California HVAC Match
An outdoor air conditioning condenser unit positioned beside a blue-sided house at sunset.

AC Installation in San Francisco, CA

Tell us about the house, and a licensed contractor who covers San Francisco County will get in touch.

Tell us about the job

It takes about a minute.

Step 1 of 3: Equipment
Aerial view of a square outdoor air conditioning condenser unit on a concrete pad beside a house wall with a sliding glass door.

San Francisco doesn't ask much of an air conditioner

Summer afternoons here average 70°F, and the city goes through the year without needing cooling at all. A new air conditioner in a house here won't run often.

That still leaves the question of what to install. Any central air conditioner built since 2023 has to meet 14.3 SEER2, the federal minimum. Even with mild summers, it should be sized to the house rather than picked off a shelf. A contractor can look at the space and tell you what actually fits.

70°F
the average summer afternoon it cools against
10 hail events
in ten years, and hail bends the fins on outdoor coils
13.4 SEER2
the federal minimum any new unit must meet
Isometric line illustration of a cutaway single-story building showing interior rooms, ceiling ductwork, an indoor air handler, and an outdoor condenser unit connected by a line set.
Your air conditioner works hardest from August through September.

NOAA nClimDiv, 1991–2020 normals

An outdoor air conditioning condenser unit on a concrete pad next to the gray vinyl siding of a residential home.

Going above the federal minimum saves little here, about $0 a year.

  • A new unit at the federal minimum, 14.3 SEER2$40 a year
  • A higher-efficiency unit$40 a year

Estimates for a typical San Francisco County home, from EIA household energy data, California fuel prices and NOAA climate normals. Your home will differ.

California requires HVAC contractors to hold a state license.

California licenses HVAC contractors through the Contractors State License Board. That license belongs to the contractor, not to this one job, so it covers the person or company doing the work rather than any single project.

For an air conditioner installation, the license is only part of it. In most cities and counties, an installation like this also needs a permit from the local building office, with an inspection once the work is done. The permit and inspection check what actually went into your home, separate from what the state already checked about the contractor.

Sources: California Legislative Counsel · Contractors State License Board

What size air conditioner does my house need?
The right size depends on your square footage, your windows, your insulation, and how your rooms are laid out, so it takes a load calculation to get a real answer. A unit that's too big cools the air fast but shuts off before it pulls the moisture out, leaving rooms clammy. Too small, and it runs constantly and still can't keep up on the warmer afternoons. A contractor will measure your home and work out the number rather than guess from square footage alone.
Should I replace the whole system or just the outdoor unit?
In most cases you replace both together, not just the outdoor unit. The outdoor condenser and the indoor coil are matched to work at a specific capacity and efficiency, and pairing a new condenser with an old coil usually means the system never runs the way it's rated to. It can also void the manufacturer's warranty on the new unit. A contractor can check the age and condition of your indoor coil and tell you whether it's a real option to keep it.
Do HVAC contractors in San Francisco need a state license to work on my home?
Yes. California requires HVAC contractors to hold a state license, issued by the Contractors State License Board. Before hiring anyone, it's worth checking that their license is active and in good standing.
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