01
Walk The Home With You
We start with a conversation about what's happening - the room that never cools, the second floor that bakes, the system that runs all day. Then we walk the house together.
Residential AC Installation | Greater Boston
AC Installation & Replacement in Greater Boston
A new AC system should be designed for your home, not chosen from a price book.
617 HVAC is a design-first residential HVAC company and Mass Save® Heat Pump Installer Network (HPIN) contractor based in Arlington, MA, providing air conditioning installation and replacement for homeowners across 30 Greater Boston communities. Installing new equipment starts with understanding the house. We measure the home, calculate its cooling needs, review the existing system and design around how the home actually needs to be cooled. Then we walk you through the options and explain which ones fit your home and which don't.
Before We Talk About Equipment
We Start With The Home.
Two houses with the same square footage can have very different cooling needs. Windows, insulation, sun exposure, room layout, ductwork and how the home is used all affect what the AC system has to do. That's why the process starts with an in-home assessment - about 90 minutes with you and your house. You can book it online; we confirm the appointment, usually for the next day or two.
02
Measure What Matters
We measure the home's rooms, windows, insulation conditions and sun exposure - the factors that decide how much cooling the house really needs.
03
Review The Existing System
We look at the equipment, the ductwork and the airflow it's actually delivering - because whatever replaces it inherits everything connected to it.
04
Leave With Real Data
You don't get a quote scribbled in a driveway. The measurements from this visit feed the load calculations and system design - the engineering the recommendation is built on.
What Are We Solving?
The System Is Only Part Of The Problem.
Replacing the equipment doesn't automatically fix the home. Sometimes the existing AC has simply reached the end of its useful life. Other times, the equipment is only one part of a larger comfort problem. That's why we look at what the current system is doing before designing the next one.
The Home Doesn't Cool Evenly
Some rooms stay comfortable while others never reach the thermostat setting. The cause is usually capacity, airflow or ductwork - the assessment tells us which.
The System Runs Constantly
An AC that struggles to hold temperature is usually fighting more than old age. We look at what the home demands and how the existing system is trying - and failing - to keep up.
The Existing System Wasn't Designed Around The Home
Equipment gets replaced over the years while the original ductwork stays the same. A new air conditioning installation is the chance to fix the whole system, not just swap the box.
The Home Has Changed
Additions, renovations, finished spaces, new windows, insulation upgrades - when the house changes, what it needs from its cooling system changes with it.
The equipment matters. The design determines whether the equipment can do its job.
Told You Need A Full Replacement?
Get The Diagnosis Before You Buy The System.
Homeowners often call us after another company has already recommended replacing the entire system. We diagnose those systems the same way we diagnose any other - test, measure, document - before agreeing that replacement is the answer.
So when 617 HVAC recommends a new installation, it's because the measurements support it - not because replacement was the easiest thing to sell.
Think Your AC Might Still Be Repairable? See AC Repair80%
In second-opinion calls where another company recommended full replacement, our diagnosis supports repairing the existing system about 80% of the time.
1 in 5
Replacement is actually the right call in only about 1 in 5 of those homes.
How We Design The System
Measure First. Design The System. Then Select The Equipment.
A model number doesn't tell us whether a system is right for your home. The engineering does - and it has names.
01
Load Calculation - Manual J
We run a Manual J load calculation - the industry's engineering standard for sizing, room by room - using the measurements from your home. Not a square-footage guess and not a copy of whatever the old unit was.
02
Equipment Selection - Manual S
Manual S matches equipment to your home's actual load - not to the old system's size and not to what's sitting in a warehouse waiting to be sold. The design comes first; the brand comes second. We install what the engineering calls for.
03
Duct & Distribution Design - Manual D
Manual D duct design confirms the cooled air can actually reach every room the load calculation says needs it. The best equipment in the world loses to bad ductwork.
Complete Transparency
The Design, In Writing
Written Recommendation
You receive the recommendation with the reasoning behind it: the load, the equipment match and the distribution plan.
Mass Save® Rebates Handled
As a Mass Save® Heat Pump Installer Network (HPIN) contractor, 617 HVAC handles rebate eligibility and paperwork as part of the design.
Documented Sizing Bonus
Qualifying heat pump installations can earn Mass Save rebates plus the additional $500 sizing bonus - available precisely because our correct sizing is documented - and financing is available through Mass Save programs.
The result is a system built around the home, the comfort problem and the measurements behind the design.
Options Comparison
Options Compared By Fit, Not Package Labels.
You won't see Good / Better / Best stickers here. Those labels are built to move you up a price ladder, not to explain what your home needs. Instead, the assessment and design produce a written comparison of the practical system paths for your house - usually two or three - with the tradeoffs of each explained in plain language.
What Every Written Option Includes
- The room-by-room load it was designed against (Manual J)
- The equipment match and refrigerant (Manual S, Qualified Products List status where rebates apply)
- The distribution plan (Manual D) and any ductwork scope
- The price - and for qualifying heat pump paths, the net price after Mass Save rebates, including the $500 sizing bonus our documented Manual J sizing qualifies you for
- Financing availability, including the Mass Save 0% HEAT Loan (up to $25,000) for qualifying projects
- The expected project timeline
01
The AC-Only Path
A new central air conditioning system matched to the Manual J load - the direct replacement path when the home's heating system is staying put. New AC equipment now uses next-generation refrigerants (R-32 or R-454B), which affects equipment selection and long-term serviceability and we explain what that means for your options.
02
The Heat Pump Path
One system that cools in July and heats in January. When a qualifying heat pump fits the home, this path unlocks the Mass Save® rebates - up to $8,500 for whole-home systems in 2026 - that an AC-only installation doesn't. As a Mass Save HPIN contractor, we tell you honestly whether your home is a good heat pump candidate and the comparison shows the real net cost after rebates, not the sticker price.
Heat Pump Installation →03
Distribution & Controls
Sometimes the highest-value work isn't the box at all. If the ductwork, airflow balance or controls are what's limiting comfort, the written options say so - including when a smaller equipment investment plus distribution corrections beats a bigger system.
You compare real paths with real numbers, then you choose. Nobody upsells you in your own kitchen.
Schedule an EstimateInstallation Process
What Installation Day Looks Like
Installation day is the calm part - the hard decisions are already on paper.
01
Prepare & Protect
We confirm the schedule, pull the required permits and protect the work areas - floors covered, paths laid, equipment staged. Your home is treated like we have to come back and look you in the eye. Because we do: commissioning day.
02
Install To The Design
The crew installs the approved system to the written design - the equipment from your option sheet, the distribution plan from Manual D and the details that decide how serviceable the system is for the next fifteen years: line set routing, drainage, clearances and access.
03
Commission & Verify
A system isn't finished when it turns on. We commission it: verify the refrigerant charge, measure airflow and temperature split, confirm the controls operate the way the design intended and record the startup readings.
04
Walk Through & Document
We walk the system with you - what was installed, how to run it, what maintenance it needs - and you receive the documentation: photos of the completed work, the commissioning readings, permit records and registration details. Your installation becomes the first entry in the system's documented history, the same record-keeping we bring to every repair visit.
Most straightforward replacements are completed in 1–2 days; projects with ductwork modifications take longer and your written option sheet states the expected timeline before you approve anything.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does AC installation cost in Greater Boston?
AC installation pricing depends on system capacity, ductwork condition, electrical requirements and the complexity of the home. After the in-home assessment, you receive written options with exact pricing before you commit.
What is a Manual J load calculation?
A Manual J load calculation is the HVAC industry's engineering standard for determining exactly how much heating and cooling a specific home needs, room by room, based on its size, windows, insulation, orientation and construction. It replaces square-footage rules of thumb, which routinely oversize equipment. Every 617 HVAC installation is designed from a Manual J calculation using measurements taken in your home. It's also what qualifies our heat pump installations for the Mass Save $500 sizing bonus.
How long does AC installation take?
Most straightforward AC replacements are completed in 1–2 days. Projects involving ductwork modifications, distribution corrections or system conversions take longer. Your written option sheet includes the expected timeline for each path before you approve the work.
What Mass Save rebates apply to a new AC or heat pump in 2026?
Mass Save rebates apply to qualifying heat pump installations, not AC-only systems: whole-home heat pumps earn $2,650 per ton up to $8,500 in 2026, plus a $500 sizing bonus for systems sized to the home's full heating load and a $500 weatherization bonus and 0% HEAT Loan financing up to $25,000 is available for qualifying projects. Equipment must use R-32 or R-454B refrigerant and appear on the Mass Save Qualified Products List and it must be installed by a Heat Pump Installer Network (HPIN) contractor. 617 HVAC is an HPIN contractor and we handle the eligibility check and rebate paperwork as part of the design.
Should I repair or replace my AC?
Diagnose first. In second-opinion calls where another company recommended full replacement, our diagnosis supports repairing the existing system about 80% of the time. Replacement is the right call when the system has repeated failures, unavailable parts or a design that never matched the home - and when it is, the decision should come from measurements, not a sales pitch. If your AC is down and you're not sure which side you're on, start with a diagnosis through AC Repair.
Do I need new ductwork when I replace my AC?
Not always - but it must be checked, because the new system inherits everything connected to it. Our Manual D review confirms whether the existing ductwork can deliver the airflow the new system needs; when it can't, the written options show exactly which corrections matter and why. Replacing equipment on top of failing ductwork is how a new system ends up with the old system's problems.
What refrigerant do new AC systems use?
New residential AC and heat pump systems now use R-32 or R-454B refrigerant; the industry moved away from R-410A for newly manufactured equipment under EPA regulations and as of January 1, 2026, R-410A systems no longer qualify for Mass Save rebates. If a contractor quotes you a system, ask what refrigerant it uses; we specify it in writing on every option.
Service Area
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Ready For A System Designed Around Your Home?
617 HVAC provides design-first air conditioning installation and replacement for homeowners across Greater Boston. As a Mass Save® HPIN contractor based in Arlington, we measure the home, design the system and put every option - and every rebate - in writing before you decide.
1167 Massachusetts Avenue, Arlington, MA 02476(617) 835-8058
Licensed & Insured - MA License · EPA Section 608-certified technicians handle refrigerant workServing 30 Greater Boston communities