Quick answer: HVAC demand follows the weather. Put most budget into Google Search for repair and replacement keywords, raise budgets before heat waves and cold snaps, and use Facebook for maintenance plans and off-season installation offers.
Heating and cooling is the most seasonal of the major trades. Search volume for “air conditioner repair” can multiply in the first hot week of summer, and every competitor raises bids at the same time. The businesses that win plan their budget around the calendar, not just the month.
What ads cost for HVAC businesses
| Benchmark | Avg. cost per click | Conversion rate | Avg. cost per lead |
|---|---|---|---|
| Google Search: Home & Home Improvement | $8.33 | 8.05% | $90.92 |
| Facebook and Instagram lead ads: Home & Home Improvement | $2.23 | 5.22% | $41.26 |
HVAC sits in the Home & Home Improvement category ($8.33 average click, $90.92 average lead in WordStream’s 2026 US data). LocaliQ’s 2023 home-services report found air conditioning installation and repair among the most expensive trades to advertise, with clicks around $9.49.
Replacement jobs (new systems) carry high value, so a higher cost per lead can still be very profitable if you track it to sales.
Which channel to start with
Match the channel to the job:
- Google Search for repair, breakdown and replacement keywords. This is where urgent, ready-to-pay customers are.
- Local Services Ads where HVAC is an eligible category in your country
- Facebook and Instagram for maintenance plans, pre-season service offers and financing messages
- Remarketing for replacement quotes, which often take days or weeks to decide
Google Ads keywords for HVAC businesses
Separate repair (urgent) from installation and replacement (considered).
- Repair: “air conditioner repair”, “AC not cooling”, “heater repair”, “furnace repair” (US), “boiler repair” (UK)
- Replacement: “air conditioning installation”, “ducted air conditioning cost”, “new furnace cost”, “heat pump installation”
- Service: “air conditioner service”, “HVAC maintenance”, “aircon cleaning”
- Commercial: “commercial HVAC contractor”, “rooftop unit repair”
Negative keywords to add on day one
jobs, technician course, certification, salary, manual, DIY, how to, parts, filter only, portable, used, second hand.
More on this in negative keywords explained and choosing keywords.
Example ads you can adapt
What the landing page needs
- Separate pages for repairs and for new installations
- Clear brands you service and install
- Financing or payment options if you offer them
- “Same-day” or response-time promise, only if true
- Real photos of installs and your vans
- Short form plus click-to-call
Full list: landing page checklist.
Track the right things
- Calls and forms split by repair vs installation
- Sold jobs and revenue per campaign, especially installs
- Lead volume by day and temperature, so next season’s budget is based on data
- Maintenance-plan sign-ups as a separate conversion
Platform rules that apply to HVAC businesses
- Standard Google Ads category; no special certification. Claims like “lowest price” or energy-saving percentages need to be accurate and substantiated.
- If you advertise financing, the lending itself may be a regulated financial product; on Meta, ads about credit fall under the Financial Products and Services Special Ad Category with targeting limits.
- Local Services Ads require licence, insurance and background checks where available.
Common mistakes
- Flat monthly budgets that run out in the first week of a heat wave
- Mixing repair and install keywords in one ad group
- No call tracking, so you can’t tell which campaign sold the $12,000 system
- Running Facebook “AC repair” ads and expecting emergency calls
- Ignoring off-season: maintenance plans fill quiet months
How much to spend
Work backwards from the number of enquiries you can handle. Monthly budget ≈ target leads × expected cost per lead. At the Home & Home Improvement average of $90.92 per lead, 20 leads a month is roughly $1,818 in ad spend before management fees.
Set a seasonal plan: lower budgets in shoulder months, then raise them before forecast heat or cold. Many single-location HVAC businesses start around $2,000 to $5,000 a month in peak season.
Frequently asked questions
When should HVAC businesses spend the most on ads?
Just before and during peak heating and cooling demand. Raise budgets ahead of forecast heat waves or cold snaps, because competitors raise bids at the same time.
Do Facebook ads work for air conditioning?
For planned work, yes: maintenance plans, pre-season servicing and replacement offers. For breakdowns, Google Search works far better.
What’s a good cost per lead for HVAC?
It depends on job mix. Repair leads can be cheap and low value; installation leads cost more and are worth much more. Judge by cost per sold job, not cost per lead alone.
Should I bid on brand names of equipment?
You can use brand names of equipment you genuinely sell and service, but check trademark rules in your country and don’t imply you are the manufacturer.
Sources
- WordStream by LocaliQ: 2026 Google Ads benchmarks (13,474 US search campaigns, Apr 2025 to Mar 2026)
- LocaliQ: Home services search advertising benchmarks (2023 data)
- WordStream by LocaliQ: Facebook ads benchmarks 2025 (lead campaigns)
- Google: Local Services Ads, eligible business types
- Meta for Developers: Special Ad Categories (housing, employment, financial products and services)
Want a second opinion on your HVAC ads? Get a free ad review and you will get a short written breakdown of what to fix first.
Written by Gregory
20 years building websites and running lead generation, mostly with my own money on the line. Based in Sydney, working with clients worldwide. How I work →