AC Repair in West Boca Raton, From a Shop Inside the Grid
Direct Cooling handles AC repair, replacement and maintenance across West Boca Raton from our office on Spanish Isles Boulevard in Boca Commerce Park. West Boca is unincorporated Palm Beach County, so the county, not the City of Boca Raton, permits the work, and its records show 17 permits under our license since 2018.
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Our AC Work in West Boca, on the County Record
Palm Beach County issues the permits for unincorporated west Boca, and its public search lists every permit pulled under our license, CAC1819111. These are the jobs a stranger can verify.
Source: Palm Beach County ePZB permit search for contractor CAC1819111, read October 6, 2026. Repairs that do not alter the system listing need no permit and never appear in this count, and jobs inside City of Boca Raton limits sit in a different permit system.
Is West Boca Part of Boca Raton? What That Means for AC Repair and Permits
No. West Boca Raton is a mailing address, not a city. The homes west of the City of Boca Raton limits, across ZIPs 33428, 33433, 33434, 33496 and 33498, sit in unincorporated Palm Beach County, so the county Building Division issues AC permits and inspects the work. The Property Appraiser marks those parcels with municipality code 00.
That matters on day one of a replacement. A contractor who pulls a City of Boca Raton permit for a Boca Chase or Mission Bay home has filed with the wrong office. We read the parcel record before we file, and for a home that straddles an old plat line we confirm the code rather than guess from the street name.
It also matters for what you can look up. Because the county search lets anyone filter by contractor license, the 17 west Boca permits above are the part of our work that is public. The City of Boca Raton portal does not offer that search, so jobs inside city limits are not counted here, and ordinary repairs never generate a permit anywhere.
West Boca by ZIP Code: Build Year, Owners and Seasonal Homes
Five ZIP codes cover west Boca, and they are not alike. Census figures show a 1983 median build year in 33434 and a 1991 median in 33496 and 33498, plus a fivefold spread in seasonal homes. Those two numbers predict most of what we see on service calls.
| ZIP | Median year built | Median resident age | Seasonal share of housing | Owner-occupied | Housing mix |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 33434 | 1983 | 63.8 | 16.0% | 78.2% | 53.3% in buildings of 5+ units; median 4.5 rooms |
| 33433 | 1985 | 49.2 | 5.5% | 69.3% | Mixed condos, villas and single-family |
| 33428 | 1987 | 40.2 | 3.9% | 66.6% | Includes 7.0% mobile homes, the youngest population |
| 33496 | 1991 | 51.1 | 9.1% | 83.5% | 56.8% detached, 24.6% attached |
| 33498 | 1991 | 45.2 | 3.2% | 94.7% | 88.4% detached; median 6.6 rooms |
Electricity is the heating fuel in 82.9% (33496) to 96.8% (33498) of occupied west Boca homes (ACS table B25040), so the AC or heat pump is usually the only heating system in the house.
West Boca Communities: Build Years, Homesteads and Flood Samples
Across unincorporated Boca Raton addresses, the county roll lists 59,871 homes with a median build year of 1985, and 73% were built between 1980 and 1999. That single building boom is why so many west Boca systems are on the same replacement clock. The detail below is from county parcel records; a low homestead share is a quick proxy for seasonal ownership.
| Community | Homes | Built (median) | Homesteaded | Mix | Flood sample |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sandalfoot Cove plats | 2,712 parcels | 1963 onward (1976) | n/a | Single-family and villas | Zone AO at a sampled point |
| Boca Lago | 1,695 | 1975 to 1983 (1979) | 56.2% | All condominium | 4 of 12 in Zone AO |
| Century Village | 5,712 | 1979 to 1986 (1980) | 37% | All condominium | Zone X at the pin |
| Boca Del Mar (named plats) | 709 | 1973 onward (1984) | 44.4% | SF 462, condo 202, TH 45 | 2 of 12 in Zone AE |
| Boca Rio | 1,078 | 1979 to 1996 (1986) | 65.6% | Mostly townhomes | 2 of 12 in Zone AO |
| Boca Pointe | 2,272 | 1984 to 2002 (1986) | 60.7% | Condo 1,557, SF 541 | 0 of 12 |
| Polo Club | 747 | 1987 to 2005 (1989) | 56.8% | Condo, SF and TH | 0 of 12 |
| Boca Winds | 723 | 1987 to 1996 (1992) | 84.6% | All single-family | 0 of 12 |
| Mission Bay | 1,445 parcels | 1986 onward (1993) | 74% | Single-family and TH | Zone X at the pin |
| Boca Isles | 800 | 1993 to 1997 (1994) | 84.5% | All single-family | 0 of 12 |
| Boca Falls | n/a | 1995 to 2004 (1997) | n/a | Single-family | Zone X at the pin |
Homes are residential parcels; counts for named plats can miss sub-communities filed under other names. Flood results are samples, not a determination for your lot; your elevation certificate or the FEMA map decides that.
What Changes From One West Boca Gate to the Next
The same model of condenser behaves differently in a 1979 condo and a 2025 house. These are the place-specific things we plan for before the truck rolls.
- Century Village and Boca LagoTwo all-condo communities built in the late 1970s and early 1980s, 2.0 and 3.5 miles from the shop. Expect interior air handler closets, association rules for outdoor units and owners who are often away; at Century Village only 37% of units are homesteaded.
- Sandalfoot Cove and Boca RioThe oldest named stock in west Boca, with Sandalfoot plats going back to 1963 and Boca Rio built mostly as townhomes from 1979. Sampled parcels here include Zone AO shallow flooding, so stand height and anchoring get a close look on every change-out.
- Boca Del MarPlanned in 1969 as Boca Granada, with its first planned unit development approved in 1971. The named plats show the lowest homestead share in our sample, 44.4%, and a mix of single-family homes, condos and townhomes from the 1970s on.
- Boca West, Polo Club and St AndrewsGolf communities with gate procedures and architectural rules. Boca West alone holds 72 holes of golf between Glades Road and the city line. We have permitted work at Charter Cay and Cedarwood in Boca West, Hampton Court at the Polo Club and St Andrews Country Club.
- Mission Bay, Boca Isles and Boca WindsSingle-family neighborhoods from the late 1980s and 1990s with 74% to 85% homesteaded, so they are mostly year-round households. With median build years from 1992 to 1994, original equipment is long past the 10-year mark at which ENERGY STAR suggests considering replacement. Two of our change-outs are in Mission Bay, including Sonata at Mission Bay.
- Our next-door neighborsWaterberry (248 townhomes, 1984 to 1988), Stonebridge (398 homes, median 1988), Sweetwater (median 1988) and Boca Greens (586 homes, median 1984) all sit within about 1.3 miles of our office on Spanish Isles Boulevard.
- Johns West and the new buildsBuilt from 2024 to 2026 with current equipment. The questions there are maintenance schedules and adding ductless zones for rooms the central system does not reach, which is where our 2026 mini split permit came from.
How an AC Replacement Gets Permitted in West Boca
This is the county path for an unincorporated west Boca home. A repair that does not alter the system listing skips it entirely.
Confirm the jurisdiction
We check the Property Appraiser parcel for municipality code 00 (unincorporated), so the filing goes to the county, not the City of Boca Raton.
Pick the permit type
On the county lists, an A/C change-out for a house or duplex is a Type 1 permit; the same change-out in a condo building of three or more units, or a commercial space, falls under Type 2. We apply through ePZB, the county online portal.
Record the Notice of Commencement
For an AC replacement of $15,000 or more, the county requires a recorded Notice of Commencement before the first inspection.
Anchor for wind
All of unincorporated Palm Beach County is in the wind-borne debris region. Outdoor units must resist wind loads (Florida Mechanical Code 301.15), and the county advisory board treats rated stands and slabs as compliant only when properly anchored.
Mind the flood line
In a mapped flood zone, equipment must sit at or above the required elevation (Florida Mechanical Code 301.16). Parts of Sandalfoot Cove sample as Zone AO.
Inspect and close
The county inspects the installation before the permit closes, and the Florida HVAC Efficiency Card (county form PB-O-021) must be available to the inspector. We schedule it and follow the permit to final, so nothing is left open on your parcel record.
What Our West Boca Permits Say About Local Equipment
Read the 17 county permits by community and a pattern appears. The six exact like-for-like change-outs sit in communities whose homes date mostly from 1986 to 2000: Charter Cay at Boca West (1986 to 1987), Mission Bay (median 1993), Boca Chase (median 1992), Boca Landings North (1992 to 1994) and Mizner Pointe townhomes (1998 to 2000). Those homes are on their second or third outdoor unit, and the owners chose to keep the same tonnage and layout.
The eight general mechanical permits cover a wider spread of ages: Cimarron (median 1979), Cedarwood of Boca West (median 1979), Boca Rio Heights (median 1987), Hampton Court at the Polo Club (1988), Fieldbrook (median 1988), Boca Hamlet (median 1988), St Andrews Country Club (1989 to 1991) and Long Lake Estates, built from 1978 onward. In the older half of that list, a replacement often involves more than the box: an air handler closet sized for older equipment, a stand that no longer meets anchoring rules, or ducts that have outlived two systems.
At the other end, the 2026 permit for a new ductless mini split is in Johns West, a community of about 370 parcels built from 2024 to 2026. New construction like that already ships with A2L refrigerant equipment. If your older home runs R-410A, EPA rules still allow it to be used and repaired; the federal rule changed in May 2026 and removed the January 1, 2026 installation deadline for residential split-system equipment made before 2025.
Why a West Boca System Works Differently Than One at the Beach
West Boca sits 5 to 11 miles inland. That distance removes one problem and sharpens others.
Beyond the salt band
Carrier notes salt can carry up to 2 miles from the coast. Our office is 8.2 miles from the beach at Red Reef Park, Boca West 5.7 miles, Century Village 7.1, Mission Bay 9.0 and Boca Falls 10.8, so coil corrosion from salt spray is rarely the story here.
Humidity is the real load
West Palm Beach averages dew points of roughly 72 to 74°F from June through September (NOAA 1991-2020 hourly normals). Lawns, lakes and golf courses keep that moisture close, so drain lines and coil cleanliness decide comfort more than raw cooling capacity.
Wind-borne debris region
Every unincorporated parcel in Palm Beach County is in the wind-borne debris region on the county design wind map. West Boca is not in the High-Velocity Hurricane Zone, which covers only Broward and Miami-Dade.
Shallow flooding pockets
Most west Boca samples read FEMA Zone X, but a Sandalfoot Cove sample and the West Boca High School site read Zone AO, shallow flooding. Equipment height and stand condition matter more there.
Heat pump country
With electricity heating 83% to 97% of homes, a heat pump replacement covers the roughly 20 nights a year below 50°F at West Palm Beach (NOAA normals) without running resistance strips as the main heat.
Traffic shapes the schedule
Glades Road, the main east-west route, runs 11.1 miles, and its western 3.5 miles carry the County Road 808 designation. Starting inside that grid is how we plan same-day visits in July.
A Year of AC Care for Seasonal Owners in West Boca
Seasonal homes are 16% of housing in ZIP 33434, home to Century Village, where only 37% of the 5,712 condos are homesteaded. This is the calendar we suggest for a home that sits closed through the summer.
Book service about three weeks ahead, as UF/IFAS suggests. Have the condensate line cleared, because summer heat and humidity feed mildew in a closed home.
Leave the AC running, set no higher than 85°F so it keeps pulling moisture (UF/IFAS). UF/IFAS warns that indoor humidity above 55 to 60% risks mold.
Hurricane season runs June 1 to November 30. Arrange for someone to check the home after a storm and never restart a unit that sat in floodwater.
Check for musty odors, water in the drain pan and the indoor humidity. EPA advises keeping it below 60%. Then set the thermostat back to the 75 to 78°F range FPL suggests while you are home.
Hurricane Prep for a West Boca AC, Before and After
West Boca rarely floods from the ocean, but wind and standing water still reach the equipment. These are the steps that matter here.
- In May, have the stand and tie-downs checked. A corroded stand in a Zone AO pocket near Sandalfoot Cove is the weakest part of the installation.
- Clear the area around the outdoor unit of furniture, planters and loose pavers that wind can throw into the coil.
- Before the storm, follow FPL and turn off and unplug non-essential electrical equipment.
- After power returns, give the system about five minutes; many units hold the compressor off for 3 to 5 minutes to protect it (FPL).
- If the AC breaker trips, FPL advises waiting five minutes before one reset. If it trips again, leave it off and call.
- If floodwater reached the outdoor unit or air handler, do not start it. Goodman advises a qualified inspection first, and replacement may be the better choice.
After heavy rain in a Zone AO pocket such as parts of Sandalfoot Cove, Boca Rio or Boca Lago, a condenser can sit in standing water. Goodman advises having flooded equipment inspected by a qualified technician before it runs, and Palm Beach County flood guidance recommends elevating A/C condensing units where flooding recurs. Call or text us first.
West Boca Communities With Our Permits on Record
Each job pin marks the community, never the house. Tap a pin for the kind of work on record and when the homes there were built.
The interactive map is not loading right now. The areas it covers:
- Direct Cooling office (Boca Commerce Park): 10058 Spanish Isles Blvd, Boca Raton.
- Mission Bay (Two change-outs): Two AC change-outs on record, one at Sonata at Mission Bay. Homes from 1986 on, median 1993; 2.5 miles from the shop.
- Boca West (Change-out and mechanical): A change-out at Charter Cay (built 1986 to 1987) and mechanical work at Cedarwood (median 1979).
- Boca Chase (Change-out): AC change-out on record. Homes median 1992.
- Boca Landings North (Change-out): AC change-out on record. Homes built 1992 to 1994.
- Mizner Pointe (Change-out): AC change-out on record in townhomes built 1998 to 2000.
- Hampton Court, Polo Club (Mechanical): Mechanical permit on record. Homes built around 1988.
- St Andrews Country Club (Mechanical): Mechanical permit on record. Homes built 1989 to 1991.
- Long Lake Estates (Mechanical): Mechanical permit on record. Homes built from 1978 onward.
- Fieldbrook (Mechanical): Mechanical permit on record. Homes median 1988.
- Boca Hamlet (Mechanical): Mechanical permit on record. Homes median 1988.
- Boca Rio Heights (Mechanical): Mechanical permit on record in the former Sandalfoot Cove area. Homes median 1987.
- Cimarron (Mechanical): Mechanical permit on record. Homes median 1979.
- Johns West (New mini split, 2026): New ductless mini split permitted in a community built 2024 to 2026.
- Century Village (5,712 condos): Built 1979 to 1986, median 1980; 37% homesteaded.
- Boca Lago (1,695 condos): Built 1975 to 1983; 4 of 12 sampled homes in Zone AO.
- Whisper Walk (55+ condos): 770 condos built 1984 to 1994.
- Boca Del Mar (Planned 1969): First planned unit development approval in 1971.
- Boca Isles (800 homes): Built 1993 to 1997; 1.4 miles from the shop.
Guides to Communities in West Boca Raton
West Boca Raton AC Questions We Actually Get
Direct CoolingFL Certified AC Contractor CAC1819111 Dispatch 24/7 Hi, this is Direct Cooling. Tap a question below for a straight answer.
Tap a question to ask
- Does the City of Boca Raton or Palm Beach County permit AC work in west Boca?
- In unincorporated west Boca, Palm Beach County does, through its ePZB portal and the Building Division at 2300 N. Jog Road, with a South County office at 345 S. Congress Avenue in Delray Beach. Your Boca Raton mailing address does not decide it; the parcel municipality code does.
- Can I skip the permit under the new 2026 state exemption for small jobs?
- Not in Palm Beach County. The county Building Division says the HB 803 permit exemptions for work under $7,500 do not apply here, because all of Palm Beach County is designated a flood hazard area. Routine repairs that do not alter the system listing still need no permit.
- Do you work in west Boca's country club and gated communities?
- Yes. Our county permits include Boca West, the Polo Club, St Andrews Country Club and Mission Bay. Tell us the gate procedure and any association rules for outdoor units when you book, and we plan the visit around them.
- In a Century Village condo, does the owner or the association replace the AC?
- It depends on your association's Declaration of Condominium, which assigns responsibility for each part of the system. Check those documents or ask the association office first; we can then quote and permit the part that is yours, as a Type 2 county change-out for a building of three or more units.
- Can you handle the larger homes and multiple systems in west Boca?
- Yes. The median home in ZIP 33498 has 6.6 rooms, and larger homes in Boca Isles, Boca Winds or Boca Falls may run more than one system. We size each one with a load calculation and add ductless units where a room was never on the central system.
- What happens on a repair visit before you recommend anything?
- We diagnose first. The technician finds the cause, tells you what failed and why, and gives you the repair option before any replacement conversation. Our office on Spanish Isles Boulevard is within about 5.5 miles of every community on this page.
West Boca Neighbors, We Are Down the Road
Call or text (561) 210-7605. Your technician starts from Spanish Isles Boulevard, already inside the Glades, Lyons and US 441 grid.
Sources · page reviewed 2026-10-06
- Palm Beach County ePZB permit search, contractor CAC1819111, read 2026-10-06
- Palm Beach County Property Appraiser, parcel and property details layer, read 2026-10-06
- Palm Beach County Property Appraiser, municipality codes, read 2026-10-06
- US Census ACS 2020-2024 5-year (tables B25035, B25034, B25024, B25004, B01002, B25018), via Census Reporter, read 2026-10-06
- US Census ACS 2020-2024 5-year, tenure (B25003) and house heating fuel (B25040), via Census Reporter, read 2026-10-06
- FEMA National Flood Hazard Layer, read 2026-10-06
- Palm Beach County Building Division, owner-builder guidelines (permit types), read 2026-10-06
- Palm Beach County, when a permit is required, read 2026-10-06
- Palm Beach County, ultimate design wind speed map (Risk Category II), read 2026-10-06
- Florida Building Code, High-Velocity Hurricane Zone definition, read 2026-10-06
- Wikipedia, Boca West, Florida, read 2026-10-06
- Wikipedia, Sandalfoot Cove, Florida, read 2026-10-06
- Wikipedia, Mission Bay, Florida, read 2026-10-06
- Wikipedia, Whisper Walk, Florida, read 2026-10-06
- Wikipedia, Glades Road, read 2026-10-06
- NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 monthly normals, West Palm Beach International Airport (USW00012844), read 2026-10-06
- Carrier, coastal heating and air conditioning, read 2026-10-06
- US EPA, Technology Transitions final rule reconsideration (2026), read 2026-10-06
- Palm Beach County Building Division, permit types (Type 1 and Type 2), read 2026-10-06
- Palm Beach County, Florida HVAC Efficiency Card (form PB-O-021), read 2026-10-06
- Palm Beach County Building Division news, HB 803 permit exemptions (July 1, 2026), read 2026-10-06
- Palm Beach County Building Division, offices and hours, read 2026-10-06
- Palm Beach County BCAB, wind resistance of exposed mechanical equipment (2017), read 2026-10-06
- 2023 Florida Mechanical Code, Chapter 3 (301.15 wind, 301.16 flood), read 2026-10-06
- Palm Beach County Emergency Management, flood safety and recovery tips, read 2026-10-06
- Goodman, HVAC equipment after a flood, read 2026-10-06
- NOAA NCEI, 1991-2020 hourly normals, West Palm Beach Intl (dew point), read 2026-10-06
- UF/IFAS Extension, Preparing your home for seasonal absence (HE887), read 2026-10-06
- FPL, Ask the expert: AC tips (seasonal residents), read 2026-10-06
- FPL, Ask the expert: AC settings, read 2026-10-06
- FPL, Storm preparation guide, read 2026-10-06
- FPL, Power outage guide, read 2026-10-06
- EPA, A brief guide to mold, moisture and your home, read 2026-10-06
- NOAA National Hurricane Center, Tropical cyclone climatology, read 2026-10-06
- EPA, Technology Transitions final rule fact sheet (May 2026), read 2026-10-06
- EPA, Frequent Questions on the Phasedown of HFCs, read 2026-10-06
- ENERGY STAR, When to replace heating and cooling equipment, read 2026-10-06
- Wikipedia, Boca Del Mar, Florida, read 2026-10-06
- Wikipedia, West Boca Raton, Florida, read 2026-10-06