1970s–1990s Housing Stock with Aging HVAC
Mandarin experienced its major growth boom after the 1970 Buckman Bridge construction connected the neighborhood to Orange Park and the Westside. The single-family homes built during this 20-year expansion are now 30–50+ years old. Original AC systems in these homes have long since been replaced, but the ductwork often has not. Flex duct from the 1970s and 1980s has deteriorated: inner liners separate, insulation compresses and loses R-value, and connections loosen from decades of thermal cycling. A Mandarin homeowner experiencing uneven cooling between rooms should suspect ductwork before suspecting the AC unit itself.