How to Start an HVAC Business: Repair and Installation

Licences and insurance: where to look

HVAC work is regulated, and the rules differ by state and sometimes by city. Contractor licences, trade licences for technicians and permit requirements are usually handled by a state licensing board or a local building department. In the United States, handling refrigerants requires technician certification under federal rules, and employers normally check it.

Business insurance is a separate matter. Contractors commonly carry general liability insurance and, with employees, workers compensation, and customers, suppliers and lenders often ask for proof. An insurance agent who works with contractors can explain what is typical. This is general information, not legal advice. Confirm what applies to you with your state licensing board and a qualified adviser.

What you need before the first service call

• A van or truck stocked with the parts you use most often.
• Gauges, a recovery machine, a vacuum pump and the hand tools for diagnosis and repair.
• Load calculation and quoting software for replacement jobs.
• A scheduling, dispatch and invoicing tool that your office can use on a phone.
• A wholesale supplier account and a phone system that routes calls to whoever is free.

The HVAC year

Summer brings no-cool calls and early replacements, winter brings no-heat calls, and the weeks between are for tune-ups and planned installs. A new company should plan cash and staffing around the peaks, and use the quieter weeks to sign maintenance agreements and finish installs that were quoted earlier.

Realistic ways to find early customers

• A complete Google Business Profile and Local Services Ads for urgent searches in your service area.
• Landlords and property managers who need a dependable technician on call.
• Real estate agents and home inspectors who send buyers to a heating and cooling company after an inspection.
• Neighbors of completed jobs, reached through reviews and a simple referral request.

Mistakes that cost new HVAC companies work

• Taking on work outside the scope of your licence or the certifications your technicians hold.
• Quoting a replacement without a load calculation, then absorbing the difference.
• Letting calls reach voicemail during the hours the weather is worst.
• Never contacting a customer again after the tune-up.