HVAC Contractor in Irmo, SC

Irmo calls itself the Gateway to Lake Murray and Home of the Okra Strut, and it is roughly a 15-minute run from our Lexington shop, straight over the Lake Murray dam. We work on both sides of the Lexington and Richland county line, and emergency calls from Irmo households get answered day and night. Many of the town's 1970s to 1990s homes now run heat pumps old enough that a planned upgrade beats waiting for a July breakdown.

Heat pumps near the Lake Murray dam that are due for an upgrade

Census Bureau estimates for 2020–2024 place about 63 percent of Irmo's homes in the 1970s and 1980s, and roughly 81 percent of households heat with electricity. Plenty of Irmo subdivisions from this era went in with first-generation heat pumps handling both heating and cooling. Those original units are long gone, but many second-round replacements installed in the 1990s and 2000s are still running. Equipment from before 2010 typically uses R-22 refrigerant, which has not been produced in the US since 2020, so recharging a leak is costly and only delays the inevitable.

Newer systems are different in ways that matter here. Since 2023, split-system heat pumps sold in the Southeast must meet at least 14.3 SEER2 and 7.5 HSPF2, and since 2025 new residential systems have moved to lower-GWP A2L refrigerants such as R-454B and R-32. Variable-speed models go further, running at low speed for long stretches to pull humidity out of the air near the lake.

The ductwork is the other half of the story. Seams and joints that have been in place for 30 to 50 years leak, and a new system connected to leaky ducts never delivers its rated performance. That is why duct sealing is often part of an Irmo upgrade. Keep in mind that the federal 25C tax credit ended for equipment placed in service after 2025; check utility and manufacturer rebates and ask a tax professional.

What do Irmo homes need from a heating and air contractor?

Aging heat pumps, older ducts and long lake-country summers shape most of the work we do in Irmo.

Replacing a heat pump in Irmo: survey, install day and permit

A replacement starts with a visit to the house, not a quote over the phone. We look at the existing equipment, measure the rooms and windows to size the new system, test the ducts and check the electrical service. Then you get options, usually a standard single-stage unit alongside a two-stage or variable-speed choice, with the pros and cons of each and no pressure to pick the most expensive one.

Once you decide, heat pump installation moves quickly: equipment can often be on hand within a few days, and most installs take one working day. The permit comes from whichever building office covers your address, since Irmo spans two counties. After startup, we check refrigerant charge, airflow and the thermostat, and we clean up before leaving. If you need cooling in the meantime, AC repair can often keep an old system going until the new one is in.

Lake Murray Boulevard, Dreher Shoals Road and two counties

Irmo was chartered on Christmas Eve 1890 after the Columbia, Newberry and Laurens Railroad opened, and its name blends those of two founders, C.J. Iredell and Henry Moseley. Today it covers about 6.86 square miles and counted 11,569 residents in 2020. The Okra Strut, started in 1973 to raise money for a library, is still held every year.

Lake Murray Boulevard (SC-60) is the main artery, meeting I-26 at Exit 102 and SC-6 near the lake. In Irmo, SC-6 changes from North Lake Drive to Dreher Shoals Road, named for the dam most people call the Lake Murray Dam. Saluda Shoals Park, a 480-acre park on the Saluda River below the dam, opened its new 8.5-mile riverwalk trail in 2026. Students attend Lexington-Richland School District 5 schools such as Irmo High and Dutch Fork High.