Central air conditioning
Cool bedrooms through the summer, added to the furnace and ducts you already have.
Is central air right for your home?
- You have a gas furnace and ductsCentral air uses both, so there is nothing new to run through the house.
- Your furnace has years leftAdding cooling keeps the equipment that still works.
- You only want coolingThe furnace keeps doing the heating, exactly as it does now.
- Upstairs is too hot to sleep in summerHeat collects on the top floor, and bedrooms usually get the worst of it.
No ducts? Ductless mini splits cool room by room. Furnace near the end of its life? Read the heat pump comparison below first.
How central air works, and how it compares with a heat pump
Central air conditioning is an outdoor unit paired with an indoor coil fitted to your furnace. Your furnace's fan pushes air across the coil and out through your existing ducts, so the whole house cools from the same vents that heat it. It cools only. We install York central air conditioners.
A central heat pump does the same cooling job through the same ducts, and it heats as well, so it replaces the furnace. It costs more to install (compare our starting prices). It is also the one that can earn a rebate: none of the programs we work with cover central air conditioning on its own, and CleanBC and BC Hydro both cover qualifying heat pumps.
If your furnace is newer and in good condition and you only want cooling, central air is the sensible spend. If your furnace is getting old, or you want to move off gas, a heat pump replaces both in one job, and a dual fuel system does the same while keeping gas for the cold days.
Rebate amounts are subject to eligibility and program funding. We'll confirm what you qualify for during your free estimate.
Starting price
Starting-at prices, plus GST. Your exact price is in writing after the free in-home estimate.
Heating & cooling
- Central Air Conditioning$9,200
Standard electrical connection included. Electrical service upgrades (if required for your home) are quoted separately. Your final price is confirmed in writing before any work starts. All starting-at prices are plus GST.
Payment plans are available through FinanceIt, with the options covered during your free quote.
We take a 50% deposit to book your install. On CleanBC rebate jobs and strata jobs, we start with a $1,000 deposit, then collect the rest of the 50% deposit once everything is approved. Your deposit is fully refundable until one week before your install date, as long as no work has been done.
What every central air install includes
- The equipment and installation labour
- Sizing checked against what your furnace and ducts can carry
- Permits and inspections, pulled on every job
- A licensed electrician, brought in and scheduled by us where the job needs one
- Standard electrical connection
- A strata approval package for your council, if you live in a townhouse
- A post-install checkup: a phone check-in for most installs, a return visit for larger or more complex systems
- A 3-year labour warranty as standard
- Electrical service upgrades, if your home needs one, are quoted separately.
How we size an air conditioner
An air conditioner has to fit the air your furnace and ducts can move. Cooling runs on airflow: about 400 CFM (cubic feet of air per minute) for each ton of cooling, and we aim for 80 to 120 CFM at each vent.
A unit bigger than your ducts can carry pushes too much air through them. You hear it as a rush at the vents, and the rooms nearest the furnace get most of the cooling while the far bedroom still doesn't. We check your ducts and vents at the estimate before recommending a size.
From booking to post-install checkup
Free in-home estimate
Your home comfort advisor looks at your furnace, your ducts and vents, your panel and where the outdoor unit can go. In a townhouse, they also photograph each location for the strata package.
Panel check
You send us your BC Hydro usage data and our licensed electrical contractor checks whether your panel can take the new load.
Your quote and scheduling
You get your price in writing. Standard jobs are 50% to schedule. Strata jobs start with a refundable $1,000 deposit. Once the strata approves, we collect the rest of the 50% deposit and book your install.
Install
We set the outdoor unit, fit the coil to your furnace, pull the permits and bring in the electrician where needed. The balance is due once the install is complete.
Post-install checkup
We follow up after the install: a phone check-in for most homes, a return visit for larger or more complex systems.
Up to 12 years of labour coverage
3 years standard, with optional coverage up to 12 years.
It transfers when you sell
Labour warranties transfer to the new owner if you sell your home. The coverage adds value to the property rather than being lost.
Annual maintenance by Jolly Heating & Cooling is required to keep any labour warranty valid, whatever its term.
What our customers say
Rated 5 out of 5
We recently had our A/C installed by Jolly Heating and Cooling, and I couldn’t be happier with the experience. Since our house is over 30 years old, the installation was definitely a challenge, but their team handled everything perfectly and professionally.
They not only completed the installation smoothly, but also took the time to explain and answer any questions we had along the way.
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Whenever an issue came up, they responded quickly and solved it without delay.
Special thanks to Jason, Thomas, and Wilson for their hard work and dedication — you truly made the whole process stress-free for us.
Now we’re so happy to be able to enjoy a cool and comfortable summer with our new A/C! Highly recommend Jolly Heating and Cooling to anyone looking for a reliable and professional team!
Questions we get asked
Do I need ducts for central air?
Yes. Central air uses your furnace's fan and ductwork. If your home heats with baseboards or radiant heat, ductless mini splits are the way to add cooling.
Can I cool just one room?
Yes, with a single-zone ductless mini split rather than central air. It cools one room or open area, and heats it in winter too.
My furnace is getting old. Can it still take an air conditioner?
The air conditioner relies on your furnace's fan, so the furnace has to be able to move the air the new unit needs. We check that at the estimate. If the furnace is near the end of its life, a heat pump or dual fuel system usually makes more sense than adding cooling to it.
Where does the outdoor unit go?
We plan the spot with you at the estimate, with your bedroom windows and your neighbours in mind. In a townhouse, the strata package we prepare includes the unit's spec sheet, with its sound level where the manufacturer publishes one.
Which refrigerant does it use?
We quote equipment on R32 or R454B, the lower-impact refrigerants that are replacing R410A as Canada phases down HFCs.
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Get a price for central air
Book a free in-home estimate. We will check your furnace, ducts and panel, size the unit to them, and give you a price in writing.