An AC-only install for a home with a serviceable furnace typically runs $7,400 to $16,800 installed in the Vancouver WA metro in 2026. A standard 3-ton AC averages $8,000 to $10,000. Where you land inside that range depends on tonnage and SEER2 tier, plus two wildcards: coil match and electrical work. If your furnace is also aging, a heat pump often beats a straight AC on long-term value because it heats too and qualifies for Clark PUD rebates.
AC-only means keeping your existing gas furnace as the air mover and adding cooling to it: a new outdoor condenser, a matched indoor evaporator coil, a properly sized line-set, electrical, the Clark County permit, and full commissioning. That last part matters, because a system that is not commissioned properly never hits its rated efficiency.
The published 2026 ranges, by home size and tier.
These are the same installed ranges we publish in our online estimator for the Vancouver, WA metro. They include equipment, labor, line-set, permit, and commissioning. Sizing below assumes typical construction; the actual Manual J load calculation we run on every quote sets the real tonnage.
| Home size | Good · Ameristar (14 SEER2) | Better · AS Silver 14 (14.3 SEER2) | Best · AS Gold 17 (17 SEER2) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 1,500 sq ft (~2 ton) | $7,400 to $9,300 | $8,400 to $10,600 | $10,800 to $13,600 |
| 1,500 to 2,500 sq ft (~3 ton) | $8,000 to $10,000 | $9,000 to $11,300 | $11,500 to $14,500 |
| 2,500 to 3,500 sq ft (~4 ton) | $8,600 to $10,800 | $9,700 to $12,200 | $12,400 to $15,700 |
| 3,500+ sq ft (~5 ton) | $9,200 to $11,500 | $10,400 to $13,000 | $13,300 to $16,800 |
What actually drives the cost.
1. Tonnage (home size, but measured, not guessed).
Bigger homes need more cooling capacity, and each step up in tonnage adds roughly $600 to $1,200 within the same tier in the table above. But square footage is only a starting point. Newer, tighter homes often size smaller than rule-of-thumb math suggests, which is why we run a Manual J load calculation on every quote. An oversized AC short-cycles, will not dehumidify, and leaves the house clammy, so paying for an extra ton you do not need is worse than neutral.
2. SEER2 tier.
Tier is the biggest lever you control. Our AC lineup runs three tiers:
- Good: Ameristar RunTru A5AC4, 14 SEER2. Single-stage, scroll compressor, 10-year parts warranty. American Standard's economy brand, built on the same parent platform. Best fit for rentals, fixed budgets, or a furnace that is still in good shape.
- Better: American Standard Silver 14 (4A7A4), 14.3 SEER2. Single-stage with the Spine Fin coil and dealer-backed parts support. Dependable and quiet.
- Best: American Standard Gold 17 (4A7A7), 17 SEER2. Two-stage compressor for quieter, more consistent cooling, the highest efficiency American Standard offers in a straight cooling condenser, and rebate-eligible.
Higher SEER2 means lower running costs every summer the system operates. Whether the Best tier pays back depends on how long you plan to stay; our SEER2 guide walks the math on what the numbers mean for your power bill.
3. Coil match.
The outdoor condenser is only half the system. The indoor evaporator coil that sits on your furnace must be the AHRI-matched pair for the rated SEER2 and the manufacturer warranty to hold. If your existing coil is compatible in size and refrigerant, great. If the new condenser needs a different coil, and with the R-454B refrigerant transition it almost always does, the coil is part of the job, which is why every range in the table already includes a matched coil. The refrigerant changeover itself added roughly $200 to $700 to install costs in 2025 and 2026 across the industry.
4. Electrical.
A central AC needs its own 220V circuit. If your panel has the space, a new dedicated circuit for the outdoor unit runs $300 to $700. Older homes with a full or undersized panel may need a 200A panel upgrade, which runs $3,000 to $5,000 in Vancouver. We scope electrical during the walkthrough and put it in the written quote as its own line, so the number you sign is the number you pay.
Two smaller line items worth knowing: the Clark County mechanical permit is about $200 (we always pull it), and most AC installs are completed in a single day.
The heat pump question.
Before you commit to a cooling-only AC, look at a heat pump. It cools exactly like an AC but also heats efficiently, which means it can retire your furnace as the primary heat source and it qualifies for Clark PUD rebates a straight AC usually does not. Ducted heat pump installs run $12,600 to $23,000 before rebates, and Clark PUD rebates take $1,200 to $2,500 off the top, so the real gap over a comparable AC is smaller than the sticker suggests. If your furnace is aging, the heat pump is often the better long-term value; if the furnace is newer and you just need cooling, a straight AC is the right call. Our heat pump cost guide breaks down those numbers the same way this one does.
Ballpark it in under a minute
Use our online estimator: pick scope, home size, and tier, and you get the installed range for your combination. It is not a quote, but it will tell you whether the bids you collect are in the right zip code. Prefer the short version? The AC install pricing page puts the ranges and the booking form on one screen.
Common questions.
How much does AC installation cost in Vancouver, WA?
An AC-only install for a home with a serviceable furnace typically runs $7,400 to $16,800 installed in the Vancouver WA metro, depending on home size and efficiency tier. A standard 3-ton AC averages $8,000 to $10,000. Ranges include the outdoor condenser, matched evaporator coil, line-set, permit, and commissioning.
What drives an AC install price up or down?
Four things: tonnage (a 2-ton system for a home under 1,500 sq ft starts around $7,400, while a 5-ton system for a 3,500+ sq ft home tops out near $16,800), SEER2 tier (14 SEER2 single-stage up to 17 SEER2 two-stage), whether the indoor evaporator coil can be matched to your existing furnace or must be replaced with it, and electrical work: a new 220V dedicated circuit runs $300 to $700, and a 200A panel upgrade runs $3,000 to $5,000 in Vancouver.
Is a heat pump worth the extra cost over a straight AC?
Often, yes. A heat pump cools exactly like an AC but also heats efficiently, and it qualifies for Clark PUD rebates a cooling-only AC usually does not. Ducted heat pump installs run $12,600 to $23,000 before rebates, and Clark PUD rebates take $1,200 to $2,500 off the top, so the gap over a comparable AC narrows once rebates and heating savings are counted. If your furnace is newer and you just need cooling, a straight AC makes sense.
The bottom line for Vancouver homeowners.
For a typical 1,500 to 2,500 sq ft Vancouver home, plan for $8,000 to $11,300 installed in the Good or Better tier, or $11,500 to $14,500 if you want the two-stage Gold 17. Get an itemized written quote that names the condenser model, the matched coil, the SEER2 rating, the permit, and the electrical scope, and treat any one-line number with suspicion.
Want a real number for your specific home? Start with the instant estimator, or go straight to the AC installation pricing page and book the free in-home visit. We walk the property, run the Manual J, and build the complete itemized estimate before we leave.