East Lake AC Maintenance and Air Conditioning Tune-Ups

East Lake has no city hall. The US Census Bureau treats it as a census designated place, which it describes as a closely settled, unincorporated community without a functioning governmental structure of its own. It lies in unincorporated Pinellas County, so the housing figures on this page come from the Census Bureau and the permit facts come from the county.

The Census Bureau's 2023 American Community Survey estimates give East Lake 14,932 housing units. Of those, 5,683 were built in the 1980s and 5,470 in the 1990s. Another 1,722 date from 2000 to 2009, and only 168 were built in 2010 or later.

The same estimates count 8,034 detached single-family homes and 2,018 attached homes, such as townhouses. Another 4,101 units sit in buildings with five or more units. Of the 13,614 occupied homes, 11,252 are owner-occupied.

What the age of the house means for a visit

In a house from the 1980s or 1990s, the outdoor unit may have been replaced while the ducts, the air handler closet and the drain line stayed original. A useful first visit records which parts are original and which are newer. Ask the technician to note where the air handler sits and how the condensate drain leaves the house.

If you live in a townhouse or a condominium, check your association documents for who maintains the outdoor unit and the drain line before you book. For more on the indoor side, see where an air handler can sit and ductwork in Florida homes.

ENERGY STAR's advice is to check the cooling system in the spring and the heating system in the fall, because contractors get busy once summer and winter arrive. East Lake's weather gives the spring visit real weight.

NOAA's 1991-2020 climate normals for the Tarpon Springs Sewage Plant station, west of East Lake, show normal daily highs above 80°F in every month from April through October. The normal high reaches 90.6°F in July and 90.8°F in August.

The rainy season

The National Weather Service in Tampa Bay places the rainy season from May 25 to October 10 for West Central Florida outside Southwest Florida, and from May 15 to October 15 for Southwest Florida. The same office says the start date varies from year to year and is largely determined by the onset of almost daily showers and thunderstorms, typically with persistent dew points above 70°F.

The Tarpon Springs station's rainfall normals tell the same story. May's normal is 2.35 inches, while June, July, August and September each have a normal above 7 inches.

A sensible time to book an East Lake tune-up is March or April. That puts the check ahead of the hottest months and the May start of the rainy season.

The fall visit and electric heat

Census estimates show that 12,866 of East Lake's 13,614 occupied homes heat with electricity. If your home heats with a heat pump, ask for a fall check of the heating side, as ENERGY STAR suggests. Our guide to heat pumps in Florida explains how they differ from a cooling-only system.

ENERGY STAR's maintenance checklist is a fair baseline for a contractor visit. It covers thermostat settings, electrical connections, moving parts, the condensate drain and the system controls. On the cooling side, it adds cleaning both coils, checking the refrigerant level and cleaning and adjusting the blower components.

Blume's approach rests on measured numbers, not rules of thumb. Equipment is sized by ACCA Manual J load calculation with Manual S selection and commissioned with measured static pressure, airflow and refrigerant charge, documented.

Electrical connections and moving parts

ENERGY STAR warns that faulty electrical connections can cause unsafe operation and shorten the life of major components. Its checklist also calls for measuring voltage and current on motors and lubricating moving parts.

Coils and refrigerant

The evaporator coil is the indoor coil that pulls heat and moisture from your home's air. The condenser coil is the outdoor coil that releases that heat. ENERGY STAR says dirty coils reduce the system's ability to cool your home and make it run longer. It also says too much or too little refrigerant makes the system less efficient. Blume's refrigerant work is done by EPA Section 608 certified technicians, who hold the federal refrigerant-handling credential. See EPA Section 608 refrigerant rules for the background.

Condensate drain and float switch

ENERGY STAR warns that a plugged drain can cause water damage in the house and affect indoor humidity levels. Trane, an equipment manufacturer, says an air handler float switch works like a miniature sump pump float switch. Trane notes the switch is installed on the inside or outside of the condensate drain pan. When it detects a possible overflow, it shuts the outdoor compressor and condenser fan down.

On an East Lake visit, the drain line should be cleared and the float switch tripped on purpose to prove it works. Our page on the AC drain pan explains what the pan does.

Pinellas County places its Lake Tarpon Management Area in the East Lake region of unincorporated Pinellas County, just east of Lake Tarpon. The county calls Lake Tarpon the largest lake in Pinellas County, with a surface area of four square miles. The Southwest Florida Water Management District describes it as the largest freshwater lake in the Tampa Bay area.

The county names South Creek and Brooker Creek as the lake's two largest tributaries. It also says low-lying areas within the region flood frequently.

What that means for the outdoor unit

Ask the technician at a tune-up whether your outdoor coil needs corrosion protection. Our guide to coastal coil protection explains who needs it.

If your outdoor unit sits on a low pad, mention it when you book. If water has stood around the outdoor unit or the air handler, leave the system off and have a licensed contractor check it before it runs. Our hurricane season HVAC prep guide covers storm preparation.

A tune-up on an older East Lake system can end with a repair-or-replace question. Because East Lake is unincorporated, Pinellas County Building and Development Review Services issues permits there. The county lists its phone number for unincorporated Pinellas County as (727) 464-3888.

When replacement is the answer, Blume sizes the new system with an ACCA Manual J load calculation and Manual S selection rather than copying the old unit's size. Our East Lake HVAC page covers the county steps for a replacement.

Three checks are yours, and none of them needs tools or an open panel.

• Filter. ENERGY STAR advises inspecting, cleaning or changing the air filter once a month. It warns that a dirty filter can raise energy costs and damage equipment, leading to early failure. Our guide to HVAC air filters covers sizes and types.
• Thermostat settings. Confirm the thermostat is set to Cool, the set point is below the room temperature, and the fan is on Auto. Replace the batteries if the display is faint or blank.
• Vents, returns and the outdoor unit. Keep supply vents and return grilles clear of furniture and rugs. Pull leaves, grass clippings and stored items away from the outdoor unit by hand so air can move through it.

Leave coil cleaning, the drain line, refrigerant and anything behind a panel to a licensed contractor.

Call between visits if any of these show up in your East Lake home:

• Weak cooling, or warm air from the vents while the system runs.
• Ice on the indoor coil or the copper refrigerant lines.
• Water in the drain pan or around the air handler.
• A system that shuts off suddenly in the heat of the day. Trane says a clogged condensate line or pan may be to blame.
• A tripped breaker. Leave it off and call a licensed contractor.
• New noises, or a burning or musty smell.

For a system that stops entirely, Blume offers 24/7 emergency HVAC service, with same-day response available based on location and technician availability. A person answers the 24/7 dispatch line.

Blume Mechanical Service is a Class A licensed Florida air conditioning contractor, license CAC-1822618, and is fully insured. Our office is at 2840 West Bay Drive #114, Belleair Bluffs, and our core service area is Pinellas, Hillsborough and Pasco counties. Blume is brand-agnostic, servicing every major manufacturer's equipment as a licensed contractor.

You get a written, upfront price before any work. If a visit turns up a problem that adjustment will not fix, repair and replacement are laid out side by side, and Blume does not sell equipment a building does not need. Paid priority scheduling is offered too.

Our seasonal list is in the AC maintenance checklist for Florida homes. Details on plans are on the AC maintenance plan page.