AC Installation in New Town, ND
A new air conditioner in New Town will run from July through August every year. Tell us about the house, and a licensed contractor who covers Mountrail County will get in touch.
Tell us about the job
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Two months of real heat, and hail to plan around
New Town only asks a new air conditioner to work hard for two months, July and August, with afternoons averaging 79°F. That is a short season, but it still needs to be sized right for those weeks so it keeps up on the hottest afternoons instead of running the whole time and falling behind.
Mountrail County has logged 59 hail events and 59 damaging wind events over the past ten years, with hail up to 2.5 inches. That is worth asking your installer about when it comes to where the outdoor unit sits and what kind of coil covers it. Any new system installed since 2023 has to meet 13.4 SEER2, the federal efficiency minimum, so that part is settled before you even start comparing units.
- 2 months
- July through August, your air conditioner is on duty
- 79°F
- the average summer afternoon it cools against
- 59 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 $0 a year.
Estimates for a typical Mountrail County home, from EIA household energy data, North Dakota fuel prices and NOAA climate normals. Your home will differ.
North Dakota requires HVAC contractors to hold a state license.
The license is held by the contractor, not issued job by job. It covers who they are, not a sign-off on your install. North Dakota carves out an exception for small jobs. Work under $4,000 does not require a licensed contractor. An air conditioner installation runs well above that line, so whoever you hire for this job should hold the state license.
The license tells you the contractor is on record with the state. It does not stand in for a permit. In most cities and counties, installing a new air conditioner needs a permit from the local building office. An inspection follows once the work is done, and that inspection is what checks the wiring and refrigerant lines were put together correctly. That check happens separately from anything the license covers.
Sources: North Dakota Legislative Branch · North Dakota Secretary of State
- What size air conditioner does my house need?
- The right size comes from a load calculation, not just the square footage of your house. A contractor looks at your insulation, your windows, how many stories you have, and which way your house faces before landing on a number. An oversized unit cools the air fast but shuts off before it pulls the moisture out, so the house feels clammy even though it's cool. A contractor who comes out and measures your house will give you the number that actually fits it.
- Should I replace the whole system or just the outdoor unit?
- If your indoor coil and outdoor unit were installed together and are close in age, replacing only the outdoor unit usually causes problems. The coil and the compressor are matched to work at the same capacity, and pairing a new outdoor unit with an old coil can mean poor cooling and a shorter life for the new equipment. A contractor can check whether your coil will pair with new equipment or whether the whole system needs to come out together. New units sold today also have to meet a 13.4 SEER2 minimum, which your old coil may not have been designed around.
- Do HVAC contractors in New Town need a state license to work on my home?
- For an AC installation, yes. North Dakota requires HVAC contractors to hold a state license, and installing an air conditioner is well above the kind of small job that license rule doesn't cover. Check that whoever you hire holds that license before they start. You will also want to confirm the job gets a permit and inspection from the local building office, since most places require that for a new air conditioner.