At Priority One Heating & Air Conditioning, we provide comprehensive cooling services for homeowners throughout Eugene, Springfield, and Lane County. Whether you need a new air conditioning installation, emergency repair, seasonal maintenance, or a modern ductless mini-split system, our team of licensed and insured Oregon contractors is here to help.
We understand the importance of keeping your home comfortable during our increasingly hot summers. From improving indoor air quality to ensuring your system runs efficiently, we offer complete home cooling solutions. We provide free quotes on new installations and are available for 24/7 emergency service when you need us most.
Call us today at 541-689-1004 for all your cooling needs.
Eugene’s Evolving Cooling Needs
For decades, Eugene was known for its mild summer climate, with average highs comfortably sitting around 82°F. Historically, many homes in our area that were built before 1980 were constructed without air conditioning, relying instead on natural ventilation and cool evening breezes. However, the climate in the Willamette Valley is changing. Heat waves are becoming more frequent and intense, with temperatures regularly spiking into the 90s and even exceeding 100°F during peak summer months.
What was once a luxury is rapidly becoming a standard expectation for comfort and safety. The traditional method of opening windows at night to cool the home is also being challenged by the wildfire smoke season, which typically impacts our region from July through September. When air quality degrades, keeping windows closed is essential for health, making a reliable mechanical cooling system necessary not just for comfort, but for maintaining a safe indoor environment.
As a result, home values in Eugene are increasingly tied to modern climate control capabilities. Prospective buyers now expect air conditioning, and upgrading your home’s cooling infrastructure is a smart investment. Whether it’s retrofitting an older Craftsman home or installing a high-efficiency system in a new build, Priority One Heating & Air Conditioning understands the specific cooling challenges faced by Eugene residents and offers solutions tailored to our evolving climate.
Comprehensive Cooling Services
We offer a full suite of cooling services designed to meet every need, from basic repairs to complex installations.
Air Conditioning Systems
Our core services revolve around traditional central air conditioning systems, providing robust cooling for the entire home.
- Installation: We specialize in installing high-performance AC units for new construction projects and adding central air to existing homes that have appropriate ductwork.
- Repair: Summer breakdowns can be stressful. We offer 24/7 emergency AC repair for all major brands and models, ensuring you aren’t left in the heat.
- Replacement: If your system is over 15 years old or requires frequent repairs, we can help you upgrade to a modern, energy-efficient model that lowers your utility bills.
- Maintenance: Our comprehensive spring tune-ups ensure your system is clean, charged, and ready to handle the summer workload.
Ductless Mini-Split Systems
For the many Eugene homes without existing ductwork, ductless mini-split systems are often the perfect solution.
- Flexible Installation: These systems require no major renovation or ductwork installation.
- Zoned Comfort: Choose from single-zone units for a specific room or multi-zone systems to cool your entire house with individual room control.
- Dual Function: Ductless heat pumps provide efficient cooling in summer and heating in winter, offering year-round comfort.
Ductwork Services
The efficiency of your central cooling depends heavily on the condition of your air ducts.
- New Ductwork: We design and install custom ductwork for homes, adding central AC for the first time.
- Repair & Sealing: Leaky ducts can lose up to 30% of your cooled air. We seal leaks and insulate ducts to maximize efficiency and performance.
- Cleaning: Over time, ducts collect dust, pollen, and debris. Professional cleaning improves airflow and reduces allergens in your home.
Indoor Air Quality
Cooling isn’t just about temperature; it’s about the air you breathe.
- Air Purifiers: Essential for protecting your family during wildfire season.
- Dehumidifiers: While Oregon is dry in summer, internal moisture can still be an issue. Whole-home dehumidifiers keep humidity levels comfortable.
- High-Efficiency Filters: We install advanced filtration systems to trap microscopic particles.
Swamp Coolers
While less common in our humidity levels compared to arid climates, we provide service and maintenance for existing evaporative “swamp” coolers for homeowners who utilize them.
AC Installation for Eugene Homes
Every home in Eugene is unique, and our AC installation process is designed to find the right fit for your specific architecture and lifestyle.
Adding AC to Older Homes
One of the most common projects we undertake is adding cooling to Eugene’s beautiful stock of older homes. Many properties in neighborhoods like the Whitaker, College Hill, or Friendly Street areas were built long before AC was standard.
- Challenges: These homes often lack ductwork or have limited space for mechanical systems.
- Solutions: For homes with existing forced-air furnaces, we can often add a central AC unit to the system. For those with boiler heat or wall heaters, we frequently recommend ductless mini-splits as a non-invasive, highly efficient alternative that preserves the home’s architectural integrity while delivering powerful cooling.
- Room-Specific: Sometimes, you only need cooling in a master bedroom or a home office. We can install single-zone solutions that target specific problem areas.
New Construction & Replacements
For new builds or replacing an aging unit, correct sizing is critical.
- Proper Sizing: An oversized unit will short-cycle, leading to humidity issues and wear and tear, while an undersized unit will run constantly without cooling the home. We perform detailed load calculations based on Eugene’s specific climate data to ensure your system is perfectly sized.
- High Efficiency: Modern AC units are significantly more efficient than those from even a decade ago. We install high-SEER systems that deliver superior comfort while keeping your summer electricity bills manageable.
- Smart Integration: We can integrate your new AC with smart thermostats, allowing you to control your home’s temperature from your phone and optimize energy usage automatically.
- Free Quotes: We provide no-obligation, in-home assessments. We will evaluate your current setup, perform necessary calculations, and provide a clear, upfront quote for the service.
Emergency Cooling Service
When a heat wave hits the Willamette Valley, a broken air conditioner is more than an inconvenience, it can be a safety hazard. We offer 24/7 emergency cooling repair to ensure that you have support when you need it most.
Our emergency response team handles all types of cooling failures:
- Refrigerant Leaks: Identifying and fixing leaks and recharging your system.
- Electrical Failures: Troubleshooting capacitors, fuses, and compressor issues.
- Complete Breakdowns: Diagnosing why a system won’t turn on or isn’t blowing cold air.
We prioritize calls for vulnerable occupants, including the elderly, infants, and those with medical conditions that are exacerbated by heat. Our technicians carry a wide inventory of common parts in their trucks, allowing us to complete many repairs during the initial visit. We serve the entire Eugene and Springfield area with fast, responsive service.
For emergency service, call our 24/7 line at 541-689-1004. Don’t suffer through the heat, let our experts restore your comfort.
Energy Efficient Cooling
Energy efficiency is a top priority for Pacific Northwest homeowners. With rising energy costs and a collective desire to be environmentally responsible, choosing an efficient cooling system makes sense.
Why Efficiency Matters in Eugene
Unlike hot southern climates, where AC runs year-round, our cooling season is relatively short. However, electricity rates mean that inefficient operation during those intense summer months can still lead to shocking utility bills.
- Seasonal Usage: Because we use AC seasonally, we need systems that are effective but also don’t waste energy during startup and shutdown cycles.
- SEER Ratings: The Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio (SEER) measures cooling efficiency. Modern systems range from 14 to over 20 SEER. Upgrading from an old 10 SEER unit to a modern 16+ SEER system can significantly reduce energy consumption.
Efficient Options
- High-SEER Central AC: Top-tier central systems use variable-speed compressors to adjust cooling output precisely to your home’s needs, avoiding energy-wasting on/off cycles.
- Ductless Mini-Splits: These are among the most efficient options available because they avoid the energy loss associated with ductwork (which can account for 30% of energy consumption).
- Right-Sizing: We ensure your system is sized for Eugene’s specific climate zone, preventing energy waste.
- Smart Thermostats: These devices learn your schedule and adjust temperatures automatically, ensuring you aren’t cooling an empty house.
- Utility Rebates: We stay up-to-date on current rebate programs from EWEB, SUB, and other local utilities. We can help you identify high-efficiency equipment that may qualify for cash-back incentives or tax credits, helping to offset the initial investment cost.
Cooling Maintenance
The best way to avoid a mid-summer breakdown is with proactive maintenance. We recommend scheduling a comprehensive cooling tune-up every spring, ideally in April or May, before the heat sets in.
Our Multi-Point Maintenance Check Includes:
- Coil Cleaning: Dirty condenser coils reduce efficiency and stress the compressor.
- Refrigerant Check: We verify proper refrigerant levels to ensure maximum cooling capacity.
- Electrical Inspection: Tightening connections and checking safety controls.
- Filter Replacement: Ensuring unrestricted airflow.
- Thermostat Calibration: Verifying accuracy for precise temperature control.
- Condensate Drain Cleaning: Preventing water damage from clogged drain lines.
Benefits of Regular Maintenance:
- Reliability: Drastically reduces the chance of failure during a heat wave.
- Efficiency: A tuned-up system uses less energy.
- Longevity: Regular care can add years to the life of your AC unit.
- Warranty Protection: Many manufacturers require annual professional maintenance to keep warranties valid.
Don’t wait until the first 90-degree day when schedules are booked solid. Protect your investment with our maintenance plans.
Indoor Air Quality & Summer Cooling
In Eugene, summer cooling and indoor air quality (IAQ) go hand in hand. The reality of our region now includes a “smoke season” typically occurring between July and September due to regional wildfires. During these times, opening windows for natural cooling is not an option, as it invites hazardous particulate matter into your home.
Your cooling system acts as the first line of defense, circulating air through filters. However, standard filters often aren’t enough for smoke.
- Air Purification: We recommend integrating whole-home air purifiers or upgrading to high-efficiency media filters that can capture fine smoke particles, allergens, and dust.
- Dehumidification: While our summers are generally dry, certain weather patterns and tight home construction can lead to humidity buildup. A whole-home dehumidifier works with your AC to keep moisture levels in the ideal range (30-50%), preventing mold growth and making the air feel cooler so you can set your thermostat higher.
- UV Purifiers: UV light systems installed in your ductwork can neutralize bacteria, viruses, and mold spores.
By combining effective cooling with robust air purification, we create a sanctuary where your family can breathe easy, even when outdoor air quality is poor.
Why Choose Priority One Heating & Air Conditioning for Cooling?
Choosing the right contractor is just as important as choosing the right equipment. Priority One Heating & Air Conditioning is proud to be a local, Eugene-based company.
- Local Expertise: We know the Eugene climate. We understand the unique challenges of cooling older homes in neighborhoods like the University District or downtown, as well as the needs of new construction in North Eugene.
- Honest Advice: We believe in right-sizing, not up-selling. We will never recommend a system that is larger or more expensive than what your home actually needs.
- Qualified Technicians: We are a licensed and insured Oregon HVAC contractor. Our team is trained on the latest technologies and best practices.
- Full Service: From emergency repairs at 2 AM to routine maintenance and complex installations, we handle it all.
- Transparent Pricing: No hidden fees or surprise charges. We provide clear quotes before work begins.
We are committed to keeping our community cool, comfortable, and safe. Our technicians are stationed throughout the area to ensure a fast response time for residents in Eugene and Springfield.
Get Your Free Cooling Quote Today
Don’t let the summer heat catch you off guard. Whether you are looking to install a new air conditioner, need a repair for your existing system, or want to explore ductless options, Priority One Heating & Air Conditioning is your trusted local partner.
Contact us today to schedule your service or free estimate.
Experience the difference of working with Eugene’s cooling experts. We are licensed, insured, and ready to help you achieve perfect home comfort.
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