Classrooms become saunas: Beaufort Co. schools battle no AC ahead of first day of school
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Just a week before classes begin, at least two Beaufort County schools are operating without air conditioning as teachers prepare classrooms in extreme heat, with feel-like temperatures exceeding 100 degrees Fahrenheit.
This isn’t the first time students and staff in the district have started the school year without functioning air conditioning — about 3% of classrooms were affected at the start of last school year. Like then, conditions are changing daily as units are brought back online, said Robert Oetting, the district’s chief operations officer.
Hilton Head Island Elementary School and Joseph S. Shanklin Elementary were among the schools with limited air conditioning as of Friday afternoon. At the Hilton Head school, two units were down, with one expected to be repaired by the end of the day, Oetting wrote. At Shanklin, several units were out, with a contractor scheduled to address the issues on Monday.
Oetting wrote that this year’s heating, ventilation and air conditioning challenges are due to a shorter summer break, upper-90s temperatures and the federal phase-out of R-410A refrigerant — a compound commonly used in air conditioning systems.
The district’s maintenance vendor, ABM, has hired a new HVAC manager and revamped its HVAC and preventive maintenance departments to focus on preventive care, Oetting added. Several outside contractors have also been working on systems since last school year, resulting in improvements compared to previous years.
One of the biggest complications — affecting districts nationwide — is the federal phase-out of R-410A, which took effect Jan. 1. The Environmental Protection Agency is overseeing the transition under the American Innovation and Manufacturing Act, aiming to reduce the use of refrigerants with high global warming potential. Manufacturers have retooled production lines, causing delays in equipment and refrigerant supply.
Shipping delays, parts shortage
Many HVAC units ordered in March for summer installation are now delayed until fall. A shipment of nine units for Mossy Oaks Elementary, originally scheduled to arrive in early June, didn’t arrive until July 25, Oetting wrote. Contractors began installing them immediately, and the units are now operational.
The district is also facing a continued shortage of HVAC parts. A unit could fail today, Oetting wrote, and even if a replacement part is ordered immediately, it may take four to six weeks to arrive. In response, the district is using multiple strategies to address HVAC problems as quickly as possible.
Oetting acknowledged that teachers and staff may feel like the same units break down every year. But that doesn’t mean the systems are being ignored, he wrote. As HVAC units age, issues become more frequent. The district manages around 2,000 units, with an average age of 16 years.
As part of a long-term solution, a recent voter-approved referendum allocated $17 million for HVAC upgrades at Whale Branch Elementary, Port Royal Elementary, Beaufort Middle School and Beaufort High School. Upgrades have already been completed at Whale Branch and Port Royal, with projects at Beaufort Middle and High still scheduled.
In the meantime, the district’s preventive maintenance program runs year-round — including during the summer — to keep HVAC systems functioning and to address potential problems before they worsen, Oetting wrote.
Beaufort County students are scheduled to return to class on Wednesday, Aug. 6.
This story was originally published August 1, 2025 at 3:21 PM.
