Alaska HVAC Help
Aerial view of a gray central air conditioning condenser unit on a concrete pad next to a house with vinyl siding.

AC Installation in Hoonah, AK

Tell us about the house, and a licensed contractor who covers Hoonah-Angoon Census Area will get in touch.

Tell us about the job

It takes about a minute.

Step 1 of 3: Equipment
An overhead view of a residential air conditioning condenser unit mounted on a concrete pad next to a house with vinyl siding.

Hoonah barely needs air conditioning at all

Summer afternoons here average 63°F. That's not weather that pushes a home toward overheating, and most houses in Hoonah get through the year without cooling running at all.

If you're installing central air anyway, for a home office, a room that holds heat, or just peace of mind, any new system has to meet the federal minimum of 13.4 SEER2. Past that, sizing it right matters more than in hotter places. A unit sized for a much warmer climate will short cycle here instead of running the way it was designed to.

63°F
the average summer afternoon it cools against
13.4 SEER2
the federal minimum any new unit must meet
Isometric grayscale illustration of a cutaway house interior showing a furnace with ductwork, interior rooms with furniture, and an outdoor condenser unit connected by lines at the exterior wall.
Your air conditioner works hardest from June through July.

NOAA 1991–2020 monthly normals

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

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

  • A new unit at the federal minimum, 13.4 SEER2$10 a year
  • A higher-efficiency unit$10 a year

Estimates for a typical Hoonah-Angoon Census Area home, from EIA household energy data, Alaska fuel prices and NOAA climate normals. Your home will differ.

Alaska requires contractors to register with the state.

That registration means the state has the business on file. Nobody tested this contractor's work and no state board is grading the job against a trade standard. It is a record of who is operating, not a mark of skill.

Since Alaska is not testing or licensing the install, the check on this job comes from the local building office. In most cities and counties here, putting in an air conditioner needs a permit, with an inspection once the work is done. That inspection is what confirms the installation was done right, not the state registration.

Source: Alaska Department of Commerce, Community, and Economic Development

What size air conditioner does my house need?
In Hoonah, most homes do not need one at all. Summer afternoons here average 63°F, and homes in this area need cooling zero months a year. If you are dealing with a specific hot spot or a room that holds heat, a contractor can look at the space and tell you what, if anything, would help.
Should I replace the whole system or just the outdoor unit?
That depends on what is wrong with the system and how old the parts are, so a contractor needs to look at both units before answering. Mixing an old indoor coil with a new outdoor unit can cause problems if the two are not matched. Given how little cooling is needed here, it is worth asking whether a full air conditioning system makes sense for your home at all before spending on either piece.
Do HVAC contractors in Hoonah need a state license to work on my home?
Alaska requires HVAC contractors to register with the state. Ask to see this before any work starts on your home.
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