Emergency AC and Heating Repair in Austin, TX

What counts as an emergency

Not every breakdown needs a technician at midnight, but some do. In Austin, these usually can not wait for morning:

No cooling in extreme heat

Especially with anyone elderly, very young, pregnant or unwell in the house, or when overnight lows stay in the upper seventies.

No heat below freezing

A cold snap with no heat puts people and pipes at risk within hours.

Burning smell or smoke

Turn the system off at the thermostat and the breaker. If there is smoke or flame, leave and call 911.

Water pouring from the unit

A failed drain or float switch on an attic unit can bring down a ceiling. Turn the system off.

Gas smell

Leave the house without switching anything on or off, and call 911 or the gas company from outside.

Heat pump stuck on emergency heat

Running only on backup heat costs a great deal and usually means the outdoor unit has stopped contributing.

Technician kneeling at an outdoor unit with a gauge set — After-hours calls go to the same kind of diagnosis: electrical first, then refrigerant and airflow.

Staying safe while you wait

In heat: close the blinds on the west side, stay on the lowest floor, drink water before you feel thirsty, avoid the oven, and check on anyone elderly nearby. If someone becomes confused, stops sweating or faints, call 911.

In a freeze: open cabinet doors under sinks on exterior walls, let a faucet drip, close off unused rooms, and gather in one room with the door shut. Never heat a home with a gas oven, grill or generator indoors; carbon monoxide kills.

What happens when you call

The line is answered around the clock, including nights, weekends and holidays. Say what is happening and you will be put through to a licensed local HVAC company. If they are on another call, your details are taken down and passed along. Ask on the call how soon a technician can arrive and whether there is an after-hours charge; those are set by the company doing the work.

Hand adjusting a wall thermostat on a cold morning — A heating failure during a freeze is as urgent as a cooling failure in August.

For the parts that usually fail, see AC repair and heating repair.

Common questions

Is there an extra charge for emergency service?

That is set by the company doing the work. Many charge more after hours. Ask on the call before a technician is sent.

Is the phone really answered at 2 a.m.?

Yes. The line is answered around the clock, and you are put through to a local HVAC company or your details are passed along for a call back.

What should I do if I smell gas?

Leave the house without switching anything on or off, and call 911 or your gas company from outside.

Should I run the AC if it is making a grinding noise?

No. Turn it off. Running a system with a failing motor or compressor can turn a repair into a replacement.

AC or heat out right now?