AC repair
Furnace & heating
Heat pumps
Ductless mini splits
Carrier
Trane
GoodmanSeasonal tune-up and full diagnostic on your Carrier, Trane, or Goodman system - readings shown to you before any repair is proposed
Diagnosis first, numbers second - you approve the repair price before a single part goes in.
Get your free estimateStyles & brands we work with
See the difference
Before
After
Before
After
Before
AfterAC Replacement in San Francisco, CA
An AC replacement in San Francisco typically costs between $4,800 and $12,400 depending on the size of your home, the efficiency rating of the new unit, and how much ductwork or electrical work is involved. Most replacements take one full day, and you’ll have cool air again that same evening. If your current system is over 12 years old, needs a compressor, or has sprung a refrigerant leak, replacement is usually the smarter money. Call (559) 245-8807 and we’ll give you a straight answer on whether our ac repair installation services can save your system.
At Brandt HVAC Co San Francisco, we don’t sell you a new unit because it’s easier for us. We replace an air conditioner when the numbers show you’d be throwing good money after bad. Our job starts with a real diagnosis, not a sales script. If you’re on the fence, our AC Repair & Installation in San Francisco page lays out how we decide between fixing and replacing, and the same honest math applies here.
Every replacement starts with a written price before any work begins. You’ll know the exact cost, the exact equipment going in, and the name and photo of the technician who’ll be at your door before they arrive. That’s the Threshold Verified standard, and it’s how we’ve operated since 2003.
When You Need AC Replacement
San Francisco’s microclimates put real strain on cooling equipment. A unit running hard in the Mission District’s afternoon sun deals with different stress than one chilling a home in the fog-heavy Sunset. Here’s what tells us a replacement is likely the right call:
- Your system is 12 to 15 years old and needs a major repair. If the compressor fails on a unit that age, you’re looking at a repair bill that’s 40% to 60% of a new system’s cost. That ratio rarely makes sense, especially when a new unit comes with a factory warranty that beats whatever your old one still has.
- R-22 refrigerant is involved. If your system runs on R-22 (often called Freon), it was phased out of production in 2020. What’s left on the market is recycled and getting more expensive every year. Recharging an R-22 system can run $200 to $400 per pound, and a leak means you’ll pay that over and over. A replacement switches you to modern refrigerant that’s cheaper and more available.
- Your energy bills climb every summer without a change in usage. An aging unit loses efficiency as coils corrode, motors wear, and refrigerant levels drop. In neighborhoods like Bernal Heights or Potrero Hill, where summer sun beats directly on rooftops, a 15-year-old unit can draw 40% more power than a modern replacement doing the same job.
- Rooms stay hot no matter how long the system runs. This often points to a unit that’s simply undersized or has degraded past the point of meaningful output. SF homes range from 1920s Edwardians in the Richmond to newer construction in Mission Bay, and the right sizing calculation matters more than most homeowners realize.
- Repairs are stacking up year over year. If you spent $400 last summer on a capacitor and $600 the summer before on a fan motor, you’re funding a dead unit’s retirement. A replacement stops that cycle and puts a written guarantee under the entire system.
Our AC Replacement Process
We’ve refined this process over 20-plus years so you’re never guessing what happens next. Every step gets a written confirmation, and you’ll never meet a technician you weren’t told to expect.
- You call and talk to a person. Not a phone tree, not a callback queue, not a voicemail. A live person answers at (559) 245-8807, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You tell us what’s going on, and we schedule a diagnostic visit at a time that works for you.
- We diagnose and measure. A background-checked, uniformed Brandt technician arrives at your home. You’ll already know their name and photo from the confirmation we sent. They’ll test your current unit, inspect your ductwork, and measure your home’s square footage, window exposure, and insulation. San Francisco’s older homes often have quirks (plaster walls, shallow cavities, flat roofs) that change the calculation.
- You get a written replacement plan. Before any work starts, you’ll see a written price covering the equipment, the labor, the removal of your old unit, and any necessary electrical or duct modifications. We’ll also explain your options across brands like York, Bryant, and American Standard, and we’ll tell you honestly which one fits your home and budget.
- We install on your schedule. Most replacements are done in a single day. Our team handles the full swap: old unit out, new unit in, refrigerant charged, electrical connected, thermostat synced, and everything tested. We’re careful with your home, from the floors we walk on to the rooftop or crawlspace we work in.
- You get a written guarantee. Every AC replacement includes a written guarantee covering parts and labor. If anything fails within the guarantee period, we come back free of charge under our 365-Day Done Right Promise. No arguing, no fine print, no additional charge.
AC Replacement Pricing in San Francisco
Here’s what AC replacement actually costs in San Francisco right now. These are real ranges based on the work we do across the city, from the Richmond to the Bayview:
| What You’re Buying | Typical Range (Parts & Labor) | What Affects the Price |
|---|---|---|
| Small condo or apartment (1-1.5 tons) | $4,800 – $6,500 | Access to roof or wall mount, electrical panel capacity |
| Single-family home (2-3 tons) | $6,800 – $9,500 | Ductwork condition, attic or closet air handler, thermostat wiring |
| Large home or multi-zone (3.5-5 tons) | $9,800 – $12,400 | Multi-zone controls, long refrigerant line runs, two-stage or variable-speed equipment |
| High-efficiency upgrade (15-20 SEER) | Add $1,500 – $3,000 | Inverter technology, communicating thermostats, rebate paperwork |
Several things move the number up or down. Single-story homes with easy roof access cost less to work on than a three-story Edwardian where the condenser sits on a steep-pitched roof. Upgrading your electrical panel adds $1,500 to $3,000, and replacing old galvanized ductwork in a 1930s Sunset District home can add $2,000 to $4,000. We’ll show you exactly where the money goes before you spend a dollar.
Our estimate is free, and it’s yours to keep. We give you the written price, you decide with no pressure. If you’re weighing repair versus replacement, call us and we’ll run the real numbers on both options. The phone line is live 24/7, and a person answers.
FAQs – AC Replacement
How much does AC replacement cost in San Francisco?
Most AC replacements in San Francisco run $4,800 to $12,400, with most single-family homes landing between $6,800 and $9,500. The final price depends on your home’s size, your current ductwork, and the efficiency level you choose. Call (559) 245-8807 for a free written estimate at your home, no obligation and no pressure.
Is it cheaper to repair or replace my AC?
It’s usually cheaper to replace when your unit is over 12 years old, runs on R-22 refrigerant, or needs Capacitor Replacement or a compressor. A good rule of thumb: if the repair cost times the age of the unit in years exceeds $5,000, replacement wins. We’ll show you the math for your specific system, in writing, before you commit.
Can you replace my AC the same week?
In most cases, yes. If we diagnose your unit on Monday, we can typically have the new system installed by Wednesday or Thursday, depending on equipment availability and your schedule. Call (559) 245-8807 and a live person will give you our soonest available installation windows.
What guarantee comes with an AC replacement?
Every AC replacement from Brandt HVAC Co San Francisco includes a written guarantee on parts and labor. If anything we installed fails within the guarantee period, we return free of charge under our 365-Day Done Right Promise. That’s a written guarantee, not a verbal promise.
Do you replace all AC brands?
Yes. We install and service every major residential brand, including York, Daikin, Bryant, and American Standard, plus Carrier, Trane, Lennox, Goodman, Rheem, and others. We’ll help you choose the right brand and efficiency level for how you actually use your cooling in San Francisco’s climate, which means you won’t overpay for capacity you don’t need.
Is your team background-checked?
Every Brandt technician is background-checked and identity-verified under the Threshold Verified standard before they ever step onto your property. We send you the technician’s name and photo before every visit, and they show a photo ID badge at your door. If someone arrives who you weren’t told to expect, that visit is on us and we make it right.
Why San Francisco Homeowners Choose Brandt for AC Replacement
Our name comes from an old word for a firebrand, which originally meant a burning stick used to carry fire from one hearth to another. The name stuck because we do, in a modern way, the same essential work: keeping your home comfortable and safe through the seasons. Devin Marlowe leads our team here in San Francisco, and he runs the operation with one rule: certainty over everything else.
You’ll never get a call from our office saying “your technician is on the way” without a name and photo attached. You’ll never get a bill that wasn’t written down and agreed to before the work began. You’ll never hear us say “we’ll see what we find” and then hit you with a surprise at the end.
If you’re a parent at home with small children, or an older homeowner who wants to know exactly who’s at the door before you open it, we built our process for you. That’s the whole point of what we do.
Call (559) 245-8807 for a free, no-commitment AC replacement estimate. A live person answers, day or night, and you’ll have a written price before any work starts.
Written by Devin Marlowe, Owner at Brandt HVAC Co San Francisco, serving San Francisco.