AC Repair Services › Evaporator Coil Replacement
Evaporator Coil Replacement in Boca Raton, FL
The evaporator coil lives inside or just above your air handler, and it's where refrigerant actually absorbs heat from the air moving through your system. When the coil develops a refrigerant leak or the aluminum fins corrode through, no amount of refrigerant recharging will fix it — the coil needs to come out. It's one of the more involved indoor repairs because the coil is tucked inside the air handler cabinet and connected to both the refrigerant lines and the drain system.
Boca Raton AC Repair Pros provides evaporator coil replacement for homeowners across Boca Raton, FL. Call for a free inspection and a written quote before any work begins.
When to Call
When You Need Evaporator Coil Replacement
- Your system keeps losing refrigerant and a leak has been traced to the indoor coil
- Ice forms on the indoor unit and the coil is confirmed to be the source of the problem
- A musty smell persists even after drain cleaning because the coil itself is fouled
- Refrigerant leak dye shows staining on or around the indoor coil connections
- The coil is original to a home built in the late 1980s or 1990s and corrosion is visible
- The existing coil is R-22 type and must be replaced to convert to a current refrigerant system
How It Works
Our Process for Evaporator Coil Replacement
- 1
Leak confirmation
We don't replace a coil based on a guess. We use an electronic leak detector or nitrogen pressure test to confirm the leak is in the evaporator coil and not elsewhere in the system.
- 2
Coil compatibility check
The replacement coil must match the air handler cabinet dimensions and be rated for the condenser it connects to. We verify the model numbers before ordering anything.
- 3
Refrigerant recovery
We recover all remaining refrigerant from the system. This has to happen before any refrigerant lines are opened. Recovered refrigerant is handled per EPA Section 608 requirements.
- 4
Coil removal
We disconnect the drain pan, cut or unbraze the refrigerant connections, and pull the old coil. This often means working in a tight closet or attic space — we take care not to damage the air handler cabinet or existing wiring.
- 5
New coil installation
We install the new coil, connect and braze the refrigerant lines, reconnect the drain pan and float switch, and pressure-test with nitrogen before pulling vacuum.
- 6
Charge and verify
After vacuum, we charge the system to specification and run it. We check supply air temperature, measure the temperature split across the coil, and confirm no new leaks at any connection.
What's included
- Leak verification before any parts are ordered or removed
- Refrigerant recovery and proper disposal of old coil
- New evaporator coil matched to your air handler and condenser
- Brazing, nitrogen test, and vacuum pull before refrigerant charge
- Drain pan reconnection and float switch function test
- Post-installation temperature split measurement to confirm coil is performing correctly
What's not included
- Refrigerant recharge if the system was run low for an extended period and additional refrigerant is needed beyond a standard charge
- Air handler cabinet repairs if the old coil caused rust damage to the drain pan or cabinet floor
- Duct cleaning or coil cleaning on the condenser side — those are separate services not triggered by evaporator coil replacement
Real Situations
Common Scenarios in Boca Raton
A homeowner in a mid-1990s Boca Raton home has had refrigerant added twice in two years and an inspection found formicary corrosion pitting the evaporator coil.
Formicary corrosion — caused by formic acid reacting with copper in the presence of moisture — is common in Florida homes. We confirm the leak location, source a replacement coil, and during removal inspect the drain pan and air handler cabinet for related corrosion damage. We don't just swap the coil and leave if we see the cabinet floor rusting through.
A homeowner converting from R-22 to a current refrigerant system needs the indoor coil replaced to complete the changeover.
We coordinate the coil replacement with the condenser swap so both happen in the same mobilization where possible. The new coil gets matched to the replacement outdoor unit by model number and tested as a system, not just as individual components. We record the final charge weight and system pressures.
An owner of a newer townhome in the Boca Raton area notices ice forming on the refrigerant line coming out of the air handler closet on humid afternoons.
Ice on the suction line usually means low refrigerant or restricted airflow, but we don't assume. We check the filter, measure airflow at the return, and then test system pressures. If pressures confirm a refrigerant leak, we trace it. Finding it at the coil rather than a line set fitting matters — the repair scope is very different.
Boca Raton Context
Why this matters in Boca Raton
Boca Raton sits close to the ocean and gets sustained high humidity for most of the year. That combination accelerates the formicary corrosion that eats through copper evaporator coils — it's more common here than in drier climates, and it's not related to equipment quality or age alone. Homes in eastern Boca, particularly near the Intracoastal, tend to see coil corrosion earlier than inland communities. Attic-mounted air handlers also bake in summer heat, which stresses coil connections and the drain pan over time.
Straight Talk
About pricing & scope
Evaporator coil jobs vary in scope mainly based on coil availability and what we find when we open the cabinet. Some coil models for older air handlers require special-order lead time. If the drain pan has rusted through or the air handler cabinet is corroded at the base, that's additional work we can't always see until the old coil is out. We'll show you what we found and get your sign-off before doing anything beyond the original scope.
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