--- title: "How to Start an HVAC Business: The First 90 Days of Getting Calls" description: "How to start an HVAC business: certification and licensing checks, a findable Google profile, a one page site, reviews and a plan for the calls you cannot take." url: "https://www.thequietprotocol.com/blog/how-to-start-an-hvac-business-first-90-days-of-getting-calls" --- # How to Start an HVAC Business: The First 90 Days of Getting Calls How to start an HVAC business: certification and licensing checks, a findable Google profile, a one page site, reviews and a plan for the calls you cannot take. ![A ninety day track with four milestones at day 1, day 30, day 60 and day 90: certified and licensed, profile verified and phone answered, first reviews and agreements, and one channel that earns.](https://www.thequietprotocol.com/images/editorial/how-to-start-an-hvac-business-first-90-days-of-getting-calls-cover.webp) The hardest part of starting an HVAC business is not the equipment. It is that nobody knows you exist, the phone does not ring, and the first calls you do get are the ones you cannot answer because you are on a roof. This guide covers the first 90 days in the order that matters: be allowed to work, be findable, be easy to choose, then keep what earns. It is a marketing and phone guide, not legal or tax advice. Licensing and entity rules vary by state or province, so check yours. **The short answer** In the first 90 days, get certified and licensed where required, verify a Google profile, decide who answers the phone when you are on a job, publish a one-page site, ask honest reviews, write a maintenance agreement and count your calls by source. The calls you miss in the first quarter are the most expensive ones you will ever lose. ## The trade you are entering The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports about 440,900 jobs for heating, air conditioning and refrigeration mechanics and installers in 2025, a median wage of $61,010 a year, and projects 11 percent growth from 2025 to 2035, much faster than average. That is demand for technicians. It is also a field where many companies compete for the same local search. The BLS adds that the EPA requires nearly all HVAC technicians to be certified in refrigerant handling, and that some states also require a license. ![The first ninety days of an HVAC business in three phases: days one to thirty to be allowed to work and be findable, days thirty-one to sixty to be easy to choose, and days sixty-one to ninety to keep what earns.](https://www.thequietprotocol.com/images/editorial/how-to-start-an-hvac-business-first-90-days-of-getting-calls-plan.svg) Three phases. Each ends with something you can check. ## Days 1 to 30: be allowed to work, and be findable **Certification.** Under EPA Section 608, technicians who open a system or container holding refrigerant need an EPA certification. The EPA lists four types: Type I for small appliances, Type II for high-pressure systems such as residential air conditioners and heat pumps, Type III for low-pressure systems and Universal for all of them. Check the EPA's current requirements before you hire or work. **License and insurance.** Many states and cities require a contractor license. Insurance requirements vary. Ask your state licensing board and a local insurance agent. Do not guess. **A Google profile.** Create and verify a Google Business Profile with accurate categories, service area and hours. If you work from a home office and travel to customers, set it up as a service-area business without publishing a home address. Our guides cover [service area and address settings](https://www.thequietprotocol.com/blog/google-business-profile-service-area-address), what to do if [a duplicate profile appears](https://www.thequietprotocol.com/blog/duplicate-google-business-profiles) and why [a profile may not show](https://www.thequietprotocol.com/blog/google-business-profile-not-showing). **One phone number that is always answered.** This is the one most new owners underrate. You will be in a crawl space when the first good call comes. A missed call is a customer who has already moved to the next company. Pick a plan for the calls you cannot take: a person, an AI voice agent or a short, honest voicemail with a callback promise. **A short written price list.** Know what a diagnostic costs, what a tune-up costs and what your after-hours fee is. Customers ask on the first call. ## Days 31 to 60: be easy to choose **A one-page website.** Services, area, a phone number you can tap and a short description of how a visit works. Add real photos of your work and your truck. Nothing else is needed yet. See what [HVAC websites that win calls look like](https://www.thequietprotocol.com/blog/hvac-website-examples). **Reviews, asked for honestly.** Ask every happy customer, and do not filter who you ask. Google's policy forbids review gating; our guide to [Google's review gating policy](https://www.thequietprotocol.com/blog/google-review-gating-policy) explains the line. **A written maintenance agreement.** A customer on an agreement is a customer you will see twice a year. Write the one-page version early. We cover [how to build, price and sell one](https://www.thequietprotocol.com/blog/hvac-maintenance-agreements-how-to-build-price-sell). ## Days 61 to 90: keep what earns **Count your calls by source.** Ask every caller how they found you and write it down. After 60 days you will see which source rings the phone and which one does not. **Answer the calls you missed.** Look at the missed list. Each one is a customer you paid to attract and then did not reach. This is the cheapest improvement you will make. **Cut one channel.** Whatever has booked nothing, stop paying for. Put that money behind the source with the best cost per booked job. Our [guide to HVAC lead sources](https://www.thequietprotocol.com/blog/hvac-lead-generation-what-each-source-costs-and-books) shows how to score them. **Book the next season.** Put spring tune-ups on the calendar while the fall customers still remember you. ## What the phone should do in your first year Your call volume will be low and uneven. That makes each call count more, not less. A new company has no brand and no reviews yet, so the first impression is how the call is handled. You need the same questions asked every time: the address, what the system is doing, whether anyone is at risk, and when they want a visit. A [live answering service](https://www.thequietprotocol.com/blog/hvac-answering-service-vs-ai-voice-agent) or an AI voice agent can do that while you work. If you want to hear ours, call +1 855-916-4334 or [see the AI voice agent plans](https://www.thequietprotocol.com/solutions/ai-receptionist). ## What to do this week - Confirm your EPA certification, your license and your insurance. - Create and verify your Google profile. - Decide who answers the phone when you cannot. - Write your price list and your maintenance agreement. - Start a call log with a "how did you find us" column. Cover the phone from day one Essential AI voice agent plan: $449/month with 600 minutes of calls, free setup, no contract. Local Ranking Accelerator: $99/month, or $82.50/month billed yearly. **Keep reading** - [HVAC Maintenance Agreements: How to Build, Price and Sell One That Renews](https://www.thequietprotocol.com/blog/hvac-maintenance-agreements-how-to-build-price-sell) - [HVAC Lead Generation: What Each Source Costs](https://www.thequietprotocol.com/blog/hvac-lead-generation-what-each-source-costs-and-books) - [Local SEO for HVAC Contractors](https://www.thequietprotocol.com/blog/local-seo-for-hvac-contractors) ## Frequently asked questions ### Do I need a license to start an HVAC business? Many states and cities require a contractor license, and requirements vary. The BLS notes that some states require HVAC licensure. Ask your state licensing board. EPA certification is separate and applies to technicians who handle refrigerant. ### How do I get my first HVAC customers? Verify a Google Business Profile, publish a one-page site with a tappable phone number, ask every happy customer for an honest review, offer a maintenance agreement and make sure every call is answered. ### What is the biggest early mistake? Missing calls while you are on a job. A new company has no brand or reviews yet, so the first impression is how the call is handled. *Employment, wage and outlook figures come from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook for HVACR technicians (2025 data), and the certification summary from the EPA's Section 608 pages, both read on October 7, 2026. Licensing rules differ by state and province.* ABOUT THE AUTHOR By [Vikram Roy](https://www.thequietprotocol.com/authors/vikram-roy) Published October 7, 2026 5 min read Vikram Roy is the founder of The Quiet Protocol, a Toronto-based AI and marketing agency serving service businesses across the Greater Toronto Area, Canada, and the United States. He works directly with professional firms, home service companies, dental practices and clinics. He connects their website, local search, social media, intake, booking, reviews, follow-up and practical AI into one clear front door. [Author profile](https://www.thequietprotocol.com/authors/vikram-roy) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/vikroy/) Find the next useful step for your business. [Continue this decision](https://www.thequietprotocol.com/industries/hvac-emergency-service) In this guide