AC Repair in Ozona, FL

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

1. Thermostat. ENERGY STAR's maintenance checklist starts with 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. Air filter. ENERGY STAR says to inspect, clean or change central air filters once a month. It also warns that a dirty filter can damage equipment and lead to early failure.
3. Outdoor unit. The condenser is the outdoor cabinet with the fan on top. With the system off, pull leaves and fallen branches away by hand. Trane, an equipment maker, says to keep plants at least 2 to 3 feet from the unit on all sides.
4. Drain pan. The air handler is the indoor unit with the blower. It drips condensate, the water the system pulls out of the air, into a pan and a drain line. If the pan is full, leave the system off.
5. Ice. Ice on the copper lines or the indoor coil means 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 touch the capacitor. Do not add refrigerant, the fluid that carries heat out of the house.

Pinellas County says storm surge is the water pushed onto land as a hurricane makes landfall. The county says surge will impact coastal areas first, then move further inland. Evacuation Zone A is the first to be impacted, the county adds, because it is the lowest and along the coastline. You can look up your evacuation zone with the county, and check your flood zone by address.

Rain matters too. The county's page on the Ozona Management Area says low-lying areas within the region flood frequently. Its flood guidance adds that everyone is at risk for flooding, whether or not a property is in a flood zone.

If water reached the outdoor unit, the air handler or the ducts:

• Leave the system off. The EPA says not to turn on an HVAC system until you have completed all the steps to clean and dry the home and have addressed needed repairs and remediation.
• Do not run it to dry the house. The EPA says a flood-affected system should not be used for drying until a professional says it is safe.
• Expect the ducts to need attention. The EPA warns that debris in the system, including mold spores, could spread into rooms the water never reached.

Pinellas County lists elevating utilities as one way to reduce flood losses. If a flooded system has to be replaced, ask about where the new equipment should sit.

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

Long hot days and warm nights

NOAA's 1991 to 2020 climate normals for its Tarpon Springs station put the average August high at 90.8°F and the average August low at 75.7°F. The same station averages about 95 days a year at 90°F or hotter. A system working through those months gets little rest overnight.

Rain and humidity

The National Weather Service says the rainy season runs from May 25 to October 10 for the rest of West Central Florida, outside Southwest Florida. It describes persistent dew points above 70°F and frequent lightning. NOAA's normals for the Tarpon Springs station show more than 7 inches of rain in each month from June through September.

That moisture lands on the air conditioner twice. The system pulls water out of humid indoor air all summer, and ENERGY STAR says a plugged drain can cause water damage and affect indoor humidity. Trane says an overflow switch that senses backed-up water will shut the outdoor compressor and fan down. A system that stopped with water in the pan may be protecting the house. Our guide to an AC leaking water explains the drain side in more detail.

Lightning

If the AC quit during a thunderstorm and the rest of the house still has power, leave it off and call a licensed contractor.

Pinellas County's historic resources plan says most historic houses in its surveys were wood frame, single-family homes from 1900 to 1930. It says they are mainly in Ozona, Palm Harbor and Crystal Beach. The plan calls the proposed Ozona historic district significant for its collection of historic frame vernacular buildings.

The plan also says modern alterations to these buildings are generally minor and reversible. When you call about an older Ozona house, say where the indoor unit sits and whether rooms have been added or enclosed. That helps the technician plan where to look first.

Because Ozona is unincorporated, the county is the building department. Pinellas County Building and Development Review Services issues permits for unincorporated Pinellas County. Its listed office is 440 Court Street, Clearwater, phone (727) 464-3888.

The county's building FAQ quotes the permit rule for any work to install, alter, repair or replace a mechanical system. It also says licensed contractors are required for categories of work such as electrical, plumbing and mechanical. Ask the county, or your contractor, whether a specific repair needs a permit. Our guide to the Florida HVAC permit covers the statewide picture, and our Ozona HVAC page covers replacement permits and flood rules in more depth.

Blume lays out repair and replacement options side by side, with a written, upfront price before any work starts. We do 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. Before storm season, 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. Blume has EPA Section 608 certified technicians. 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 water reached the outdoor unit, the air handler or the ducts, and when.
• Whether the AC stopped during a storm, and whether the rest of the house has power.
• 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.
• Where the air handler sits, and whether rooms have been added since the system went in.