Your Local HVAC Company in The Colony, TX

The Lake Lewisville Effect

I've been working on systems in The Colony long enough to know that Lake Lewisville changes everything about how HVAC performs here. Homes near the lake — especially around the Grandscape area, Stewart Peninsula, and lakeshore properties — deal with 10 to 15 percent higher humidity than what you'd see just a few miles inland in Frisco or Plano. That sounds like a small number, but it has a real impact on your system.

Higher humidity means more condensation inside your air handler, which leads to faster coil corrosion and creates conditions where mold can take hold inside ductwork. I see this constantly in lakefront homes. A standard single-speed AC system struggles to dehumidify properly because it cycles on and off too quickly — it cools the air but never runs long enough to pull out the moisture. That's why I often recommend variable-speed systems or supplemental whole-house dehumidifiers for homes within a mile of the lake. The difference in comfort is immediate.

The Colony's Housing Mix

What makes The Colony interesting from an HVAC perspective is the range of housing stock. You've got established neighborhoods from the 1980s and 90s — Austin Waters, Stewart Creek — sitting alongside brand new lakeside developments and the Grandscape-area condos. These are completely different HVAC situations. The older homes in Austin Waters often still have R-22 systems that are 20-plus years old. R-22 refrigerant hasn't been manufactured since 2020, so when those systems develop a leak, you're looking at either an expensive recharge with recycled refrigerant or a full system replacement. Meanwhile, the newer Grandscape condos and townhomes have their own challenges with shared walls creating heat transfer issues between units, and sometimes undersized systems that were installed to hit a price point during construction.

Common Issues I See in The Colony

• Humidity complaints in lakefront and low-lying areas — the AC runs constantly but the house still feels muggy and clammy
• Corrosion on outdoor units from lake moisture — condenser fins, copper refrigerant lines, and electrical connections deteriorate faster than in drier areas
• 1990s homes with original systems still running — these 25-plus year old units are on borrowed time, and finding parts gets harder every year
• New condo and townhome shared-wall heat transfer — interior walls between units conduct heat, making corner and top-floor units work much harder
• Drain line clogs from high humidity condensate volume — lakeside homes produce significantly more condensate, overwhelming standard drain lines and causing water damage when they back up

What I Recommend for Lakeside Homes

If you live near the lake, a whole-house dehumidifier is one of the best investments you can make — it takes the humidity load off your AC and lets it focus on cooling. I also recommend corrosion-resistant condenser coatings for outdoor units; the standard aluminum fins just don't hold up as well near the water. And for maintenance, annual coil cleaning is essential here — not just changing the filter, but actually cleaning the evaporator and condenser coils where moisture and debris build up. These steps can add years to your system's life and keep your energy bills from creeping up every summer.