Austin AC Service exists for one moment: the system just quit and you want a competent local company on the phone without hunting for one. Here is what the line does in that moment, and where its job ends.
The call, step by step
- You dial (737) 378-9016. Any hour, any day. An automated assistant answers. There is no hold music and nothing to download.
- Cooling or heating? The first question decides which kind of help you need. If both are acting up, say so.
- Your details. Your name, a callback number, and your city or ZIP code, so the call goes to a company that serves your area.
- What the system is doing. Describe it in your own words: blowing warm, not turning on, icing up, leaking, making a noise, smelling odd. The more specific, the better.
- The transfer. Your call is put through to an independent, locally owned HVAC company. Before it picks up, it hears a short summary of what you said, so you are not repeating yourself.
- If nobody can pick up. Your details are passed to that company so it can call you back.
- From here, you deal with the company. It arranges the visit, diagnoses the system, gives you its price, does the work if you agree, and bills you directly.
Who does what
Austin AC Service, the line
- Answers the phone 24/7 with an automated assistant
- Takes your details and the problem description
- Transfers you to a licensed local company that serves your area
- Passes your details along for a call back if needed
- Never charges you anything
The HVAC company you are put through to
- Holds an active Texas ACR contractor license from TDLR
- Schedules and makes the visit
- Diagnoses the system and quotes the price
- Does the work you agree to, pulls permits where needed
- Bills you directly and is responsible for its own work
The line does not quote, schedule, supervise or guarantee any work, and it holds no license of its own. It may be paid a referral fee by the companies it connects callers with.
Why a line instead of a search?
Searching for help at 9 p.m. in August usually means a page of ads, a few companies that do not serve your side of town, and voicemail. The line shortcuts that: one number, always answered, routed by your location to a company that works there.
It also keeps the important part in your hands. You still hear the diagnosis and the price from the company, you can still say no, and you can still check its license yourself before anyone starts.
Check any license yourself. Texas air conditioning and refrigeration contractors are licensed by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation. Ask for the license number and look it up at tdlr.texas.gov (opens in a new tab).
What to ask once you are connected
- Is there a fee for the visit or diagnosis, and is it credited toward the repair?
- What is your TDLR license number?
- Will I get the diagnosis and price in writing before work starts?
- If it is old, is repair still an option before we talk about replacement?
More on this in the guide to choosing an HVAC company in Austin. For the safety side of a no-heat or no-cooling night, see emergency AC and heating repair.