Palmetto homes get AC repair, duct sealing and pollen-season maintenance from us on both the Fulton and Coweta sides of town. Many cooling complaints in a town this old come from ducts rather than the outdoor unit, and spring pollen loads coils and filters hard. We test airflow before recommending new equipment.
A town split between two counties
Palmetto was incorporated in 1854, lies mostly in Fulton County with a section in Coweta County, and had 5,071 residents in 2020. For HVAC the county line changes nothing; the houses decide the work. A town that has been building since the 1850s holds a wide range of ages, and in older homes central air arrived long after the walls went up.
Retrofitted ducts tend to follow the easiest path rather than the one that moves air well. That leaves long runs to far bedrooms, returns too small for the blower, and flex duct pulled tight around framing.
What Georgia's duct test tells us about older homes
Georgia's residential energy code, in effect since January 1, 2020, requires duct leakage testing at 6 CFM25 per 100 square feet for new construction and calls for R-8 duct insulation. Southface reports the 2020 code tightened leakage to 6 percent. Older Palmetto homes were never held to that, and when we test them, leakage well above it is common.
Every leak on the supply side cools the attic instead of a room. Every leak on the return side pulls hot, humid attic air into the system. Duct sealing with mastic and reconnecting loose runs often brings back airflow the homeowner assumed the AC had lost.
Pollen, coils and filters each spring
Atlanta's spring pollen peak comes mainly from oak, pine, sweetgum and sycamore. On March 29, 2025 the local count hit 14,801 grains, the highest on record and far above the 1,500 level treated as extreme. A yellow coat on the outdoor coil cuts heat rejection, and a loaded filter starves the blower.
A spring AC tune-up rinses the condenser and checks the charge before the heat arrives. Between visits, checking the filter every couple of weeks during peak pollen is the simplest thing you can do. Duct cleaning makes sense after renovation dust or heavy buildup, not as a yearly ritual.
Heating and cooling work that fits Palmetto
Duct Repair & Sealing
Ducts retrofitted into older Palmetto homes often leak far beyond the current Georgia test limit.
AC Repair
Once airflow is confirmed, Palmetto AC failures are usually capacitors, contactors or fan motors.
AC Tune-Up & Maintenance
Oak and pine pollen coats Palmetto condensers every spring and cuts cooling capacity.
Whole-Home Air Filtration
A media filter cabinet holds far more pollen than a one-inch filter between changes.
Ductwork Replacement
Where returns are undersized from the start, sealing alone will not fix the airflow.
Air Duct Cleaning
Cleaning helps after a Palmetto renovation leaves drywall dust in the ducts.
Palmetto heating and air questions
No. Palmetto lies mostly in Fulton with a section in Coweta, and the work is identical on either side. What matters is the age of the house, the equipment and the condition of the ducts.
There is no single normal figure, but new Georgia homes must test at or below 6 CFM25 per 100 square feet. Older retrofitted systems frequently test well above that. A pressure test gives you an actual number and shows whether sealing is worth doing.
A gentle garden-hose rinse from the inside out, with the power off, is fine. Avoid pressure washers, which flatten fins. If the coil stays matted or the unit still runs hot, a tune-up with a proper coil cleaning is the next step.
Usually it sits at the end of the longest duct run, or its flex duct is crushed, kinked or disconnected in the attic. A weak or missing return in that room also limits airflow. We check both before suggesting zoning or a mini-split.
Usually not. Cleaning helps after renovation dust, visible buildup, pest contamination or heavy pet hair. In most homes, sealing leaks and using a better filter does more for comfort and air quality than routine cleaning.
Updated October 2026