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Sizing a central AC system in Gillespie County starts with understanding what the equipment will actually run against. 88 severe weather events were recorded in Gillespie County, Texas between 2015 and 2024. At that rate, severe weather is a standing feature of the local climate, not an occasional disruption, and a contractor who ignores that when selecting equipment or designing the install will undersize what the house genuinely needs. Duct layout, unit placement, and equipment capacity are all local questions here, not answers carried in from a catalog.
Existing ductwork is what decides how a central AC installation goes in much of Gillespie County. Half the homes in Gillespie County, Texas were built in 1991 or earlier (2020-2024 ACS 5-year). Duct systems laid in when those houses were built were sized and routed for whatever was running at the time, and a new central AC unit draws on that infrastructure directly. If the ducts cannot move the volume a new system delivers, the equipment underperforms regardless of its rated capacity. A contractor prices the ductwork alongside the unit for that reason, not as an afterthought.
What a Central AC System Includes
The outdoor condenser unit sits outside the house, usually on a concrete pad beside the foundation, and holds the compressor and the condenser coil. Inside the house, the air handler or furnace cabinet sits in a utility space, basement, or attic and holds the evaporator coil that the system depends on to do its work.
The refrigerant lines run between the two units, carrying refrigerant back and forth through copper tubing that gets routed through the wall or floor. A thermostat on an interior wall ties the whole system together, telling it when to run.
The drawing beside this shows the general layout of a central AC system, and a licensed contractor determines exactly what applies to your house.
Get matched in Gillespie CountyGillespie County, by the numbers
88 severe weather events were recorded in Gillespie County, Texas between 2015 and 2024.
NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, bulk CSV export, events 2015-01-01 through 2024-12-31.Half the homes in Gillespie County, Texas were built in 1991 or earlier (2020-2024 ACS 5-year).
U.S. Census Bureau, 2020-2024 American Community Survey 5-Year EstimatesGillespie County, Texas holds 14,373 housing units (2020-2024 ACS 5-year).
U.S. Census Bureau, 2020-2024 American Community Survey 5-Year EstimatesOwners occupy 74.9% of the occupied homes in Gillespie County, Texas (2020-2024 ACS 5-year).
U.S. Census Bureau, 2020-2024 American Community Survey 5-Year EstimatesRules & Standards Governing Central AC Installation in Gillespie County, Texas9 sourced rules and standards
What the Installation Actually Looks Like
Split-system central air conditioners rated below 45,000 Btu/h manufactured on or after January 1, 2023 must meet a federal minimum of 13.4 SEER2.
Split-system central air conditioners rated at or above 45,000 Btu/h manufactured on or after January 1, 2023 must meet a federal minimum of 13.4 SEER2.
Split-system central air conditioners manufactured between January 1, 2015 and December 31, 2022 had to meet 13 SEER, the metric that preceded SEER2.
Single-package central air conditioners manufactured on or after January 1, 2023 must meet a federal minimum of 13.4 SEER2.
Space-constrained central air conditioners manufactured on or after January 1, 2023 must meet a federal minimum of 11.7 SEER2.
Federal efficiency standards for split-system central air conditioners and heat pumps are set on each certified combination of outdoor unit and indoor coil rather than on the outdoor unit alone.
Residential and light commercial air conditioning and heat pump systems assembled in the field, including mini-splits and unitary systems, may not be installed on or after January 1, 2025 using a refrigerant with a global warming potential above 700.
A field-assembled system whose specified components were all manufactured or imported before January 1, 2025 carries no installation compliance date under the refrigerant restrictions and may still be installed.
Licensing Rules for Gillespie County, Texas
In Texas a person may not engage in air conditioning and refrigeration contracting unless that person holds a license issued under the state air conditioning and refrigeration contractor law.
Severe Weather Events in Gillespie County
Weather puts a measurable load on cooling equipment, and that load is shaped by local conditions. Knowing what the climate here has actually done is part of sizing and installing a system that holds up to it.
88 severe weather events, 2015–2024. Source: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database.