Heating and Cooling in Myrtle Beach, SC

Heating and cooling in Myrtle Beach means salt, sand and the condo tower. We are based in Charleston, which is about 2 hours 22 minutes away by road on a 101-mile route, so the Grand Strand is a long trip for us. Visits at this range are arranged by phone and planned around your dates. Calling ahead lets us confirm a day that works.

Myrtle Beach had 35,682 year-round residents at the 2020 census and sits near the center of a roughly 60-mile stretch of beach.

Ocean Boulevard condos and the Intracoastal strip

Know what kind of system you have before you call. Since 1936 the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway has cut the city off from the mainland, pushing development into a narrow band along the coast. Condos and rentals are a big part of what stands there.

The 2020 census counted 22,456 housing units, with 25.4% vacant. An empty unit still has a humidity problem. Condos can use several setups, and each changes who you call:

• Split systems with an air handler in a closet and a condenser on a ledge or at ground level.
• Packaged wall units that serve one room or suite.
• Water-source heat pumps tied to a shared building loop, where the association has a stake.

Read your association's rules first. Some of that equipment may be shared, and access can require sign-off.

Is summer really milder on the Grand Strand?

Hot days are fewer, yes, but the air stays wet. Wikipedia reports that Myrtle Beach averages 21 days a year hitting 90°F, while inland Florence averages 65. NOAA's normals put Charleston International Airport at 64.3.

Do not read that as an easy season. Ocean air carries heavy moisture and salt, and full buildings in July push indoor humidity up. A system that runs at a mild temperature can still leave a condo clammy, which is why correct sizing and a clean coil count for more than a low thermostat setting.

Heating and cooling in Myrtle Beach: what the salt wears out

These are the jobs to book ahead of the season:

• Coastal corrosion AC repair for fins, cabinets and connections that salt has reached. Condo condensers often sit together on a roof or deck, so note where yours is and who holds access.
• AC maintenance before the first full-house weekend of the year. With a drive of 2 hours 22 minutes, one spring date covering every unit in a building makes more sense than separate trips.
• AC replacement when a beach-side unit has corroded past a sensible repair. Check the city's 50 percent rule and any association limits before you choose equipment, because either one can reshape the job.
• Heat pump installation for mild Grand Strand winters. One system for both seasons suits a condo with limited space, and Santee Cooper's reported rebate applies only to its own customers, so read your bill.
• Whole home dehumidifiers for second homes that sit shut. A closed unit near the Intracoastal gathers moisture quickly, and an owner far away will not notice until the first visit of the season.
• Thermostat installation for rentals run from a distance. Lock ranges and remote readings keep guests from pushing a tired system, and they warn you when an empty unit starts to warm up.

Santee Cooper, Horry Electric and your rebate

Check your bill first. Santee Cooper serves retail customers directly in Horry County and reported keeping a Myrtle Beach retail office when it closed others in 2018. Horry Electric Cooperative serves other parts of the county, including Carolina Forest and Socastee, according to a utility rate listing. For its own customers, Santee Cooper's home rebate program reportedly pays $300 to $400 per heat pump system. Confirm the amount with them.

City permit or Horry County?

Start with where the address actually sits. Grand Strand mailing addresses do not always mean city limits. Inside the city, the Flood Protection page says all development needs a local building permit, floodplain work included, and that improvements costing 50% or more of a building's assessed tax value must meet new construction requirements. Construction Services handles those permits. That page is several years old, so confirm the current rule with the department, and ask whether outdoor equipment has a required height at your address. Outside the city, ask Horry County.

What does a trip of 2 hours 22 minutes mean for a rental?

It means we fit planning, not rescue. Wikipedia calls Hurricane Hazel in 1954 the worst hurricane in the city's history, and the season here runs June 1 to November 30, so a preseason check also gives you a record of the equipment's condition. Call with the address, the system type and your turnover dates. We talk through what can wait, agree a date and quote before work begins. Keep a Grand Strand contractor's number for the mid-stay surprise.