heating installation in Big Bear will vary depending on a variety of factors. Some of them include the size of your home, ductwork or pipework, heating equipment, heating controls, and labor. Make sure to understand how each factor affects the overall cost and set your budget accordingly. And yes, always get professional help to make sure your central heating lasts long and runs with higher efficiency.
Hire the Central Heating Expert in Big Bear Now!
Making sure your initial central heating installation is flawless can help you avoid high costs due to the lack of energy-efficiency as well as costly repairs. That’s what a professional, certified, and experienced heating and cooling expert in Big Bear like Bear Valley Plumbing & Heating can provide you. Call us on (909) 584-4376 or contact us online to schedule an appointment today!
If you are looking for a Big Bear plumbing, heating & air conditioning contractor, please call (909) 584-4376 or complete our online request form.
Category: Heating
