Arkansas HVAC Guide
Overhead view of an air conditioning condenser unit on a concrete pad next to a house with asphalt shingle roofing and vinyl siding.

AC Installation in Hot Springs, AR

A new air conditioner in Hot Springs will run from May through September every year. Tell us about the house, and a licensed contractor who covers Garland County will get in touch.

Tell us about the job

It takes about a minute.

Step 1 of 3: Equipment
An outdoor air conditioning condenser unit mounted on a concrete pad next to a blue-sided residential house at sunset.

Five months of 90 degree afternoons

From May through September your air conditioner runs most days, working against summer afternoons that average 90°F. That is the stretch that wears on a unit, and it is what a new one has to be sized and built for.

Garland County has also seen its share of hail and wind, 57 hail events and 61 damaging wind events over the past ten years, with hail up to 4 inches. The outdoor unit sits outside through all of that, so where it goes and how it is installed matters. Any new central air conditioner installed today has to meet the federal minimum of 14.3 SEER2.

5 months
May through September, your air conditioner is on duty
90°F
the average summer afternoon it cools against
57 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 house showing interior rooms with furniture, ductwork leading to an indoor air handler, and an outdoor condenser unit connected by a line set.
Your air conditioner works hardest from June through September.

NOAA nClimDiv, 1991–2020 normals

An outdoor central air conditioning unit mounted on a concrete pad beside a blue-sided house at sunset.

Going above the federal minimum saves little here, about $10 a year.

  • A higher-efficiency unit$300 a year
  • A new unit at the federal minimum, 14.3 SEER2$310 a year

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

Arkansas requires HVAC contractors to hold a state license.

Source: Arkansas Department of Labor and Licensing

What size air conditioner does my house need?
The right size depends on your home's square footage, ceiling height, insulation, window placement, and how much shade it gets, not just a rule of thumb. A unit that's too big cools the air fast but shuts off before it pulls the humidity out, so rooms feel damp. One that's too small runs constantly and still can't keep up on a 90 degree afternoon, which is a normal summer high here. A contractor will run a load calculation on the actual house before recommending a size.
Should I replace the whole system or just the outdoor unit?
If the indoor coil and outdoor unit were installed together and matched for efficiency, replacing only the outdoor unit can throw that match off and hurt performance. An old indoor coil paired with a new outdoor unit also may not handle the refrigerant the new unit uses. A contractor can check the age and condition of both pieces and tell you whether they'll work well together or whether replacing both makes more sense for your situation.
Do HVAC contractors in Hot Springs need a state license to work on my home?
Yes. Arkansas requires HVAC contractors to hold a state license to do this work. Ask to see the license before any work starts, and you can confirm it's current with the state licensing board.
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