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A contractor quoting a new central AC system in Bexar County has to size it against what this climate actually asks of the equipment, not what a catalog assumes. 387 severe weather events were recorded in Bexar County, Texas between 2015 and 2024. At that rate, severe weather is a routine operating condition, and a system undersized for the real load will run hard from the first summer. Coil capacity, refrigerant line length, and duct design all have to be worked out for this specific house against that thermal demand. A unit that fits the square footage on paper but not the climate will wear faster and deliver less.
Ductwork laid down for an earlier generation of equipment carries assumptions about airflow, routing, and return placement that a new central AC system does not share. Half the homes in Bexar County, Texas were built in 1990 or earlier (2020-2024 ACS 5-year). A contractor quoting a job here has to open the system and walk the runs before the unit itself is ever on the table, because ducts that served the old equipment adequately can starve a new one or push it into short-cycling. The electrical panel gets the same look. What the house already has determines whether the installation is straightforward or whether it requires remediation work before the outdoor unit is ever delivered.
What a Central AC System Includes
The outdoor condenser unit sits outside the house, usually along a side or rear wall, and holds the compressor and condenser coil. Inside, the air handler or furnace blower sits in a utility closet, basement, or attic and moves air through the home. Together, these two units are what a new central AC installation puts in place.
The copper refrigerant lines run between the outdoor and indoor units, connecting the two halves of the system. A thermostat on an interior wall is what the homeowner sets to call for cooling, and the metering device near the indoor coil controls how refrigerant enters that coil.
The drawing shows the general layout of a central AC system, and a licensed contractor determines exactly how that layout applies to your house.
Get matched in Bexar CountyBexar County, by the numbers
387 severe weather events were recorded in Bexar 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 Bexar County, Texas were built in 1990 or earlier (2020-2024 ACS 5-year).
U.S. Census Bureau, 2020-2024 American Community Survey 5-Year EstimatesBexar County, Texas holds 820,780 housing units (2020-2024 ACS 5-year).
U.S. Census Bureau, 2020-2024 American Community Survey 5-Year EstimatesOwners occupy 58.8% of the occupied homes in Bexar 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 Bexar 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 Bexar 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 Bexar County
Bexar County weather puts real load on cooling equipment, and how hard a system works over its life is shaped by what the local climate throws at it. That makes weather history a practical part of any conversation about what to install and how to size it.
387 severe weather events, 2015–2024. Source: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database.