AC Repair in Redington Shores, FL

Three things around the air conditioner can stop it before any part inside it fails: the electricity, your ability to reach the home, and water.

Is it the whole house or only the AC?

If the lights are out too, the problem is upstream of your system. The town's list of important phone numbers names Duke Energy for electricity and gives a separate Duke Energy outage line. Report a whole-house outage there before you call anyone about the air conditioner.

Can you get back to the home?

The Pinellas County Sheriff's Office and the town provide free Emergency Access Permits to residents and businesses. The town calls the Barrier Island Reentry Program voluntary, but strongly encourages the permit so owners can easily reenter after an evacuation. You register online, then pick the permit up at Town Hall. If you live elsewhere for part of the year, getting the permit ahead of time makes it easier to reenter and reach the home after an evacuation.

Did water reach the equipment?

The town's flood guide says that because Redington Shores is a barrier island, the entire town is a Special Flood Hazard Area, in either a VE or AE zone. It lists high tides, wind-driven storm surge and heavy rainfall as flood hazards.

If water reached the outdoor unit (the condenser), the indoor unit that moves air through the house (the air handler) or the ducts, keep the system off. The EPA says not to turn on an HVAC system until the home is cleaned and dried and needed repairs are done. It also warns that debris in the system, including mold spores, could spread into unaffected areas. Have a licensed contractor inspect it first.

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

1. Thermostat. ENERGY STAR lists checking thermostat settings in its maintenance checklist. Confirm Cool mode, a set point below the room reading and the fan on Auto. If the screen is blank, replace the batteries.
2. 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.
3. Breaker. If the AC breaker has tripped, leave it off and call a licensed contractor.
4. Outdoor unit. With the system off at the thermostat, pull leaves, palm fronds and storm debris away from the cabinet by hand. Do not hose, comb or pry at the metal fins.
5. Drain line. Look at the pan under the air handler and at the end of the drain pipe. ENERGY STAR says a plugged condensate drain can cause water damage in the house and affect indoor humidity. If the pan is full, leave the system off.
6. Ice. Ice on the indoor coil or on the copper refrigerant lines means turn cooling off and call a licensed contractor. Refrigerant is the fluid that carries heat out of the house.

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

Pinellas County's economic development office, in a community profile built from U.S. Census Bureau data, counts 2,015 housing units in Redington Shores in 2020 and 1,150 households. In plain words, many homes in town did not hold a household that year.

Why an empty house still needs its AC

A University of Florida Extension guide to closing a seasonal home says Florida's environment creates the possibility for mildew growth, storm damage and pests. It adds that unoccupied homes are more susceptible to that damage. The same guide says there is no reason to keep a home cool while you are away in summer. It notes that running the air conditioner from time to time will remove moisture from the home. So a system that quits in an empty house is a humidity problem, not just a comfort problem.

Before you leave

The guide suggests an air conditioner check-up by a professional three weeks before you leave. It also says to replace backup batteries in thermostats. If you use a humidistat, a control that runs the AC on humidity, the guide warns that one set too low or badly calibrated makes the system run inefficiently.

When you come back

If the house smells musty, feels damp, or the system will not start after months off, call before you run it hard. Tell us how long the home was closed, how the thermostat was set and whether anyone checked on it. Our guide to a house that stays humid with the AC running explains what high indoor humidity points to.

These are conditions the National Weather Service describes for the region, not statistics from our service calls.

A long, humid stretch

The National Weather Service office for the Tampa Bay area says the rainy season runs from May 25 to October 10 for most of West Central Florida. It describes that season as warm and humid, with frequent showers and thunderstorms. Dew points usually stay above 70°F, lows run in the 70s to around 80°, and highs reach the upper 80s to middle 90s.

ENERGY STAR says a plugged condensate drain can affect indoor humidity, which is why the drain check above matters through these months.

Storms and lightning

The same office says late May through June is when severe storms are most likely, with frequent lightning. It says July through early September is the peak, when heavy rainfall and frequent lightning remain significant hazards. If the AC quit during a storm while the rest of the house kept power, leave it off and call a licensed contractor.

Salt air

For outdoor units near the water, our guide to coastal coil protection explains what salt does to a coil and what helps.

ENERGY STAR says a typical check-up includes tightening electrical connections, measuring voltage and current on motors, and checking the system's controls. It also says to check that the equipment starts, runs and shuts off properly. The University of Florida guide adds checking the temperature drop across the cooling coil and inspecting wiring and connections.

ENERGY STAR says dirty coils make a system run longer and shorten its life. It also says too much or too little refrigerant makes the system less efficient. Blume has EPA Section 608 certified technicians, the federal refrigerant-handling credential.

You get a written, upfront price before any work starts. For common symptoms, see our guides to an AC not blowing cold air and an AC leaking water.

Redington Shores runs its own Building Department. The town requires building permits for work on electrical, plumbing, mechanical and gas systems, among other projects. Its staff reviews plans, issues permits and inspects construction work. Permits can be submitted through the town's online portal.

A few points matter when a repair turns into a replacement:

• Equipment height. The town's building tips tell owners to elevate equipment such as water heaters and AC units, and to raise switches, breakers and wiring.
• Flood review. The Building Department reviews all permit applications for compliance with flood regulations. It can tell you the flood zone and base flood elevation for your property.
• Costs add up. The town says substantial improvement is cumulative for one year under the Town Code and counts the total cost of all improvements, not individual building permits. Labor and materials are both included.
• After a storm. The town's recovery permitting guide lists water-damage-related HVAC replacements as an expedited review category.

For how the town's flood rules shape equipment placement, see our Redington Shores HVAC page. Our guide to the Florida HVAC permit covers the statewide rules.

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 a system ready for storms, see our hurricane-season HVAC prep guide. Nearby, we also have pages on AC repair in Indian Rocks Beach and AC repair in Seminole.

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.
• Whether the home was closed up, for how long, and how the thermostat was set.
• Whether water reached the outdoor unit, the air handler or the ducts.
• What the thermostat is set to and what it reads.
• Any ice, water in the pan, musty smell or unusual noise.
• Where the equipment sits: ground level, a raised stand, a closet or a condo mechanical space.