What homeowners reported paying to replace a central AC: full system, outdoor unit plus coil, outdoor unit only, by size, and Florida versus the U.S.
Source: HVACPro analysis of 1,611 homeowner-reported quotes and invoices in public Reddit posts dated 2025-01-01 to 2026-09-29.
A split-system AC has an outdoor cabinet that holds the condenser and compressor and an indoor cabinet that holds the evaporator coil. AHRI says the outdoor and indoor units must be properly matched to reach the rated efficiency, and Carrier recommends replacing the evaporator coil when you replace the condenser because mismatched coils can cause efficiency problems.
Reports for the same job vary widely. Some include extras such as new ductwork, a furnace upgrade, or two systems in one quote, and we did not strip them out.
Read the middle half as the realistic spread. Heat pump systems are covered in the heat pump replacement cost guide.
Reported price, U.S. dollars
Source: HVACPro analysis of 1,611 homeowner-reported quotes and invoices in public Reddit posts dated 2025-01-01 to 2026-09-29. N is the number of reports behind each row.
| Job | Median | Most (middle half) | Reports |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full system (outdoor unit plus air handler or furnace and coil) | $13,780 | $10,000–$18,000 | 402 |
| Outdoor unit plus indoor coil | $7,850 | $6,450–$10,000 | 68 |
| Outdoor unit only | $5,400 | $3,800–$7,900 | 32 |
| Heat pump system | $13,450 | $10,000–$20,000 | 186 |
Sources: AHRI: Air Conditioning System; Carrier: Evaporator Coil vs. Condenser Coil: What's the Difference?. Pages opened 2026-09-30.
Size is measured in tons of cooling. These rows combine full-system AC and heat pump replacements.
The median rises from $9,520 at 1.5 tons to $16,300 at 4 tons. The 3.5-ton and 5-ton rows sit slightly below the row before them (22 and 37 reports), so read them as level with it, not as bigger systems costing less.
Do not pick a size by copying the old unit. ENERGY STAR says to have your contractor verify the proper size with a calculation called Manual J, and says a conventional system that is too large may not keep your home comfortable because of frequent on/off cycling, which causes humidity control problems and inefficient operation.
Reported price, U.S. dollars
Source: HVACPro analysis of 1,611 homeowner-reported quotes and invoices in public Reddit posts dated 2025-01-01 to 2026-09-29. N is the number of reports behind each row.
| System size | Median | Most (middle half) | Reports |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.5 ton | $9,520 | $9,000–$10,800 | 16 |
| 2 ton | $11,200 | $8,700–$15,000 | 55 |
| 2.5 ton | $11,120 | $9,900–$13,800 | 54 |
| 3 ton | $14,000 | $11,000–$17,290 | 93 |
| 3.5 ton | $13,050 | $9,900–$16,710 | 22 |
| 4 ton | $16,300 | $12,900–$22,000 | 47 |
| 5 ton | $16,000 | $12,800–$19,250 | 37 |
Sources: ENERGY STAR: Clean Heating and Cooling. Pages opened 2026-09-30.
$13,780 Full system, median (402 homeowner reports)
Source: HVACPro analysis of homeowner-reported quotes and invoices in public Reddit posts, 2025-01-01 to 2026-09-29. Homeowners reported these prices and we did not verify them.
Stock photo, not our work. Photo by Anh-Bao Tran-Le via Pexels.
Full-system replacements cost less in these reports in Florida than nationwide: a median of $12,000 against $13,650. The Southeast row groups FL, GA, AL, SC, NC, TN, MS, LA and TX, our own grouping and not DOE's. Florida has 55 reports, so its middle half ($9,400–$15,600) is a rough guide.
We have too few reports to publish a Tampa Bay number. The Tampa Bay ring page has the local data we do have.
One rule differs by region. Since January 1, 2023, DOE requires a split-system AC under 45,000 Btu/h installed in the Southeast, which includes Florida, to be rated at least 14.3 SEER2.
The national standard in the states outside the Southeast and Southwest is 13.4 SEER2. Our data does not split prices by efficiency rating, so we cannot say how much that adds to a Florida quote.
Reported price, U.S. dollars
Source: HVACPro analysis of 1,611 homeowner-reported quotes and invoices in public Reddit posts dated 2025-01-01 to 2026-09-29. N is the number of reports behind each row.
| Where | Median | Most (middle half) | Reports |
|---|---|---|---|
| Florida | $12,000 | $9,400–$15,600 | 55 |
| Southeast (FL, GA, AL, SC, NC, TN, MS, LA, TX) | $12,000 | $9,000–$16,000 | 108 |
| United States | $13,650 | $10,000–$18,500 | 588 |
Sources: U.S. DOE (eCFR): 10 CFR 430.32, Energy and water conservation standards and their compliance dates. Pages opened 2026-09-30.
Sources: U.S. DOE (eCFR): 10 CFR 430.32, Energy and water conservation standards and their compliance dates; ENERGY STAR: Program Requirements for Central Air Source Heat Pumps and Central Air Conditioners (Version 6.2, rev. March 2025); U.S. EPA: Technology Transitions HFC Restrictions by Sector; U.S. EPA: Technology Transitions GWP Reference Table; U.S. EPA (Federal Register, May 26, 2026): Phasedown of Hydrofluorocarbons: Reconsideration of Certain Regulatory Requirements Promulgated Under the Technology Transitions Provisions of the AIM Act; U.S. EPA: Frequent Questions on the Phasedown of Hydrofluorocarbons; ENERGY STAR: Duct Sealing; ENERGY STAR: Heat & Cool Efficiently; ENERGY STAR: HVAC Quality Installation. Pages opened 2026-09-30.
$12,000
Full system in Florida (55 homeowner reports)
Source: HVACPro analysis of homeowner-reported quotes and invoices in public Reddit posts, 2025-01-01 to 2026-09-29. Homeowners reported these prices and we did not verify them.
Divide a repair quote by the replacement medians above. A median evaporator coil repair ($3,000) is 38 percent of the $7,850 outdoor unit and coil job, and a median compressor repair ($3,000) is 56 percent of the $5,400 outdoor unit. Both are far less than a full system at $13,780.
The table shows more repairs the same way. It is arithmetic on the medians, not a quote.
Manufacturers give rules of thumb. Trane and Lennox both say to multiply the unit's age by the repair cost and consider replacing if the result is over $5,000. Trane's example: a 10-year-old unit with a $300 repair scores $3,000, so repair it, and one with a $600 repair scores $6,000, so consider replacing.
Trane also says that if the unit is under 10 years old, repairing it is the most cost-effective choice in the majority of cases. Carrier says compressor repair is often cost-effective on a newer unit under warranty and that replacement is usually the smarter investment past 10 years.
ENERGY STAR lists two signs it is time to replace: the unit is more than 10 years old, and it needs frequent repairs while your energy bills climb. Manufacturers put a central AC's life at about 15 years (Trane) or 15 to 20 years (Carrier, Lennox).
Check the warranty before you decide. Manufacturer warranties cover parts but usually not labor: Trane says its base limited warranty covers parts that fail from a manufacturer defect but not the labor to repair them, and in most cases lasts five years, or 10 years if the product is registered within 60 days of installation. Carrier's registration window is 90 days.
Old refrigerant matters too. EPA says that after 2020 only recycled, reclaimed, or previously produced R-22 can service existing equipment, and that EPA does not require homeowners to replace existing equipment.
Carrier lists a unit over 15 years old or one that uses R-22 as signs that replacement may be the better choice. See what each repair costs in the AC repair cost guide.
Evaporator coil (indoor coil)
$3,000
median repair, 57 reports
Full-system replacement
$13,780
median, 402 reports
Source: HVACPro analysis of 1,611 homeowner-reported quotes and invoices in public Reddit posts dated 2025-01-01 to 2026-09-29.
Share of the median full-system replacement price (100 percent would equal a new system)
Source: HVACPro analysis of 1,611 homeowner-reported quotes and invoices in public Reddit posts dated 2025-01-01 to 2026-09-29.
| Repair | Median repair | Share of outdoor unit only replacement ($5,400) | Share of outdoor unit plus indoor coil replacement ($7,850) | Share of full system replacement ($13,780) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Refrigerant leak repair | $1,320 | 24% | 17% | 10% |
| Blower motor (indoor fan) | $1,400 | 26% | 18% | 10% |
| Expansion valve (TXV) | $1,900 | 35% | 24% | 14% |
| Evaporator coil (indoor coil) | $3,000 | 56% | 38% | 22% |
| Compressor | $3,000 | 56% | 38% | 22% |
Sources: Trane: AC Replacement or AC Repair: What's Right for You?; Lennox: Deciding to Repair or Replace Your Air Conditioner; Carrier: What Is an AC Compressor? Function, Cost & Repair Guide; ENERGY STAR: When is it time to replace?; Trane: How Long Do Air Conditioners Last?; Carrier: How Long Do Air Conditioners Last?; Lennox: How Long Do Air Conditioners Last; Trane: Warranty and Registration; Carrier: Carrier Home HVAC Warranty Registration & Coverage; U.S. EPA: Purchasing and Repairing Home Air-Conditioners or Heat Pumps; U.S. EPA: Homeowners and Consumers: Frequently Asked Questions; Carrier: What is a Home AC Recharge?. Pages opened 2026-09-30.
Rule out the free causes first. The DIY guides cover AC not cooling, AC leaking water, AC freezing up, AC will not turn on, AC short cycling, AC making noise, thermostat blank and mini-split problems. For local data and a licensed contractor near you, see the Tampa Bay ring page.
$7,850 Outdoor unit and coil (68 homeowner reports)
Source: HVACPro analysis of homeowner-reported quotes and invoices in public Reddit posts, 2025-01-01 to 2026-09-29. Homeowners reported these prices and we did not verify them.
Stock photo, not our work. Photo by HUUM │sauna heaters via Pexels.
Each price is the median of the reports for that job, and "most" is the middle half of them (25th to 75th percentile). Homeowners reported these prices and we did not verify them. The reports are a mix of quotes homeowners received and invoices they paid, from U.S. posters, and we publish no price for a job with fewer than 10 reports.
Reddit posters are not a random sample of homeowners. We link no individual post.
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Stock photo, not our work. Photo by Alex Domínguez via Pexels.
Homeowners reported a median of $13,780 for a full system, with most from $10,000–$18,000 (402 reports). Outdoor unit plus indoor coil had a median of $7,850, and the outdoor unit alone $5,400.
Homeowners reported a median of $5,400, with most from $3,800–$7,900 (32 reports). Carrier recommends replacing the evaporator coil along with the condenser because mismatched coils can cause efficiency problems, and AHRI says the indoor and outdoor units must be properly matched to reach the rated efficiency.
In our reports, yes: full-system replacements in Florida had a median of $12,000 against $13,650 nationwide. Florida has 55 reports, so treat the gap as a rough guide.
Trane says a central air conditioner will last about 15 years in general. Carrier and Lennox put it at 15 to 20 years. ENERGY STAR suggests considering a replacement once a unit is more than 10 years old.
Trane and Lennox both suggest multiplying the unit's age by the repair cost and considering replacement if the result is over $5,000. Trane says repair is usually the more cost-effective choice for a unit under 10 years old. A median compressor repair ($3,000) is 56 percent of a median outdoor unit replacement ($5,400) in our data.
Since January 1, 2023, DOE requires a split-system AC under 45,000 Btu/h installed in the Southeast, which includes Florida, to be rated at least 14.3 SEER2. The standard for the states outside the Southeast and Southwest is 13.4 SEER2. ENERGY STAR certification for split-system central ACs requires at least 15.2 SEER2.
Source: HVACPro analysis of 1,611 homeowner-reported quotes and invoices in public Reddit posts dated 2025-01-01 to 2026-09-29. Other facts on this page come from the sources listed above.