How to Choose an HVAC Company in San Antonio
Ten things to check before you let anyone work on your air conditioner or furnace, from the state license lookup to the red flags that should end the call. Use it on any company, including us.
The short answer: hire a San Antonio HVAC company that holds an active Texas air conditioning contractor license, carries insurance, puts the price in writing before it starts, sizes new systems with a load calculation, pulls the permit, and has a long record of recent reviews you can read. The checklist below shows how to verify each one in a few minutes, and the red flags that should end the conversation.
The 10-point checklist
- An active Texas ACR contractor license (TDLR) in the company's name
- Proof of liability insurance
- The diagnosis and price in writing before work starts
- A real person answering the phone, including nights and weekends
- Plenty of recent reviews, and how the company answers the bad ones
- A load calculation (Manual J) before any replacement is quoted
- The permit and city inspection handled by the contractor
- A carbon monoxide and gas safety check on heating calls
- Willingness to test before replacing, and room for a second opinion
- Clear warranty and maintenance plan terms you can read before you pay
1. Verify the Texas license
In Texas, air conditioning and refrigeration contractors are licensed by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR). Contractor license numbers begin with TACLA (Class A, any size system) or TACLB (Class B, smaller systems such as most homes). Ask for the number, then look it up on the TDLR license search and confirm three things: the license is active, the name matches the company you are hiring, and the person responsible for the license is tied to that business.
Cowboy's Air Conditioning & Heating is licensed under TACLB27173C. You can look it up the same way.
2. Ask for proof of insurance
Licensed Texas air conditioning contractors are required to carry liability insurance. If a technician damages a ceiling, a gas line or a roof, that policy is what pays for it. Ask for a certificate of insurance before a large job, and be cautious with anyone who works without one.
3. Get the price in writing before work starts
A good company tells you what is wrong, what it will cost to fix, and puts that in writing before a tool comes out. That lets you approve the repair, decline it, or get another opinion. Be wary of open-ended hourly billing on a repair you cannot see, or a total you only learn after the work is done.
At Cowboy's, the price is written down and approved before any work begins. That is one of our six promises.
4. Check who answers the phone
AC failures in a San Antonio August, and furnace failures on the first cold night, do not wait for business hours. Call the number at night. Does a real person answer, or a voicemail? Can they put a technician on the schedule, or only take a message? Ask whether the company charges extra for nights and weekends so you are not surprised.
Cowboy's dispatch answers (210) 495-7771 around the clock, 365 days a year. See 24/7 emergency HVAC service.
5. Read the reviews the right way
The star rating matters less than the volume, the recency and the details. A company with thousands of reviews over many years is hard to fake. Sort by newest, read a page of the 1- and 2-star reviews, and look at how the owner responds. A calm, specific reply that offers to make it right tells you more than a perfect score.
Also check the Better Business Bureau profile and whether the company's name, address and phone match across Google, BBB and its own website. For reference, Cowboy's has 4.7 stars across more than 4,300 Google reviews, an A+ BBB rating, and won the 2025 KSAT SA Picks for heating and cooling. Read them on our reviews page.
6. Insist on a load calculation for replacements
Sizing an AC by square footage alone ("one ton per 500 feet") is how homes end up with systems that short-cycle, leave humidity behind, or never catch up in July. The industry method is an ACCA Manual J load calculation that accounts for insulation, windows, sun exposure, the attic and the ducts. Ask every company quoting a replacement whether they ran one and what it showed.
Every Cowboy's AC installation is sized by Manual J.
7. Ask who pulls the permit
Replacing a central air conditioner or furnace in San Antonio generally requires a mechanical permit and a city inspection through the City of San Antonio Development Services Department, and nearby cities have their own. The licensed contractor should pull it. A quote that is cheaper because it skips the permit leaves the inspection, and the risk, with you.
Cowboy's pulls the permit and schedules the inspection on every install.
8. Heating calls need a gas safety check
Gas furnaces burn fuel inside your home. Any heating visit should include a look at the flue and venting, the burners and flame, and a carbon monoxide check, not just "it lights, it works." If a technician tells you a heat exchanger is cracked, ask to see the evidence, such as a camera image or a combustion reading, before you agree to a new furnace.
More on what we check: heating repair, furnace repair and heat pump repair.
9. Test before replacing, and get a second opinion on big quotes
"You need a new system" is the most expensive sentence in HVAC. A good technician shows readings, such as pressures, temperatures, amps and capacitor values, and explains why a repair does or does not make sense. If you are quoted a compressor, coil or full replacement, it is reasonable to have another licensed company test the system and price it in writing.
Cowboy's offers a free second opinion on other companies' repair or replacement quotes.
10. Read the warranty and maintenance plan terms
Ask who registers the manufacturer warranty (many brands require registration within a short window to get the longer coverage), how long the labor warranty runs, and whether it is written on the invoice. For maintenance plans, ask what is included, what the discount is, and how you cancel.
Cowboy's registers the manufacturer warranty in your name before the truck leaves (warranty details). Our Comfort Club is $24.99 a month and includes $0 diagnostic visits, 15% off repairs, no after-hours fees and priority dispatch.
Red flags that should end the call
- No license number, or a number that does not match the company name on the TDLR search
- A price you only learn after the work is done
- "Today only" pricing or pressure to sign before they leave
- A replacement recommendation with no readings, photos or test results to back it up
- A diagnosis of a cracked heat exchanger or refrigerant leak with no evidence shown
- Cash-only payment, or a large deposit before any equipment is ordered
- Sizing a new system by square footage without a load calculation
- An offer to skip the permit to save money
How Cowboy's measures up
We wrote this checklist to be used on anyone, including us. Here is where we stand:
- License: Texas TACLB27173C (TDLR)
- Insurance: licensed, certified and insured
- Pricing: written and approved before work starts
- Phone: a real person 24/7/365 at (210) 495-7771
- Reviews: 4.7 stars across 4,300+ Google reviews; BBB A+; 2025 KSAT SA Picks winner
- Installs: Manual J sizing, permit and inspection, warranty registered; Trane Comfort Specialist dealer
- Second opinions: free on other companies' repair or replacement quotes
- Local: family-owned since 2007, based at 6510 Blanco Rd, San Antonio, TX 78216
Frequently asked questions
How do I check if an HVAC company is licensed in Texas?
Use the license search on the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR) website. Air conditioning and refrigeration contractor licenses start with TACLA or TACLB. Search the number or the company name and confirm the license is active and matches the company you are talking to. Cowboy's Air Conditioning & Heating holds Texas license TACLB27173C.
Should an HVAC company give me the price before the work starts?
Yes. Ask for the diagnosis and the price for the repair in writing before any work begins, so you can approve it, decline it or get a second opinion. A company that will only tell you the total after the work is done leaves you no choice.
How many tons of AC do I need for my house?
There is no reliable rule of thumb. The right size comes from a load calculation (ACCA Manual J) that accounts for the home's square footage, insulation, windows, sun exposure and ductwork. Ask any company quoting a replacement whether they ran one.
Do I need a permit to replace my AC in San Antonio?
Replacing a central AC or furnace in San Antonio generally requires a mechanical permit and inspection through the City of San Antonio Development Services Department. Ask who pulls the permit before you sign; it should be the contractor.
Is a second opinion worth it on a big HVAC repair or replacement quote?
Often, yes. If you are told a compressor, coil or whole system needs replacing, another licensed company can test the system and give its own written price. Cowboy's offers free second opinions on other companies' repair or replacement quotes in the San Antonio area.
Bottom line
Check the license, ask for insurance, get the price in writing, and do not let anyone replace a system they have not measured. Those four steps screen out most bad experiences. If you want us to take a look, call (210) 495-7771 or request a callback.
Related service: AC repair in San Antonio · heating repair in San Antonio · free second opinions. Cowboy's AC answers 24/7 at (210) 495-7771.
