HVAC Installation in Ann Arbor, MI
A new system here will heat from October through May and cool from June through August every year. Tell us about the house, and a licensed contractor who covers Washtenaw County will get in touch.
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What Washtenaw County winters and summers ask of a new system
Your new furnace will run from October through May here, eight months of the year. Winter nights average 19°F through December through February. That is the load it has to be built for, months of nights near freezing and below, not just a cold snap. Most homes in the area heat with gas, and a system sized for that stretch of cold will hold up better than one sized for a mild winter.
Summer is shorter but still asks something of the system, three months of afternoons averaging 81°F. Between the two seasons, homes here need heat or cooling 11 months a year. The area has also seen 16 winter storms and 89 damaging wind events over the past ten years, and outages follow storms like that. More than a third of Michigan households went at least 24 hours without power in 2024. Worth asking your contractor how the system you choose comes back on once power is restored.
- 8 months
- October through May, your system heats
- 3 months
- June through August, it cools
- 19°F
- the average winter night it heats against
- 81°F
- the average summer afternoon it cools against
NOAA nClimDiv, 1991–2020 normals
Michigan requires HVAC contractors to hold a state license.
The Board of Mechanical Rules issues that license, and it covers the contractor rather than any single job. That means the state has tested this contractor and keeps a record of them, but it does not sign off on your installation in particular.
That sign-off comes from the permit. In most cities and counties, putting in a new furnace, air conditioner or heat pump needs a permit from the local building office, and an inspection once the work is done. The license tells you the contractor is qualified. The inspection is what checks this job.
Sources: Michigan Legislature · Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs
- When should I replace my HVAC system?
- Once your furnace or air conditioner is old enough that repairs are getting frequent, or a repair would cost close to what a new system runs, it's time to replace it rather than keep patching it. Age alone is a fair reason once a system has been running for many years, and a contractor can tell you where yours stands. A furnace that's struggling matters more here than in milder places, since homes in Ann Arbor need heat from October through May. If yours is already showing trouble now, replacing it before deep winter hits means you're not stuck troubleshooting on a 19°F night.
- Should I replace my furnace and air conditioner at the same time?
- If both are near the end of their life, yes, replacing them together usually makes sense. A furnace and air conditioner installed at different times often aren't matched well, and the newer unit ends up working around the limits of the older one. This matters less if one of them is only a few years old and running fine. In that case, replace the one that's actually failing and let the other finish out its years.
- What happens during an HVAC installation?
- A contractor removes the old furnace, air conditioner, or both, and sets the new equipment in place, connecting it to your ductwork, gas line or electrical circuit, refrigerant lines, and thermostat. They'll check that the ducts and vents match what the new system needs, since undersized ductwork can hold back even a good unit. Once it's connected, they test it through a full cycle, heating or cooling, to confirm it's running the way it should. A contractor can walk you through what your specific house will need and price the job accordingly.