HVAC & Heating/Cooling — find a local pro, plus pricing & licensing
Furnace tune-ups, AC repair, heat pumps, duct work — comfort done right. Below: a plain-English guide to costs in 2026, what to ask before hiring, state-by-state licensing, and the towns where hvac & heating/cooling are already listed on Great Local Pros.
What hvac & heating/cooling actually do
The most common services hvac & heating/cooling are hired for, with typical residential price ranges in 2026.
Annual maintenance / tune-up
$80-$200 per system. Catches issues before they become emergencies.
AC repair
Capacitor / contactor replacement: $200-$450. Compressor: $1,500-$3,000.
Furnace repair
Igniter, flame sensor, blower motor: $200-$800. Heat exchanger: $1,000-$2,500.
AC replacement
$5,500-$10,000 typical for a 2.5-3 ton system installed with new pad and lineset.
Furnace replacement
$3,500-$8,000 for a standard 80-95% efficient gas furnace; high-efficiency 96%+ adds $1,000-$2,500.
Heat pump install
$6,000-$13,000+ for whole-home replacement; cold-climate heat pumps run higher.
Ductless mini-split
$3,500-$8,000 per zone installed.
Ductwork
$1,000-$5,000 for repair/replacement; full replacement on a home: $5,000-$15,000.
Duct cleaning
$300-$700; valuable post-renovation or after long vacancy.
Refrigerant recharge
$150-$650 depending on refrigerant type (R-410A and newer A2L blends).
What does a hvac & heating/cooling cost in 2026?
National median ranges for the most common residential jobs. Your local pricing will vary by region, season, and access — always get a written quote.
| Job | Typical price range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Annual tune-up | $80 – $200 | Bundled service plans can be cheaper long-term. |
| Diagnostic service call | $90 – $200 | Often credited toward repair. |
| AC capacitor replacement | $200 – $450 | Most common repair under 10-year systems. |
| Furnace ignitor / sensor | $200 – $800 | Most common winter no-heat failure. |
| AC replacement (2.5-3 ton) | $5,500 – $10,000 | High-efficiency / variable-speed runs higher. |
| Furnace replacement | $3,500 – $8,000 | Add $1,000+ for 96% AFUE high-efficiency. |
| Heat pump full install | $6,000 – $13,000 | Cold-climate / multi-stage runs higher. |
| Emergency / after-hours surcharge | +50% to +100% | Industry-standard premium. |
Ranges sourced from public industry surveys, the US Bureau of Labor Statistics OES wage data, and homeowner-cost aggregators. Last reviewed 2026-05-26.
Is your hvac & heating/cooling licensed? State-by-state lookup.
HVAC & Heating/Cooling are state-licensed in most U.S. jurisdictions. Below is the official licensing body for each state plus a direct link to the public license-lookup tool. Always verify before any major project — it takes two minutes and is the single best fraud-prevention step a homeowner can take.
| State | Licensing status | Issuing body | Verify |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | State-licensed | Alabama HVAC Board | Verify → |
| Alaska | State-certified mechanical | Alaska Mechanical Inspection | Verify → |
| Arizona | State-licensed (ROC) | Arizona Registrar of Contractors | Verify → |
| Arkansas | State-licensed (HVACR Board) | Arkansas HVACR Licensing Board | Verify → |
| California | State-licensed (CSLB C-20) | California Contractors State License Board | Verify → |
| Colorado | Local permit (no statewide license) | Municipal — varies by jurisdiction | Verify → |
| Connecticut | State-licensed | CT Department of Consumer Protection | Verify → |
| Delaware | State-licensed (HVACR Board) | Delaware Board of HVACR Examiners | Verify → |
| Florida | State-certified or registered | Florida Construction Industry Licensing Board | Verify → |
| Georgia | State-licensed (Conditioned Air Contractors) | Georgia State Construction Industry Licensing Board | Verify → |
| Idaho | State-licensed | Idaho Division of Building Safety — HVAC | Verify → |
| Illinois | Municipal license (no statewide) | Municipal — varies | Verify → |
| Indiana | Municipal license (no statewide) | Municipal — varies | Verify → |
| Iowa | State-licensed | Iowa Plumbing and Mechanical Systems Board | Verify → |
| Kansas | Municipal — varies | Municipal — varies | Verify → |
| Kentucky | State-licensed (Master HVAC) | Kentucky Dept of Housing, Buildings and Construction — HVAC | Verify → |
| Louisiana | State-licensed (Mechanical) | Louisiana State Licensing Board for Contractors | Verify → |
| Maine | Municipal — varies | Municipal — varies | Verify → |
| Maryland | State-licensed (Heating, Ventilation, AC and Refrigeration Board) | Maryland HVACR Board | Verify → |
| Massachusetts | State sheet metal / refrigeration license | MA Division of Occupational Licensure | Verify → |
| Michigan | State-licensed (Mechanical) | Michigan LARA Bureau of Construction Codes | Verify → |
| Minnesota | Municipal — varies (state required for high-pressure boilers) | Minnesota DLI | Verify → |
| Mississippi | State-licensed (>$50,000) | Mississippi State Board of Contractors | Verify → |
| Missouri | Municipal — varies | Municipal — varies | Verify → |
| Montana | State-licensed (Mechanical) | Montana Board of Mechanical Contractors | Verify → |
| Nebraska | Municipal — varies | Municipal — varies | Verify → |
| Nevada | State-licensed (NSCB) | Nevada State Contractors Board | Verify → |
| New Hampshire | Municipal — varies (state plumber license covers gas) | Municipal — varies | Verify → |
| New Jersey | State-licensed (HVACR Contractor) | NJ HVACR Examining Board | Verify → |
| New Mexico | State-licensed (CID) | New Mexico Construction Industries Division | Verify → |
| New York | Municipal — varies | Municipal — varies | Verify → |
| North Carolina | State-licensed (NCBELP) | NC State Board of Examiners of Plumbing, Heating and Fire Sprinkler Contractors | Verify → |
| North Dakota | Municipal — varies | Municipal — varies | Verify → |
| Ohio | State-licensed (Commercial); residential municipal | Ohio Construction Industry Licensing Board | Verify → |
| Oklahoma | State-licensed (CIB) | Oklahoma Construction Industries Board | Verify → |
| Pennsylvania | Municipal — varies | Municipal — varies | Verify → |
| Rhode Island | State-licensed (Mechanical) | RI Department of Labor and Training | Verify → |
| South Carolina | State-licensed (LLR — Mechanical) | SC Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation | Verify → |
| South Dakota | Municipal — varies | Municipal — varies | Verify → |
| Tennessee | State-licensed (>$25,000) | TN Board for Licensing Contractors | Verify → |
| Texas | State-licensed (TDLR) | Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation | Verify → |
| Utah | State-licensed (DOPL) | Utah DOPL | Verify → |
| Vermont | Municipal — varies | Municipal — varies | Verify → |
| Virginia | State-licensed (DPOR) | Virginia DPOR | Verify → |
| Washington | State-registered contractor (no separate HVAC cert) | WA L&I | Verify → |
| West Virginia | State-licensed (HVAC Tech) | WV Division of Labor — HVAC | Verify → |
| Wisconsin | State-licensed (HVAC Qualifier) | Wisconsin DSPS | Verify → |
| Wyoming | Municipal — varies | Municipal — varies | Verify → |
Information sourced from each state's public licensing agency. Always confirm on the state's official .gov site before hiring. Last reviewed 2026-05-26.
Questions to ask a hvac & heating/cooling before you hire
Bring this list with you on the call or to the on-site estimate. A reputable pro answers every one of these without hesitation.
- Are you NATE-certified or otherwise nationally HVAC-credentialed, and licensed in this state?
- Will you do a load calculation (Manual J) for any new system, or just match the old size?
- What's the SEER2 and AFUE rating of the equipment you're proposing — and what's the runner-up tier cost?
- What's the manufacturer warranty, and is the labor warranty separate from parts?
- Will you pull the required permit and is it included in the quote?
- What's your refrigerant policy — recharge or repair if the system leaks within warranty?
- Can I get the quote in writing with line-item pricing for equipment, labor, permit, and any accessories?
- Are you using OEM parts or aftermarket equivalents?
Want the full checklist plus 25 more questions covering 29 trades? Download the free 58-page consumer guide (PDF) — no email required.
Red flags: common scam patterns in the hvac & heating/cooling trade
A short list of warning signs we compiled from public Better Business Bureau complaint patterns and state attorney general consumer-protection bulletins.
- Quotes that don't include a Manual J load calculation — oversized systems short-cycle and waste money.
- Pressure to replace the whole system when the failure is a $300 capacitor.
- After-storm 'we noticed your outdoor unit looks damaged' pitches.
- Unlicensed technicians handling refrigerant — federally regulated under EPA Section 608.
- Quotes that omit the permit cost (then surprise you).
- Cash-only with no receipt.
- Major refrigerant 'recharges' on a system that should be sealed — recurring recharge means there's a leak that needs repair.
If you experience contractor fraud, report it to your state attorney general's consumer-protection office and file a complaint with the licensing board. The FTC also tracks these under reportfraud.ftc.gov.
Towns where hvac & heating/cooling are already listed
These pilot cities have verified hvac & heating/cooling you can call today.
Browse hvac & heating/cooling by state
Pick a state to see hvac & heating/cooling listings — and to claim the top spot in your town.
Why use Great Local Pros to find hvac & heating/cooling?
Hyper-local match
We list hvac & heating/cooling by the towns they actually serve — not a 60-mile zip-code radius like the national lead-gen platforms.
Zero per-lead fees
HVAC & Heating/Cooling on this site aren't paying $30 to $120 per click to reach you. That cost isn't built into their quote.
Independent local shops
Most hvac & heating/cooling here are 1 to 5 person businesses based in your town, not national chains routing work to subcontractors.
Built for small towns
Angi, Thumbtack, and HomeAdvisor optimize for big metros. We optimize for the 13,700+ towns under 60,000 population.
Run a hvac & heating/cooling business?
Most towns on Great Local Pros don't have anyone listed yet for hvac & heating/cooling. Claim your spot and be the first name local searchers find.
Five questions to ask any HVAC & Heating/Cooling pro — and 53 more pages of advice.
This guide includes a full page on hiring HVAC & Heating/Cooling: the right questions, the warranties to insist on, what's a fair price, and the red flags that mean keep looking. Plus 56 more pages covering 28 other local trades.
Every HVAC & Heating/Cooling listing on this site is paired with the guide so you can hire with confidence.
- 25-question master list to bring on every call
- 20 red flags that mean walk away (one page)
- One full page on each of the 29 trades
- What's fair to pay — by trade and by region
- What to do if the job goes wrong (with court-ready steps)