AC Repair in Tarpon Springs, FL

The Census Bureau's 2024 gazetteer gives Tarpon Springs 9.26 square miles of land and 8.673 square miles of water inside the city limits. The city's flood page lists the zones found here: X (shaded), X (unshaded), AE 6-12, CAZ 10-12 and VE 12-16. For zones with a number, such as AE 6-12, the city says the number informs you how high the water is expected to rise during a flood. Even unshaded X, which the city defines as a minimal flood hazard above the 500-year flood level, may have ponding or drainage issues, the city says.

If you do not know your zone, the city sends residents to the Pinellas County All-In-One Flood App. It shows flood zone, flood risk, storm surge and evacuation zone for a property. FEMA's National Flood Hazard Layer shows the zone as well.

• Tell the technician if it was a storm. The National Weather Service Tampa Bay office says the rainy season comes with frequent lightning. See our page on AC surge protection in Florida.
• Equipment that sat in water. Call a licensed contractor; refrigerant and electrical work belong with a licensed contractor.
• Ask about the permit first. The city's flood page defines the Special Flood Hazard Area as the area that will be inundated by the flood event having a 1-percent chance of being equaled or exceeded in any given year. The city says that if you live in that area, repairs after flooding inside your home, wind damage outside it, or other types of storm damage need a storm damage permit.

Stop if any step feels unsafe.

1. Thermostat. Choose Cool, set it a few degrees under the room reading, and leave the fan on Auto. In a home that has been shut up for a while, look for a hold or vacation setting someone left behind.
2. Filter. ENERGY STAR says to check the filter monthly and warns that a dirty filter can damage equipment and lead to early failure. Put in a clean one before judging the system.
3. Around the outdoor unit. Pick palm fronds, leaves and storm litter away from the outdoor cabinet by hand.
4. The drain. Look for water in the pan and at the drain's outdoor end; if you see it, call a licensed contractor. A contractor quoted on Carrier's site says that in many cases the system may stop cooling because a safety switch shuts the unit down when the drain pan (Carrier says it is usually under the indoor coil) fills with water.
5. Ice. Ice on the copper lines or the indoor coil is a reason to call a licensed contractor.

Leave the outdoor unit's electrical compartment closed, and do not keep trying a unit that hums and will not start.

NOAA's 1991-2020 climate normals for the Tarpon Springs station show the figures that follow. The station averages about 95 days a year at 90°F or above. The normal high is 90.6°F in July and 90.8°F in August, and the normal August low is 75.7°F. The Weather Service says the rainy season is typically accompanied by daily lows in the 70s to around 80°F.

Normal rainfall at the same station runs from 7.03 to 9.66 inches a month between June and September. The Weather Service says the rainy season is typically accompanied by persistent dew points above 70°F.

The drain line

Carrier says that when a technician clears a clogged drain line, a dark mass of sludge (algae, dust and mold) will often be suctioned out. ENERGY STAR says a plugged drain can cause water damage in the house and affect indoor humidity. See why an AC leaks water.

Electrical parts and connections

ENERGY STAR says faulty electrical connections can cause unsafe operation and shorten the life of major components. Its checklist has a contractor tighten connections and measure voltage and current on motors.

The outdoor coil

Dirty coils cut a system's ability to cool and make it run longer, according to ENERGY STAR. Carrier's installation instructions for its GA4SAN5 and GA5SAN5 air conditioners say maintenance frequency may vary depending upon geographic areas, such as coastal applications. Our guide to coastal coil protection covers what to watch for.

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

Blume shows repair-vs-replace numbers side by side and does not sell equipment a building does not need.

Where Florida Building Code section R322 applies, section R322.1.6 says heating, ventilating and air conditioning equipment and duct systems shall be located at or above the elevation required in Section R322.2 or R322.3. Replacement exterior equipment damaged by flood must meet that section. The section also says systems and equipment shall not be mounted on or penetrate through walls intended to break away under flood loads. The section has an exception that allows the equipment below that elevation; one of the conditions in the exception is that it is designed and installed to prevent water from entering or accumulating within it. A city notice on the section says that because of Hurricane Helene damage, all permit applications in flood-prone areas will be subject to a plan review and a FEMA review.

The city says electronic submission through its GoPost portal is required for electronic plan review.

When replacement is the answer, Blume sizes the new equipment to the home and measures how the system runs once it is installed. Financing is available through Synchrony Bank.

For permits and the wider picture, see our Tarpon Springs HVAC page. For the general decision, see how to decide between AC repair and replacement.

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.

Before you call, note

• Whether water reached the outdoor unit, the indoor unit or the disconnect, and how high it rose.
• Whether the system stopped during a storm, after one, or on a dry day.
• The thermostat setting and the temperature it reads.
• Whether the outdoor fan and the indoor blower are running.
• Water in the pan, water at the drain's outdoor end, ice, a burning smell or a new noise.
• Where the outdoor unit sits: a ground pad, a raised stand or a roof, and your flood zone if you know it.