The starting point
What should you ask before approving a new AC?
Orlando West HVAC matches only. When a Winter Garden or Clermont outdoor unit dies in August, the fastest sentence in the industry is “we can swap the box this week.” Sometimes that is the honest path. Often it is not. A changeout in central Florida is a load, duct, refrigerant-circuit, and permit conversation. The U.S. Department of Energy’s 2023 regional standards changed how new central air conditioners are rated (SEER2) in the Southeast, including Florida. That rating still does not size your Horizon West two-story or your Winter Garden ranch.
Replacements in this market are often a multi-thousand-dollar licensed job. The tech quotes after seeing the house. This site will not invent an installed price, a CAC license number, or a financing banner that pretends we sell equipment.
What does SEER2 mean on a replacement quote?
SEER2 (Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio 2) is the test procedure DOE now uses for central air conditioners and heat pumps. ENERGY STAR publishes voluntary specifications above the federal floor. None of those numbers is a utility-bill guarantee. Ask the tech which rating applies to the matched system — outdoor unit plus indoor coil and air handler or furnace — not a lonely condenser on a website. AHRI maintains a directory of certified matched systems. A coil from one generation paired with a condenser from another can miss both efficiency and capacity.
HSPF2 matters if the replacement is a heat pump rather than straight cool with heat strips. Many west Orange homes use heat pumps; many still use electric heat. Name what you have if you know it. A photo of the data plate sent later to the matched tech is more useful than a guess on this public form.
How should a replacement AC be sized?
Tons-per-square-foot folklore is not a Manual J load calculation. Upstairs bonus rooms, west-facing glass, tight Horizon West envelopes, older Winter Garden ducts, and Clermont ridge lots all change the load. A licensed tech should talk about how it will measure or calculate for this house, what assumptions it is making about insulation and infiltration, and whether the existing ducts can carry the new system’s airflow. Oversizing can short-cycle and leave humidity behind. Undersizing leaves rooms hot on the worst afternoons.
Do ducts, drains, and line sets change the job?
Ask what is included and excluded. Attic flex that has sagged, returns that are too small, and supply runs that never reached a later addition are common reasons a “new” outdoor unit still feels like the old house. Condensate routing on a garage air handler, a secondary drain pan, and a float switch belong in the proposal. Line-set reuse versus replacement matters on refrigerant transitions. Thermostat compatibility matters if you are moving from a basic heat strip setup to a communicating heat pump. Get it in writing.
Outdoor unit plus indoor coil — ask for an AHRI matched-system reference.
Load calculation for this house, not tons-per-square-foot folklore.
Ducts, drains, line sets, and thermostats as inclusions or exclusions.
Orange, Lake, and Osceola permits are not one counter. The tech owns that process.
Who pulls the permit and holds the license?
Orange County, Lake County, and Osceola County do not share one permit counter. City of Winter Garden, City of Clermont, and unincorporated Horizon West context can add steps. A changeout that needs a permit is the technician’s process — not a form this matching site files. Ask which DBPR license will appear on the paperwork and verify it on MyFloridaLicense.com. We will not invent a number or claim to be the installer of record.
When is replacement the wrong request?
A clogged drain, a failed capacitor, or a control board can look like “the AC died.” Choose no cooling, ice or water, breaker, or not sure if you have not had a licensed diagnosis. Start with repair matching when the failure is new and unmeasured. Usetune-up matching when the system still cools and you want a seasonal inspection before you talk replacement.
How do you fill in the changeout match form?
Name the city or ZIP. Choose changeout. Select primary, vacant, or snowbird. Answer may-we-text. In the notes, include system age if the data plate is readable, how many systems the house has, upstairs-versus-downstairs complaints, and any closing or return-to-Florida deadline. No street address is required to start. The matched licensed HVAC technician confirms whether replacement is appropriate, what it will charge, and when it can measure the house.
ReadSEER2, sizing, and changeout questions.
AC replacement FAQs
Can you quote a changeout from this form?
No. A licensed tech sizes and permits after seeing the house. Replacements in this market are often a multi-thousand-dollar licensed job — the tech quotes on site, not from a marketing page.
What is SEER2 in plain language?
SEER2 is the Department of Energy’s current test procedure for rating new central air conditioners and heat pumps. It is a standard, not a utility-bill guarantee for your Winter Garden or Horizon West house.
Do ducts and permits matter on a replacement?
Yes. Ask what is included for ducts, line sets, drains, and thermostats, and which county or city pulls the permit. Orange, Lake, and Osceola are not one counter.
Should I replace before anyone diagnoses the failure?
Not by default. If the system just stopped, start with repair matching or not sure. A changeout pitch before measurement is a sales process, not a load calculation.
Do you cover Winter Garden, Horizon West, and Clermont?
Yes. Name the city or ZIP. We match a local licensed HVAC tech; we do not publish a shop or invent a license number.
How do I check the installer is licensed?
Ask which DBPR license will appear on the permit and verify it on MyFloridaLicense.com. This site will not invent one.