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A contractor quoting a Central AC installation in Refugio County has to account for a climate that does push systems, but not one where severe weather saturates every cooling season. 38 severe weather events were recorded in Refugio County, Texas between 2015 and 2024. At that rate, most equipment here has seen real weather but has not been ground down by it the way systems in the hardest-hit parts of the country are. What drives sizing decisions and equipment choices in this county is the sustained summer heat load, not storm frequency. A contractor who gets the load calculation right at installation sets the system up for a long, reliable run regardless of what any given season brings.
Ductwork in a house old enough to predate the equipment now on the market was built around different load calculations, different unit footprints, and often different refrigerant systems altogether. Half the homes in Refugio County, Texas were built in 1973 or earlier (2020-2024 ACS 5-year). A contractor installing central AC here checks whether the existing duct layout can move the air a modern unit produces, and whether the electrical service carries the draw a new system requires. Those two things together set the real scope of the job before the unit itself is ever selected or priced.
What a Central AC System Puts in Your Home
The outdoor unit sits on a concrete pad beside the house and holds the compressor and condenser coil, which together shed heat pulled from inside. The indoor air handler mounts in a utility closet, basement, or attic and moves conditioned air through the home. These two units are the core of what a contractor brings in and connects.
A copper refrigerant line set runs between the outdoor unit and the air handler, and a condensate drain line carries moisture away from the air handler to a floor drain or outside. The thermostat goes on an interior wall and gives the homeowner control over the whole system.
The drawing shows a typical layout, and a licensed contractor determines exactly how each piece fits the conditions in your house.
Get matched in Refugio CountyRefugio County, by the numbers
38 severe weather events were recorded in Refugio 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 Refugio County, Texas were built in 1973 or earlier (2020-2024 ACS 5-year).
U.S. Census Bureau, 2020-2024 American Community Survey 5-Year EstimatesRefugio County, Texas holds 3,359 housing units (2020-2024 ACS 5-year).
U.S. Census Bureau, 2020-2024 American Community Survey 5-Year EstimatesOwners occupy 77.0% of the occupied homes in Refugio County, Texas (2020-2024 ACS 5-year).
U.S. Census Bureau, 2020-2024 American Community Survey 5-Year EstimatesRules & Standards for Central AC Installation in Refugio 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 and Legal Requirements in Refugio 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 in Refugio County
Weather puts a load on cooling equipment, and that load varies by location. What rolls through Refugio County shapes how hard a central AC system has to work and what it needs to be built to handle.
38 severe weather events, 2015–2023. Source: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database.