AC and Heating Questions From Central Florida Homeowners
These AC and heating questions come up on the phone and at the front door across Lakeland, Winter Haven and Plant City, from first-time buyers in newer subdivisions to owners of older homes near the lakes. Each answer is short and written for a homeowner, not a technician, so you can settle the small doubts before you book anything.
A few of them are about the bill, because a Central Florida summer runs an air conditioner for more hours than almost anywhere else in the country, and small things like a clogged filter or a thermostat setting show up on every power bill. Others are about the noises and smells that make people wonder whether to call, and a few are about buying a house or deciding when a system is near the end.
If your question is not here, ask it in the form or during the service call. For the details of a specific job, the heating and cooling services page explains each one, and the AC repair and tune-up pages cover the most common calls of the year.
The questions
How often should I change my air filter?
Check it every month in summer and change it when you can no longer see light through it, which for most one-inch filters in a Florida home means every one to three months. Pets, a dusty road or construction nearby shorten that. A clogged filter is one of the most common reasons a coil ices over.
What should I set my thermostat to in summer?
Most owners here are comfortable between 76 and 78 degrees while they are home. Each degree lower adds to the run time and the bill. Setting it much higher while you are away and letting it cool back down before you return saves money without making the system work harder overall.
Why is my AC running but the house is still humid?
An air conditioner removes moisture only while it runs long enough for the indoor coil to get cold and drip. A system that is too big for the house cools the air fast and shuts off before it dries it. A dirty coil, low airflow or a fan set to run all the time can cause the same sticky feeling.
What is the white PVC pipe by my outdoor unit?
That is usually the end of the condensate drain line, which carries the water the indoor coil pulls out of the air. In summer it should drip steadily. If it stops dripping on a hot day, the line may be clogged, and water can back up into the pan and shut the system off.
Is it normal for a heat pump to blow cool air in winter?
Heat pump air feels cooler than furnace air because it comes out at a lower temperature, often in the 90s, while your skin is warmer. Air that feels truly cold, or a system that runs on its backup heat strips all day, means something needs checking, often the defrost control or a refrigerant problem.
What are heat strips and why do they raise my bill?
Heat strips are electric heating elements in the air handler that back up a heat pump on very cold mornings or during a defrost cycle. They work like a large toaster, so they cost far more to run than the heat pump itself. If they run all day, the heat pump is not doing its job.
My outdoor unit is making a buzzing or clicking sound. Should I worry?
A steady hum is normal. A loud buzz with the fan not spinning often points to a failing capacitor or contactor, and running it that way can burn out the motor or compressor. Turn the system off at the thermostat and book a service call.
How long does a central air conditioner last in Florida?
Many last somewhere between 10 and 15 years here, because they run so many more hours than systems up north. Salt air near the coast, a hot attic air handler and skipped tune-ups shorten that. A system that is well maintained and properly sized usually reaches the longer end.
Do I need to be home for a service call?
For most visits, yes, or someone who can let the tech in. The tech needs to reach the thermostat, the indoor unit and the outdoor unit, and to show you what was found before any repair starts.
Should I have the AC checked before I buy a house?
Yes, separately from the general home inspection, which often only checks that the system turns on. A service call before closing tells you the age of the equipment, its condition and roughly how many years it has left, which can matter when you negotiate the price.
Can I close vents in rooms I do not use?
It sounds sensible but rarely saves money. Central systems are designed for a set amount of airflow, and closing several vents raises the pressure in the ducts, which can push air out through leaks and make the system work harder.