AC replacement in Tampa
Replacing a system is a bigger decision than a repair, and it goes smoothly with the facts in hand. Here is when it makes sense, the federal efficiency minimum for Florida, how a system should be sized, and who pulls the permit.
Around Davis Islands, Egypt Lake and nearby
Calls are recorded for quality assurance.
Repair or replace
Consider replacing instead of repairing when the system is more than 10 years old, uses R-22 refrigerant, needs frequent repairs, or when the repair would cost at least 50 percent of a new system. None of these is a hard rule. A 12-year-old system with one cheap fix may have years left.
A second opinion on a large repair or a replacement quote is always fine. The inspection page explains how to read the age and condition of what you have.
Efficiency minimums for Florida
DOE divides the country into three regions for central air conditioners, and Florida is in the Southeast. Under the 2023 standards, a split-system air conditioner installed in the Southeast on or after January 1, 2023 must have a SEER2 of at least 14.3 if its cooling capacity is under 45,000 Btu per hour, and at least 13.8 at 45,000 Btu per hour or more.
A ton is 12,000 Btu per hour, so a 3-ton system is 36,000 and a 4-ton system is 48,000. It is illegal for a contractor to install a unit that does not meet the regional standard, and you can report a suspected violation to DOE.
A higher rating costs more up front and uses less electricity. Some high-SEER units remove humidity less well, which matters in Tampa. Ask your tech about the moisture removal of the model being proposed.
Sizing the system
A bigger unit is not a better unit. Rules of thumb often lead to oversized systems, which raise cost and cause too-frequent on-and-off cycling. An oversized unit can also cool so fast that it does not remove moisture.
The standard method is ACCA Manual J, a calculation of how much cooling your particular house needs. Be cautious of anyone who wants to size a system on square footage alone. The same rule applies to ducts, which are sized under a companion method called Manual D.
The refrigerant change
Most systems built before the change use R-410A, a refrigerant with a global warming potential (GWP) of 2,088. EPA's rules for new residential and light commercial air conditioning and heat pump systems set a GWP limit of 700. The rule has installation dates that start January 1, 2025 and exceptions for systems built from parts made before then. EPA issued a further final rule on May 26, 2026, so ask your tech which rules apply to the equipment being proposed.
The replacements, mainly R-454B and R-32, are classed A2L. They are mildly flammable, and neither can replace R-410A in an existing system for service. That is why installing a new outdoor unit and a new indoor coil together counts as a new system.
None of this forces you to replace a working system. EPA allows you to continue to use your air conditioner and to repair it. A whole new system, such as a condensing unit and indoor coil installed together, must use the lower-GWP refrigerant.
The permit is handled for you
Replacing an air conditioner is permitted work, and your tech pulls the permit. In Hillsborough County, the contractor you hire obtains the permits.
The City of Tampa lists A/C change-out among projects that usually do not require plan review. Those permits are available through its Express Permits service. A homeowner who pulls a permit cannot subcontract the electrical, plumbing or mechanical work it covers. If someone asks you to pull the permit yourself, ask why.
In unincorporated Hillsborough County, including Brandon and Riverview, the county's exempt-work list does not include A/C replacement, and work not on the list most likely requires a permit.
Ducts and the rest of the system
A new outdoor unit and coil connect to the ducts you already have. If those ducts leak, the new equipment will lose a share of its output to the attic. A typical house loses 20 to 30 percent of its duct air, and sealing joints with fiber-mesh tape and mastic helps. Ask whether the job includes a duct check.
Also ask about the thermostat, the drain line and the electrical disconnect. These small parts are often swapped at replacement, and an old drain line can fail soon after a new system goes in.
What the job involves
A change-out that replaces the main components without new ductwork typically takes one day, and a job with new ductwork takes three to five. The crew removes the old equipment and recovers its refrigerant, sets the new indoor and outdoor units, connects the lines, wiring and drain, charges the system and tests it.
The permit inspection comes afterward. Ask what the final inspection involves and whether you need to be home.
What to ask your tech
- How did you size the system, and can I see the Manual J calculation?
- What is the SEER2 rating of the model, and does the combination meet the DOE Southeast minimum?
- Which refrigerant does it use, and what does that mean for future service?
- Are the ducts being checked or sealed, or reused as they are?
- Who pulls the permit, and does the price include the permit fee and inspection?
- What is your state license number, and will the permit be under it?
- Is the quote itemized, and what is not included?
Ready when you are
Call now, or send the form. A local pro calls you back, usually the same business day.
Calls are recorded for quality assurance.