HVAC Installation in Orlando, FL
A new system here will heat from December through January and cool from March through November every year. Tell us about the house, and a licensed contractor who covers Orange County will get in touch.
Tell us about the job
It takes about a minute.
Eleven months of the year, your system is working
Orange County asks for cooling nine months a year, March through November, with summer afternoons averaging 91°F. Heat only gets real use in December and January, when nights average 51°F. That leaves eleven months where the system is doing something, and only one where it can rest.
A new system here should be sized for long, steady cooling runs, not the occasional hot week. And with 90.9% of homes here heating with electricity, the outdoor unit is doing both jobs. Storms are part of the picture too. Orange County has seen 64 damaging wind events over the past ten years, and 38% of Florida households lost power for at least a day in 2024. Most heat pumps and air conditioners restart on their own once power comes back, but it's worth confirming that with whoever installs yours.
- 2 months
- December through January, your system heats
- 9 months
- March through November, it cools
- 51°F
- the average winter night it heats against
- 91°F
- the average summer afternoon it cools against
NOAA nClimDiv, 1991–2020 normals
Florida requires HVAC contractors to hold a state license.
The Construction Industry Licensing Board tests contractors before they can hold this license, and it keeps the record of who holds one. That license belongs to the contractor, not to any single job, so it does not expire when this installation is finished.
For a heating and cooling system installation, the license is what backs the person doing the work, and the permit is what backs the installation itself. Most cities and counties in Florida require a permit before a furnace, air conditioner or heat pump goes in, and an inspection once it is done. That inspection is a separate check from the license, done by the local building office rather than the state board.
Sources: Florida Legislature · Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation
- When should I replace my HVAC system?
- Replace it when repairs keep coming or a contractor tells you the unit is near the end of its life. If you've had more than one breakdown in the last year or two, or a repair quote is climbing close to what a new system would run, that's usually the point to stop patching it. Cooling matters most here since homes in Orlando need it nine months a year, so a system that struggles in summer is worth replacing before it fails on a 91 degree afternoon.
- Should I replace my furnace and air conditioner at the same time?
- If they're close in age, yes, it usually makes sense to replace them together. A furnace and air conditioner installed at the same time are matched to work with each other, and pairing an old furnace with a new AC, or the reverse, can mean the two never run at their best together. If one is several years newer than the other, a contractor can size a replacement for just the failing unit without touching the one that still has life left in it.
- What happens during an HVAC installation?
- A contractor removes the old equipment, sets the new unit in place, and connects it to the ductwork, refrigerant lines, and electrical or gas supply the system needs to run. Once it's connected, they check refrigerant charge, test airflow, and confirm the thermostat and safety controls are working correctly. On a full system swap, this can also mean sealing or adjusting ductwork so the new equipment moves air the way it's designed to. Florida requires the contractor doing this work to hold a state license issued by the Construction Industry Licensing Board, so it's worth confirming that before work starts. A contractor can walk through what your specific installation will involve once they've seen the house.