Right-Sized AC Installation in Central Florida Since 2006
Air Conditioning Installation in Orlando, FL
A new system is the second biggest mechanical purchase most Orlando homeowners make, and the install matters more than the badge on the box. RMI sizes the system to your house, checks the ductwork it has to breathe through, and pulls the permit. We are a repair-first company, so we will tell you plainly if your current system does not need replacing at all. Roberts Mechanical has served Central Florida since 2006.
Contact Us
Schedule Your AC Tune-Up or Request a Replacement Estimate
Sized for Your House
Load calculation, not a square footage shortcut. Oversizing is the most common install mistake in Florida.
24/7 Emergency Service
Lost cooling while you decide? We answer emergency calls at 407-405-2658 any hour, any day.
Honest Second Opinions
Before replacing your A/C, get a second opinion from experts who fix what others will not.
If RMI Cannot Fix It, No One Can
Repair first. Replace only when truly necessary, with honest answers and no pressure.
Know When It Is Time
Signs You May Need an Air Conditioning Installation
Replacement is a judgement call, not a rule. These are the conditions where a new system usually wins on the numbers.
System age
Most Central Florida systems run 10 to 15 years. The heat and humidity here shorten that against national averages, and past the 12 year mark the failure rate climbs sharply.
Frequent breakdowns
One repair is a repair. Three service calls in two summers is a pattern, and the money is better spent on equipment than on another capacitor.
Rising energy bills
A system losing capacity runs longer for the same result. If your summer bills have climbed while your habits have not, the equipment is usually the reason.
Uneven cooling
Rooms that never catch up often mean the system was undersized for the house, or the ductwork was never right. Replacing the box without fixing that repeats the problem.
Poor humidity control
In Florida a correctly sized system should leave the house around 45 to 55 percent humidity. Clammy air with the thermostat satisfied usually means the system is oversized and short cycling.
Repair costs outweigh value
Our rule is simple. If a single repair costs more than half of a new system, replacement is usually the better spend. We show you both numbers.
Where Installs Go Wrong
What Separates a Good Install From a Bad One in Orlando
Two identical systems installed in two identical Orlando houses can perform nothing alike. Almost all of the difference comes down to four things, and none of them are the brand on the cabinet.
Sizing by calculation, not by rule of thumb
The old shortcut of one ton per 500 square feet does not work here. A proper load calculation accounts for your orientation, window area, insulation, ceiling height and the humidity load Florida adds. Oversizing is the most common mistake in this market: an oversized system cools the air fast, shuts off before it has pulled the moisture out, and leaves the house cold and clammy. It also short cycles, which wears the compressor out early.
The ductwork the new system has to breathe through
New equipment on old, leaking, undersized duct will underperform from day one. In Central Florida homes most of that duct sits in an attic that reaches 130 degrees in August, so leakage is not a small loss. We check static pressure and duct condition before quoting, and we will tell you if the duct needs attention rather than discovering it after your money is spent.
Permits and inspection
Replacing a system in Orange, Seminole or Osceola County requires a permit and a county inspection. We pull it. An unpermitted install can complicate your homeowners insurance and will surface during the inspection when you sell the house.
Commissioning, not just hanging equipment
The install is finished when the charge is verified against the manufacturer target, airflow is measured, the drain is run correctly with a float switch, and the thermostat is configured for the equipment. A system that was never commissioned properly can run for years at reduced capacity and higher cost without anyone noticing.
What the 2025 Refrigerant Change Means for a New System
Refrigerant rules changed on 1 January 2025. New residential systems sold in the United States now use A2L refrigerants such as R-454B and R-32 instead of R-410A. Any system installed today will be A2L equipment.
This matters in two directions. If you are replacing, the new equipment is what it is and the change is already priced in. If someone is telling you that your existing R-410A system must be replaced because of the rule change, that is not true. R-410A is still available and those systems can still be serviced.
We will give you the four numbers that actually decide it: the age of your system, what the repair in front of you costs, how much life that repair realistically buys, and the installed cost of replacement. Then you choose.
Second Opinions
Told You Need a New System? Check First.
Before you spend thousands, get a second opinion. Ours is a paid diagnostic visit, not a sales call, and if you go ahead with a repair the diagnostic fee is credited against it.
We test and verify rather than judging a system by its age. Sometimes the first company was right, and we will say so. Often they were not, and the repair costs a fraction of the replacement quote you were handed. If replacement genuinely is the answer, you will at least be buying it for the right reason.
Every Major Brand
We Install Every Major Brand
We install and service Rheem, Ruud, Carrier, Bryant, Bosch, Arcoaire, Payne, Goodman, York, Lennox and Daikin. Which brand suits you depends on your budget, your ductwork and how long you plan to stay in the house, and we will walk you through that rather than steering you to one line. RMI is licensed and insured for residential and commercial work across Central Florida.
Common Questions About AC Installation
How long does an installation take?
Most residential replacements are completed in a single day. Jobs that involve duct modifications, an electrical change or a difficult attic location can run into a second day. We tell you which one yours is before we start.
Do I need a permit?
Yes. A system replacement in Orange, Seminole and Osceola County requires a permit and a county inspection. We pull the permit and handle the inspection as part of the job.
How do you size the system?
With a load calculation for your specific house, not a square footage shortcut. Orientation, windows, insulation and Florida humidity all change the answer. Oversizing is the most common installation mistake in this market and it produces a cold, clammy house.
Will a new system really lower my bills?
Usually, though how much depends on what you are replacing and the condition of your ductwork. A high-efficiency system on leaking attic duct will disappoint. We look at both before we quote.
Do you offer financing?
Yes. Financing is available on system replacements. We can walk through the options when we provide your estimate.
What areas do you cover?
Orlando and the surrounding Central Florida area, including Winter Park, Altamonte Springs, Apopka, Oviedo, Kissimmee, Sanford, Clermont, Casselberry, Winter Springs, Lake Mary and Lakeland.
Where We Serve
Proudly Serving the Central Florida Area
RMI installs and services systems across Orlando and the surrounding Central Florida communities. Our shop is on University Boulevard in east Orlando, near UCF, and our trucks cover:
- Orlando
- Kissimmee
- Sanford
- Winter Park
- Apopka
- Clermont
- Lakeland
- Altamonte Springs
- And Surrounding Areas
