Top 7 HVAC companies in Lexington, South Carolina

Lexington County sits in climate zone 3A with 2,300 heating degree days and 2,200 cooling degree days. Summer humidity drives latent loads while winter design temperature reaches only 25 °F. Central air conditioning saturation is near universal and heat pumps already dominate. Installed costs reported for the county range from $7,600 to $9,300 for a typical full system, though 2025 invoice averages sit higher at $19,089. The shortlist below draws solely from public listings dated August 2026.

How to choose

State law requires a Residential HVAC Installer license for work exceeding $500 and a Group 2 Mechanical Contractor license for commercial jobs above $10,000. Both licenses fall under the South Carolina Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation. Local city or county departments issue the actual mechanical permits. A $10,000 surety bond is mandatory once residential work crosses $5,000. Utility rebates through Duke, Dominion and Santee Cooper require participation in approved contractor networks. These filters narrow the field before price or availability enter the decision.

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.

Aircor Services

Aircor Services operates from 281 Zenker Rd, Lexington, SC 29072 and lists the phone number (803) 356-0025. Its single review produced a raw rating of 5.0. The Bayesian adjustment lowered that score to 4.812 because the national mean sits at 4.764 and one review supplies little weight. The firm appears as a general contractor without 24/7 status. A public website supplied the only tie-breaker that placed it first. These numbers reveal nothing about actual workmanship or response times on larger jobs.

Cayce Co

Cayce Co lists the address 307 Dooley Rd, Lexington, SC 29073 and the phone number (803) 808-3724. One review yielded a raw 5.0 that the model adjusted downward to 4.812. The same national mean of 4.764 and identical review count produced the same adjusted score as the top firm. General-contractor status and a published website supplied the tie-breakers. The data set contains no information on equipment brands stocked or typical job duration.

Starr Mechanical Services, LLC

Starr Mechanical Services, LLC maintains its office at 149 Frye Rd, Lexington, SC 29072 and can be reached at (803) 609-1589. Five reviews produced a raw rating of 4.8. The adjustment moved the score only 0.009 points upward to 4.809 because the larger sample already sat close to the national mean of 4.764. A public website provided the final placement signal. The modest review count still leaves open questions about consistency across seasons.

Cullum Mechanical

Cullum Mechanical lists 2048 Industrial Blvd, Lexington, SC 29072 and the phone number (803) 951-9366. Three reviews gave a raw rating of 4.7. The Bayesian step raised the score to 4.798, closing most of the 0.064-point gap to the national mean of 4.764. A website listing supplied the tie-breaker. The three-review sample cannot yet demonstrate performance on high-humidity latent-load jobs typical of zone 3A.

Best Choice Heating & Air Conditioning Columbia

Best Choice Heating & Air Conditioning Columbia operates from 630 Ashland Park Ln, Columbia, SC 29210 and lists the phone number (803) 886-6474. Three reviews produced a raw 5.0. The adjustment lowered the score to 4.785 because the national mean sits at 4.764. No website or 24/7 claim appears in the listing. The absence of those signals placed the firm fifth despite the perfect raw rating. Review volume remains too small to confirm reliability during peak summer demand.

C² Climate Co

C² Climate Co lists only Lexington, SC 29073 and the phone number (839) 849-1680. Zero reviews produced a raw rating of 0. The model raised the adjusted score to 4.784 solely because the firm published 24/7 availability. General-contractor status and lack of a website kept the final position at sixth. With no customer feedback recorded, the numbers supply no evidence of completed work quality.

Mid Carolina Service Company

Mid Carolina Service Company operates from 416 Rawl Rd, Lexington, SC 29072 and lists the phone number (803) 356-4153. Two reviews produced a raw rating of 3.0. The adjustment lifted the score 1.654 points to 4.654 because the low rating sat well below the national mean of 4.764. No website or 24/7 listing appears. The small sample and sub-mean raw score leave the largest uncertainty about future performance.

Cost

Two independent sources report installed costs for Lexington County. One dataset places a typical full-system replacement between $7,600 and $9,300 with a midpoint of $8,450. A second set of 2025 invoices shows an average of $19,089 and an upper quartile of $26,280. Labor is stated at $90 per hour. Permit fees range from $90 to $300 depending on the local jurisdiction. The wide spread between the two cost sources reflects differences in system size, duct modifications and whether the job included electrical or structural work. Homeowners should obtain itemized quotes that separate equipment, labor and permit fees.

Licensing and permits

South Carolina maintains state-level licensing through the Residential Builders Commission for residential HVAC and the Contractors' Licensing Board for commercial mechanical work; both sit under the Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation. A Residential HVAC Installer and Repairer License covers residential jobs exceeding $500. A Group 2 Mechanical Contractor license covers commercial work exceeding $10,000. A $10,000 surety bond is required once residential project cost exceeds $5,000. Building and mechanical permits themselves are issued by the local city or county department rather than the state. Verification can be performed at the public lookup portal maintained by LLR. No statewide insurance mandate beyond the bond is listed for HVAC contractors.

Incentives

South Carolina's Home Energy Rebates program received conditional approval and is scheduled to launch in 2026 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 currently offer rebates between $200 and $1,200, but all require the installer to belong to the utility's approved contractor network. Federal 25C and 25D tax credits expired at the end of 2025. The 48E investment tax credit remains available only for commercial or third-party-owned systems that meet construction or placed-in-service deadlines. These rules mean homeowners should first confirm network participation before discussing equipment choices.

Climate

Lexington County falls in IECC zone 3A with a moist regime. Winter design temperature is 25 °F and summer design temperature reaches 96 °F. Heating degree days total 2,300 while cooling degree days total 2,200, producing a cooling-leaning mixed load profile. Very high summer humidity creates a heavy latent load that favors equipment with strong dehumidification capacity. Heat-pump suitability is rated excellent and central-air saturation is already near universal. Peak service demand occurs in summer. Proper sizing must account for both sensible and latent capacity; oversizing risks short-cycling and elevated humidity. The engineering note emphasizes cooling dominance and very high heat-pump penetration already present in the market.

Public listing data alone cannot confirm workmanship, response speed or long-term reliability. Homeowners should request references, verify current license status on the LLR portal and obtain multiple written quotes before committing to any contractor.