Questions Pinellas County Homeowners Ask

It depends entirely on what failed. A capacitor is under $200 installed. A compressor can be $2,000+. We diagnose before quoting, and the price you hear is the price for YOUR problem, not a range designed to get us in the door.

The most common causes in Pinellas County are a dirty air filter restricting airflow, low refrigerant from a leak, a failing compressor, or a frozen evaporator coil. Check your filter and thermostat setting first. If both are fine, call. The remaining causes require measurement and tools.

Sometimes yes, sometimes no. If the repair is a capacitor or contactor, repair makes sense regardless of age. If it's a compressor or evaporator coil on a system past its expected life, the repair cost often approaches half the cost of replacement, and the rest of the system is the same age. We'll tell you both options honestly.

No. A breaker trips because something is drawing too much current. Resetting it once is reasonable. It may have been a momentary surge. If it trips again, stop. Repeated resetting risks electrical damage or fire. Call and describe what happened.

Yes. Check the thermostat (set to COOL, not just AUTO or OFF). Check the filter. A clogged filter causes most of the symptoms people call about. Check the breaker. Check the outdoor disconnect (the metal box near the outdoor unit). These four checks take two minutes and solve the problem about 15% of the time.

Yes. We work on all brands and all ages, including R-22 systems that use the older refrigerant.

10 to 15 years with maintenance, sometimes longer. Florida is harder on equipment than most states. The system runs 8+ months a year, humidity is constant, and coastal salt corrodes outdoor components. Systems near the water tend toward the lower end of that range.

Most residential replacements are completed in one day, typically 6 to 8 hours. If duct modifications are needed or we're installing in new construction, it may take two days.

Almost always yes. The indoor and outdoor units are designed as a matched pair. A new outdoor unit paired with a 12-year-old air handler won't reach its rated efficiency, and the mismatch can shorten the life of the new equipment.

Yes. Permits are required for equipment replacements and new installations across Pinellas County. We pull them as part of the job. It's included in the quoted price.

Usually not. A system failing gradually costs you in higher energy bills, repeated repair visits, and the risk of a complete failure on the hottest day of the year when every contractor in the county is booked. A planned replacement lets you choose timing, equipment, and financing on your terms.

Twice a year in Florida. Once before the cooling season starts (March or April) and once midway through it (September or October). In a climate where the system runs most of the year, once annually is not enough.

It catches the things that cause breakdowns before they do. A clogged drain line, a failing capacitor, low refrigerant, dirty coils. These are all detectable on a maintenance visit and fixable for less than an emergency call. The most common emergency we see, a clogged condensate drain shutting the system down, is entirely preventable with maintenance.

$94 per system. Same price across all of Pinellas County. We publish it because hiding the price makes everyone's life worse.

Yes. New systems still collect dust on coils, grow biological material in drain lines, and need refrigerant charge verification. Most manufacturer warranties require documented maintenance. Skipping it can void the warranty on equipment you just paid thousands for.

If some rooms cool well and others don't, or if the AC runs constantly but barely keeps up, the ducts are the first thing to check. Other signs: visible damage or disconnection in the attic, musty smells from the vents, or energy bills that seem high relative to the size of the house.

Flex duct in a Florida attic typically lasts 15 to 20 years before the insulation and outer jacket deteriorate. The attic heat; which can reach 150+ degrees in summer; accelerates the breakdown. Metal duct lasts longer structurally but the joints and seals still fail.

Yes. Rats and squirrels chew through flex duct to nest in the insulation. We find the damage, replace the affected sections, and seal entry points. If the damage is extensive, full duct replacement is sometimes more cost-effective than patching.

When the space doesn't have ductwork and adding it would be impractical or expensive: garages, room additions, converted porches, sunrooms, above-garage rooms, or older homes where the existing duct system can't handle another zone.

The indoor unit runs at about 20-25 decibels, quieter than a whisper. The outdoor unit is comparable to a conventional condenser. You can hold a conversation next to either one.

Yes. Mini splits are heat pumps. They cool in summer and heat in winter. In Florida's mild winters, they handle heating efficiently without a separate system.

New air conditioning installations: full system replacements and new construction. Repairs and maintenance are not financed because they're typically small enough to handle without it.

Yes. The financing partner runs a credit application. Approval is usually the same day. You'll know the monthly payment before any work is scheduled, and there's no charge or obligation if you decide not to proceed.

Because the price depends on the house. A 1,200 square foot home with existing ductwork in good condition is a fundamentally different job than a 2,400 square foot home with undersized ducts and a difficult attic. Quoting without measuring produces either a low number that changes later or a high number that includes padding. Neither is honest.

All of Pinellas County: Belleair, Clearwater, Largo, Seminole, Dunedin, Pinellas Park, Safety Harbor, Palm Harbor, St. Petersburg, Gulfport, Oldsmar, Tarpon Springs, and the barrier island beaches. Our shop is in Belleair at 1115 Ponce De Leon Blvd.

Yes. Nights, weekends, holidays. If your air conditioning has failed and the house is occupied, we answer the phone. If it's occupied by someone elderly, very young, or medically vulnerable, say so when you call.

For emergencies, typically within a few hours, often faster for addresses close to Belleair. For scheduled service, usually within a day or two. During peak summer months (July and August), scheduled availability may be tighter.