Top 7 HVAC companies in Charleston, South Carolina

Climate in Charleston County

Charleston County sits in IECC zone 3A with a moist regime. Heating degree days total 2300 while cooling degree days reach 2200, producing a cooling-leaning mixed load profile. Design temperatures are 25 °F in winter and 96 °F in summer. Very high summer humidity creates a heavy latent load that equipment must handle through proper dehumidification and airflow settings. Heat pumps show excellent suitability and central air conditioning saturation is near universal. Peak service demand occurs in summer. Equipment therefore requires corrosion-resistant coils for coastal exposure and accurate Manual J sizing to avoid short-cycling in humid conditions.

The shortlist

Companies are ranked by a Bayesian-adjusted rating: a company's star rating is pulled toward the national mean until it has enough reviews to stand on its own, so a 5.0 from four customers does not outrank a 4.9 from two hundred. Small tie-breakers apply for a public website, for being listed as an HVAC specialist rather than a general contractor, and for published 24/7 availability. This is a shortlist built from public listing data, not a review of work performed.

Degree Home Services

Degree Home Services holds 73 reviews at a raw 5-star rating and an adjusted score of 4.931. Its Mount Pleasant address is 802 Coleman Blvd Ste 208, Mt Pleasant, SC 29464 and the listed phone is (843) 256-6859. The firm appears as a general contractor that publishes 24/7 availability and a website. The raw rating sits above the national mean of 4.764; the adjustment pulls it down modestly because the review count is still moderate. The numbers cannot reveal how the company manages coastal corrosion protection on outdoor units.

Customer's Preference

Customer's Preference records 40 reviews at a raw 5-star rating and an adjusted score of 4.899. It operates from 4149 Mill Creek Dr, North Charleston, SC 29420 and the phone number is (843) 557-5446. The listing shows a general contractor offering 24/7 service plus a website. Its raw score exceeds the 4.764 mean and receives a small downward Bayesian adjustment given the review volume. These data leave open how the firm performs on high-latent-load cooling jobs typical of the area.

Mount Pleasant Heating & Air Conditioning

Mount Pleasant Heating & Air Conditioning shows 35 reviews at a raw 4.9-star rating and an adjusted score of 4.837. The address is 1400 Midtown Ave Ste 401, Mt Pleasant, SC 29464 and the phone is (843) 714-0863. It lists under Services with 24/7 availability and a website. The raw rating lies above the national mean; the adjustment moves it downward because the review count remains limited. The figures give no information on actual equipment sizing practices in humid summers.

Summit HVAC Repair Mount Pleasant

Summit HVAC Repair Mount Pleasant carries 12 reviews at a raw 5-star rating and an adjusted score of 4.831. Its location is 418 Live Oak Dr, Mt Pleasant, SC 29464 with phone (843) 994-4268. The entry is a general contractor that posts 24/7 availability and a website. The raw rating exceeds the 4.764 mean; limited reviews cause a noticeable downward Bayesian shift. The data cannot speak to long-term reliability on salt-air exposed systems.

Elevate HVAC

Elevate HVAC lists 18 reviews at a raw 5-star rating and an adjusted score of 4.853. The address is 4355 SC-642, North Charleston, SC 29405 and the phone number is (854) 248-0388. It appears as a general contractor with 24/7 availability but no published website. Its raw rating is above the national mean; the adjustment pulls the score down modestly given the modest review count. These numbers say nothing about how the firm handles dehumidification requirements.

AC Heating and Air Conditioning Services

AC Heating and Air Conditioning Services has 46 reviews at a raw 4.8-star rating and an adjusted score of 4.786. It is based at 1943 Belgrade Ave #1, Charleston, SC 29407 with phone (843) 556-7641. The listing is a general contractor that offers 24/7 service and a website. The raw rating sits slightly above the 4.764 mean and receives a small downward Bayesian adjustment. The figures cannot indicate performance on oversized equipment or humidity control.

Pleasant Air Conditioning

Pleasant Air Conditioning shows 92 reviews at a raw 4.6-star rating and an adjusted score of 4.64. The address is 1651 SC-41, Mt Pleasant, SC 29466 and the phone is (843) 642-6646. It lists as a general contractor without published 24/7 hours but maintains a website. The raw rating falls below the national mean; the adjustment lifts it slightly because the larger review count lends stability. The numbers leave unanswered questions about response times outside posted hours.

How to choose an HVAC contractor

Verify the adjusted rating rather than the raw star score. Confirm the company publishes a website and 24/7 availability if emergency service matters. Cross-check the state license lookup before any deposit. Ask for references from recent coastal installations and request Manual J load calculations. Compare written quotes that itemize equipment, labor at $90 per hour, and the $90–300 permit range.

Cost of HVAC work in Charleston

The modeled typical full-system install stands at $8,450 with a documented range of $7,600 to $9,300. The 2025 invoiced average reached $19,089 and the upper quartile hit $26,280. Labor is listed at $90 per hour. Permit fees fall between $90 and $300. Both sources appear in the data set. The invoiced average sits more than double the modeled typical price. Local costs register lower than national benchmarks overall. Homeowners should obtain multiple written quotes that separate equipment, labor, and permit fees to understand the spread.

Licensing and permits in South Carolina

South Carolina maintains state-level licensing through the Residential Builders Commission for residential HVAC and the Contractors' Licensing Board for commercial mechanical work, both under the Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation. A Residential HVAC Installer and Repairer License covers residential work exceeding $500. A Group 2 Mechanical Contractor license is required for commercial HVAC work exceeding $10,000. A $10,000 surety bond applies when residential project cost exceeds $5,000. The state does not mandate general liability insurance for these licenses. Permits for furnace or AC replacements are issued locally by city or county building departments rather than at the state level. License status can be checked at https://verify.llronline.com/LicLookup/Resbu/Resbu.aspx.

Incentives available in 2026

South Carolina Home Energy Rebates remain conditionally approved for a 2026 launch with a planned $8,000 maximum heat-pump rebate. No state tax credit exists. Utility programs from Duke Energy Carolinas, Dominion Energy SC, and Santee Cooper offer $200 to $1,200 rebates. All listed utility programs require participation in a contractor network. Federal 25C and 25D credits expired at the end of 2025, leaving no residential federal HVAC tax credit for 2026. The 48E investment tax credit survives only for commercial or third-party-owned systems that meet construction or placed-in-service deadlines. Coastal salt exposure and high latent loads therefore remain the primary technical filters when selecting an installer.

Local review depth stays modest and most ranked firms operate as general contractors. License verification through the LLR portal and references from recent installations provide the clearest next steps before committing funds.