FL HVAC case studies
FL HVAC · Put your knowledge to work in context.
The Florida air conditioning contractor license is a state credential that allows a business to advertise, bid, permit, and perform HVAC work in Florida. Florida issues air conditioning contractor licenses in three classes - Class A (unlimited within the trade), Class B (limited to units of a stated capacity), and Class C (limited to smaller units and specified work) - and each class carries its own scope, so confirm which class you are applying for before you build a study plan. The FL HVAC case studies are 5 cases and about 4,725 words.
1The 500 ft² per Ton Bid on a Tampa Retrofit
A Tampa homeowner with a 2,400 ft² single-story house built in 1998 (R-19 attic insulation, single-pane glass with western shade, 8 ft ceilings) is replacing a 20-year-old 3-ton, 10 SEER split with a leaking evaporator coil. Bid A proposes a 4-ton, 14.3 SEER2 single-stage condensing unit and reusing the existing R-6 flex duct system, reasoning that "at 500 ft² per ton and Tampa heat, 4 tons is right, and the extra capacity lets the house recover faster." The contractor's block Manual J, run at 95°F outdoor and 75°F indoor at 50% RH, gives 34,800 Btu/h total with 26,200 Btu/h sensible.
865 words, about 4 min2Taking Over After the Unlicensed Handyman
A Tampa homeowner paid a "handyman" 6,800 in cash to replace a burned-out 3-ton condenser with a new 14.3 SEER2 unit and to "top off" the R-22 system with refrigerant he bought online. No permit was pulled, the invoice lists no license number, the old condenser was left in the alley, and the handyman has no EPA Section 608 card.
969 words, about 5 min3R-22 Leak: Repair-and-Top-Off vs. Replace
A 2006 3-ton R-22 split in a tenant-occupied condo has lost cooling. You recover 5.5 lb from a system with a 9 lb nameplate charge and leak-test to the evaporator coil (formicary corrosion).
897 words, about 4 min4Intermittent Breaker Trip on a 3-Ton Split
A 3-ton R-410A residential split has nameplate MCA 19.5 A, MOP 30 A, RLA 16.9 A, LRA 96 A. The outdoor unit sits 85 ft (one-way) from a 200 A panel.
1,007 words, about 5 min5High Static and a Fresh-Air Duct on a Tight New House
A 2,600 ft², 4-bedroom new home near Sarasota gets a 3-ton variable-speed air handler rated 1,200 cfm at 0.50 in. At start-up you measure return static 0.42 in.
987 words, about 5 min