AC Repair in Oldsmar, FL

Before anyone opens the air conditioner, rule out the two things around it: the electricity feeding it and any water that reached it.

Is the power out, or only the AC?

If the lights and the refrigerator are off too, check with your utility first. Pinellas County's economic development office lists Tampa Electric as serving Oldsmar, and it also lists Duke Energy among the county's electric providers. Check which company your bill comes from, and report a whole-house outage to that utility.

If only the air conditioner is off, go to the checks below.

Has water reached the equipment?

Oldsmar is on the bay, and Pinellas County says storm surge will impact coastal areas first, then move further inland. The county also says everyone is at risk for flooding, whether or not a property is in a mapped flood zone. You can check your flood zone by address with the county.

If floodwater or surge reached the outdoor unit (the condenser), the indoor air handler or the ducts:

• Leave the system off.
• Do not run it to dry the house. The EPA says that if the flood affected any part of the ducts or HVAC system, not to use it to dry the house until a professional tells you it is safe.
• Wait until the home is cleaned and dried. The EPA warns that debris in the system, including mold spores, could spread into unaffected areas.

If the equipment stayed dry, carry on with the checks below.

These need no tools and no panels removed. Stop at any step that feels unsafe.

1. Thermostat settings. ENERGY STAR's maintenance checklist includes checking thermostat settings. Confirm Cool mode, a set temperature below the room reading and the fan on Auto. Replace the batteries if the screen is faint or blank.
2. After a storm. The National Weather Service says West Central Florida's rainy season brings frequent lightning. If the AC quit during a storm and the rest of the house has power, call a licensed contractor.
3. Air filter. ENERGY STAR says to inspect, clean or change central air filters once a month. It also says a dirty filter can damage equipment and lead to early failure.
4. Outdoor unit. With the system switched off, pull leaves, palm fronds and storm debris away from the cabinet by hand. Do not hose, comb or pry at the fins.
5. Condensate drain. ENERGY STAR says a plugged drain can cause water damage and affect indoor humidity. Some systems have a float switch. Trane, an equipment maker, says that if this switch detects a possible overflow, it shuts the outdoor compressor and condenser fan down. If the pan under the air handler is full, or that switch has shut the system off, leave it off.
6. Ice. If you see ice on the refrigerant lines or the indoor coil, turn cooling off and call a licensed contractor.

Leave the rest to a licensed contractor. Do not open the outdoor unit's electrical panel or handle the capacitor. Do not add refrigerant.

These are patterns that follow from the climate and the setting, not statistics from our service calls.

Warm nights, not only hot afternoons

The National Weather Service's Tampa normals for 1991 to 2020 put the average July high at 91°F and the average July low at about 77°F.

A long, wet season

The Weather Service says the rainy season runs from May 25 to October 10 for West Central Florida outside Southwest Florida. It describes that season as, in general, warm and humid, with frequent showers and thunderstorms. The Tampa normal for July rainfall alone is 7.75 inches. ENERGY STAR says a plugged drain can cause water damage and affect indoor humidity. Trane says that when a system with a drain switch suddenly shuts off in the heat of the day, a clogged condensate line or pan may be to blame. Our guide to an AC leaking water explains the signs.

Equipment near the water

For homes near the water, see our guide to coastal coil protection.

ENERGY STAR says a typical maintenance check-up includes checking the refrigerant level, tightening electrical connections, measuring voltage and current on motors, and checking the controls. Blume has EPA Section 608 certified technicians.

You get a written, upfront price before any work starts.

In Oldsmar, building permits come from Pinellas County, not the city. The county's list of building departments says Pinellas County Building and Development Review Services issues permits for Oldsmar. Its Oldsmar listing tells owners to contact Pinellas County Building Services for permitting and inspection requests.

Ask the county, or your contractor, before major work such as replacing the outdoor unit or the air handler. Our Oldsmar HVAC page explains how that works in the city, and our guide to the Florida HVAC permit covers the statewide rules.

One storm-season point comes from the city itself. Oldsmar reminds residents that flood insurance takes 30 days to become effective.

Blume lays out repair and replacement options side by side and does not sell equipment a building does not need.

When replacement is the answer, Blume sizes the system with an ACCA Manual J load calculation and Manual S equipment selection, instead of copying the old unit's size. New equipment is commissioned with measured static pressure, airflow and refrigerant charge. Financing is available through Synchrony Bank.

For the decision itself, see how to decide between AC repair and replacement. To get ready for storms, see our hurricane-season HVAC prep guide. Nearby, we also have a page on AC repair in Palm Harbor.

Blume Mechanical Service, LLC is a Class A licensed Florida air conditioning contractor (license CAC-1822618) and is fully insured. We are brand-agnostic and service all major manufacturers' equipment. Our office is at 2840 West Bay Drive #114, Belleair Bluffs, FL 33770, and our core service area is Pinellas, Hillsborough and Pasco counties.

What to have ready when you call

• Whether the whole house lost power or only the AC, and which utility you use.
• Whether water reached the outdoor unit, the air handler or the ducts, and when.
• What the thermostat is set to and what it reads.
• Whether the outdoor unit and the indoor blower are running.
• Any ice, water in the pan, burning smell or unusual noise.
• Roughly how old the system is and where the air handler sits.