AC installation and replacement in Crestview

Start with a load calculation

The size of the new system should come from a Manual J style load calculation, not from the size of the old one and not from square footage alone. The DOE says an oversized system removes less moisture. That matters here because the humid days are adding up: Bob Sikes Airport now averages 12 days a year with a mean dew point of 75°F or more, up from 3 over 1973 to 1990. A system that is too big cools the house fast and shuts off. The house stays clammy at 76°F. That is one of the most common complaints in Florida AC threads.

The calculation also has to cover heat. The metro averages about 1,586 heating degree days a year (NOAA), far more than South Florida, and the January average low in Crestview is 38°F. If you're choosing between a heat pump and an AC with heat strips, the load calc is where that gets sized. See heat pumps in Crestview.

Ask the company whether they ran the calculation, and ask to see it. If the quote says "same size as existing" and nobody measured windows or looked in the attic, that is a guess. Our AC sizing guide covers the rules of thumb and why the calculation beats them.

What an itemized quote should list

Two quotes for "the same" system can be thousands apart. Most of that gap is in what each company included, so get every quote broken out the same way:

• Tonnage (a ton is 12,000 Btu per hour of cooling) and the efficiency rating in SEER2, plus HSPF2 for a heat pump.
• Whether the indoor air handler or coil is replaced, or only the outdoor condenser. A new outdoor unit is matched to an indoor one, so ask how the quote handles that.
• The refrigerant the new system uses.
• The pad or stand and the line set.
• The drain line with its float switch, and the thermostat.
• The permit and inspections.
• Haul-away and disposal of the old equipment, including recovering its refrigerant.
• What labor coverage the company itself gives, in writing.

If one quote is far cheaper, it usually left something off this list. If one is far higher, ask what it adds. See is this AC quote fair.

Permits in Crestview and Okaloosa County

The Florida Building Code requires a permit to replace a mechanical system. The City of Crestview's permit FAQ says a simple A/C change-out permit is typically issued within a day or two. It also says that if a contractor asks you to pull the permit yourself, treat that as a warning sign; the contractor may not be licensed.

Outside city limits, Okaloosa County Growth Management handles it. The county puts all trade permits through its "Fast Lane" and issues them the next day, and contractors apply online through the county's CSS portal. Walton County and the cities of Fort Walton Beach, Destin and Niceville each run their own building departments, so confirm with the one for your address.

Florida law (s. 489.103(7)) does let an owner act as their own contractor on their own home that is not offered for sale or lease. That is for owners doing the work, not a workaround for a contractor who doesn't want his name on the permit. Check the contractor's license before they apply.

SEER2 minimums and the refrigerant change

In the Southeast, a split central AC installed on or after January 1, 2023 must meet 14.3 SEER2 if it is under 45,000 Btu per hour, or 13.8 SEER2 at 45,000 and up. The DOE says it is illegal for a contractor to install a split AC below the regional standard here. Heat pumps have a national minimum of 14.3 SEER2 and 7.5 HSPF2. A higher rating costs more up front; whether it pays back depends on run hours, and Crestview's 90 degree season now runs about 174 days.

Under EPA rules, new residential AC and heat pump systems are limited to refrigerants with a global warming potential of 700 or less, with a manufacture and installation compliance date of January 1, 2025. Systems whose components were all made before 2025 have no installation deadline. Your existing R-410A system can still be serviced and repaired, so a leak alone does not force a replacement. Ask which refrigerant the new system uses and whether the line set is being reused. More in Florida AC rules for 2026.

Cost and rebates

System	Published range, installed	Average
Central air	$5,800 to $14,400	$8,750
Heat pump	$5,000 to $15,000	$8,350
Ductless mini split	$4,577 to $8,328	$6,357

Fixr national figures, not a Crestview average and not our quote.

Two utilities serve this area, so check your bill to see which one you have. FPL Northwest FL offers a $200 instant rebate on a complete new indoor and outdoor system rated 15.2 SEER2 or higher and installed by an FPL-approved Participating Independent Contractor. Ask the company whether it participates before you count on it.

CHELCO, the electric cooperative with more than 76,000 accounts across Okaloosa and Walton plus Holmes and Santa Rosa counties, pays $350 per ton on dual fuel and mini split heat pumps rated 15 SEER or more, single-family homes only. Existing manufactured homes that swap an electric furnace for a heat pump get $400 per ton. Every CHELCO rebate needs a load calculation done by CHELCO Energy Services and a licensed installer, so call CHELCO before the install, not after. More in lowering an AC bill on FPL or CHELCO.

Not sure you need a new system at all? Read repair or replace first.