Industries · HVAC
Google Ads for HVAC companies
How HVAC contractors use Google Ads to get more repair, installation and maintenance calls, what it costs, and how to stop paying for clicks that never become jobs.
By CampaignPro · Updated
Short answer
Google Ads works well for HVAC companies because people search at the moment they need a repair or replacement. US averages are about $9.68 per click and $128 per lead for AC searches, and about $9.30 per click and $129 per lead for heating.[1] The best-performing accounts separate emergency repair, installation and maintenance into their own campaigns, block job-seeker and DIY searches, track phone calls and shift budget with the seasons.
Does Google Ads work for HVAC companies?
Yes, and it's one of the best-suited industries for it. When someone's air conditioning dies in July or the furnace stops in January, they search Google and call one of the first companies they see. Google Ads puts you in that spot for the searches you choose, in the areas you serve, at the hours you can take calls. Unlike most marketing, you can measure exactly which ads produced calls and booked jobs.
The catch is cost. HVAC clicks are among the more expensive in home services, so a poorly structured account burns money quickly on searches that were never going to become jobs.
What Google Ads costs for HVAC
Industry averages from US search campaigns:[1]
| Category | Avg. cost per click | Avg. cost per lead |
|---|---|---|
| Air conditioning installation & repair | $9.68 | $127.74 |
| Heating & furnaces | $9.30 | $129.02 |
Averages hide a wide range: emergency repair leads in a competitive metro can cost far more, while maintenance and tune-up leads usually cost less. What matters is whether a lead is profitable for you. A new system installation is worth thousands of dollars, so even a higher cost per lead can pay off many times over when the leads are the right ones.
How to structure an HVAC Google Ads account
The most common HVAC mistake is one campaign for everything. Emergency repairs, new installations and maintenance have different values, costs and urgency, so they need separate campaigns and budgets:
| Campaign | Example searches | Why it's separate |
|---|---|---|
| Emergency repair | ac repair near me, furnace not working, emergency hvac | Highest urgency; needs budget at peak hours and strong call tracking. |
| Installation / replacement | new ac unit cost, furnace replacement, heat pump installation | Highest job value; longer decision, often quote requests. |
| Maintenance & tune-ups | ac tune up, furnace maintenance, hvac service plan | Lower cost per lead; builds recurring customers. |
| Brand | your company name | Cheap clicks that protect you from competitors bidding on your name. |
Split further by city or service area when prices or competition differ a lot between them.
Keywords to target and to block
Good HVAC keywords
- ac repair [city]
- furnace repair near me
- hvac company near me
- ac installation cost
- heat pump installation
- emergency hvac service
Common negative keywords
- jobs, salary, hiring, technician training
- diy, how to, youtube, manual
- parts, filter, thermostat (if you don't sell parts)
- car ac, auto ac
- free, cheap (test carefully)
- window unit (if you don't service them)
Local Services Ads vs. Search Ads for HVAC
HVAC companies can also run Google Local Services Ads, which appear at the very top with the "Google Guaranteed" badge and charge per lead instead of per click. They're worth testing alongside Search Ads, but you get far less control over which services and searches you pay for. Many HVAC companies get the best results running both: Local Services Ads for volume and Search Ads for the specific high-value jobs they want more of.
Seasonality and budget
- Shift budget with the weather. Push AC repair and installation in summer, heating in winter, and tune-ups in spring and fall.
- Match ad hours to your phones. If nobody answers after 6pm, don't pay for evening emergency clicks, or make sure an answering service catches them.
- Count phone calls properly. Most HVAC leads call. Track calls from ads and from your website, and only count calls long enough to be real inquiries.
Common HVAC Google Ads mistakes
- Paying for job seekers and DIY searches. Without negative keywords, "hvac technician jobs" and "how to fix ac" can eat a large part of the budget.
- Counting form views or page visits as leads. Google then optimizes for the wrong people.
- One budget for every service. Cheap maintenance clicks crowd out the installation jobs that make the money.
- Ads running outside the service area. Location settings left on "presence or interest" show ads to people who only searched about your area.
- Sending every ad to the homepage. Someone searching "furnace repair" should land on a page about furnace repair, with your phone number at the top.
“Direct, no fluff, and completely results focused. Cost-per-lead dropped noticeably within the first couple months and I always knew exactly where my budget was going.”
How CampaignPro runs Google Ads for HVAC companies
- Free audit or free setup. Already advertising? You get a free audit of your account. New to Google Ads? The account setup is free.
- Built around your services and service area, with call and form tracking so every lead is counted.
- Weekly search term and budget reviews to cut wasted spend.
- Flat fee from $1,000 per month, month-to-month, no setup fee. Ad spend is paid directly to Google.
- One specialist, direct access. No account managers in between.
Across client accounts, cost per lead has dropped 27% on average in the first 90 days. See real campaign results, how Google Ads management is priced or what the free audit checks.
Sources
Benchmarks are averages across many advertisers. Your own costs depend on your city, competition, services and how well the account is set up.