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How do you get commercial HVAC leads?
Short answer: To get commercial HVAC leads, pick one or two building types, build a commercial page for each, and go to the people who hire HVAC: property managers, facility managers, owners and general contractors. Sell planned maintenance agreements first, because they turn one call into a year of work. Add government bids and builder relationships later. Expect months, not weeks.
- Choose one or two building types first, and build a commercial page for each.
- Commercial buyers include property managers, facility managers, owners and general contractors.
- A planned maintenance agreement is a written contract to service equipment on a set schedule for a set price.
- Federal bids start at SAM.gov, where registration assigns a Unique Entity ID.
- The SBA says you must qualify as small under your industry code to compete for set-aside contracts.
- Ohio's state HVAC license excludes residential buildings; other states draw the line differently, so check your board.
Residential work comes from homeowners who search when something breaks. Commercial work comes from a small number of buyers who want a company that shows up, keeps records and does not surprise them. You get it by being easy to find, easy to trust and easy to hire. This guide shows where to start.
What is commercial HVAC?
Commercial HVAC is heating, cooling and ventilation work on buildings other than homes: offices, shops, restaurants, churches, schools, medical offices, warehouses and apartment buildings. The equipment is often different. Rooftop units, split systems on a business, walk-in coolers and chillers are common, instead of the home furnace and condenser.
The legal line can differ too. In Ohio, for example, the state HVAC contractor license under Chapter 4740 of the Revised Code covers projects in buildings under that chapter, and it excludes residential buildings as defined in the building code (Ohio Revised Code Chapter 4740). Other states draw the line differently. See our Ohio page, and check your own state board before you quote a commercial job.
Which commercial customers should you go after first?
Do not try to be everything. Choose by what you can do well and where the jobs repeat.
| Customer | What they buy | Why they are a fit | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small property managers (5 to 50 units or buildings) | Repairs, tune-ups, tenant calls | Many buildings under one decision-maker | They compare price and speed. Be on time, send photos, send invoices fast. |
| Restaurants and shops | Rooftop unit repair, walk-in cooler work, seasonal tune-ups | A broken unit costs them sales every day | They need after-hours help. Be clear on your rates. |
| Churches and schools | Planned maintenance, replacement projects | Steady need, budgets set once a year | Slow approvals. Some buy by bid. |
| Medical and professional offices | Maintenance, comfort calls | Comfort and uptime matter | Landlord vs tenant. Find out who pays. |
| General contractors and builders | Install work on new builds and remodels | Large jobs, repeat work | Tight margins and slow payment. Check terms. |
| Government buildings | Maintenance and projects through formal bids | Steady, long contracts | Paperwork. See below. |
A good test is to ask: can my techs handle this equipment, and do I know who signs the check? If both answers are yes, go after it.
Why should planned maintenance agreements come first?
A planned maintenance agreement is a written contract to service a building's equipment on a set schedule for a set price. It turns "call me when it breaks" into steady work, and it gives you a reason to be in the building twice a year.
An ACHR News article on service agreements says a written agreement helps align both sides on "pricing, timeline, and scope of work." It lists what a good one covers: scope, pricing and payment, scheduling, cancellation, warranties, liability and insurance, client responsibilities and termination. It also suggests having a legal professional tailor your agreement, and notes some states have prompt payment laws that may apply (ACHR News: Why every HVAC contractor needs solid service agreements (2025)).
For a business owner, the pitch is simple: "We check your rooftop units in spring and fall, we change filters, we send you a written report, and you get a call back first when something breaks." Do not promise a specific response time you cannot meet.
Put an agreement summary page on your site. Show what is covered, how often, what is not covered, and how to start. The same logic applies to homes. See HVAC maintenance plan marketing for the residential version.
How do you find commercial buyers?
Here are the channels that fit a small HVAC company, in the order we would try them.
1. Your existing customers
Look at the residential list. Some of those homeowners own or run a business. Ask: "Do you handle the heating and cooling at your office or shop too?" Many owners never think to ask their home HVAC company. This costs nothing.
2. Walk-in and drive-by sales
Pick a small area near your shop. Visit businesses with rooftop units. Leave a one-page card with your commercial number, your 24-hour policy and your license number. Ask who handles maintenance. Ask for a name. Come back in a month.
3. Property managers
Property managers hire the same trades again and again. Write to ten local ones. Say what you do, what you cover, your insurance, and how you respond to a no-cool call at a tenant's office. Offer a free walk-through of one building to give them a list of the equipment and its condition. Keep your promise on speed, because word travels between managers.
4. General contractors and builders
Ask local general contractors if they need an HVAC sub for tenant build-outs or remodels. Send your license, insurance certificate and two photos of past jobs. Do your first job well and on time. Many repeat relationships start with one small job.
5. Referrals from other trades
Electricians, plumbers, roofers and property inspectors see building problems first. Offer to refer to them too. It is simple, and it works best in person.
6. Local associations
Join the local chamber of commerce, a building owners group or a trade association chapter. Go to meetings and meet the people who hire. Do not sell at the door. Learn what they need.
7. Government work
Cities, counties, school districts and federal agencies often hire HVAC contractors through formal bids. Federal work starts at SAM.gov. SAM.gov says registration is for organizations that want to bid directly on government contracts, and that registration assigns a Unique Entity ID (SAM.gov: Entity registration). The SBA says you must register in the System for Award Management (SAM) to sell to the government, and that you need a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) before you bid (SBA: Size standards).
The SBA also explains that each industry code has a size standard, and you have to qualify as small under that code before you can compete for contracts set aside for small businesses (SBA: Size standards). Anyone can search procurement notices, including pre-solicitations, solicitations and awards, on the SAM.gov Contract Opportunities page without an account (SAM.gov: Contract opportunities).
Government bids can take time and paperwork. Try one small job first. Local and state bid sites exist too, and each has its own sign-up. We have not checked each one, so look at your own city and school district purchasing pages.
What does your website need for commercial leads?
A commercial buyer will check your website before they call back. It is a short test: are you real, insured and able to do this?
Build a separate commercial page. It should have:
- A plain headline: "Commercial HVAC service and maintenance in [town] and [county]."
- Building types you serve. Name them: offices, restaurants, churches, schools, medical offices.
- Equipment you work on. Rooftop units, split systems, boilers, walk-in coolers, controls. Only list what you do.
- Your planned maintenance agreement summary, and a link to request a quote.
- Proof. Photos of real commercial jobs, a short case description, and reviews from business customers. If you have no commercial jobs yet, say so honestly and show your skills and credentials instead.
- License and insurance. Show your license number where your state requires it. See do HVAC contractors need a license number on their website.
- Refrigerant certification. The EPA says technicians who service equipment that could release refrigerant must be certified under Section 608. The certification types are Type I for small appliances, Type II for high or very high pressure systems, Type III for low pressure systems, and Universal for all types. Apprentices are exempt if closely supervised by a certified technician (EPA: Section 608 technician certification requirements).
- Emergency contact. A direct number, and honest hours.
- A short quote form for business customers: building type, equipment, number of units, contact name, preferred time.
The HVAC website checklist covers the base site. Add the commercial page on top.
How do you show up when a business searches?
Business owners search the same way homeowners do: "commercial HVAC near me," "rooftop unit repair," "HVAC maintenance contract [town]," "restaurant AC repair." They also ask AI tools.
- Google Business Profile. Add your commercial services, and use categories that fit. See HVAC Google Business Profile categories.
- Service area pages. One page per town, with a commercial section. See HVAC service area pages.
- Reviews from business customers. Ask them. A review from a property manager carries weight with other property managers. See HVAC review request texts.
- A page for each building type. "Restaurant HVAC service in Spokane" (an example town) can rank for the restaurant search. Do not copy the same text into every page. Write about what restaurants really need: walk-in cooler repairs, rooftop unit failures in summer, and fast after-hours help.
- Answer questions in plain words. This is how AI answers find you. See how to get your HVAC company on ChatGPT.
For the wider picture, see the HVAC SEO guide.
What does it cost to chase commercial leads?
Time is the main cost. A plain commercial page and a few weeks of calls can be done by one person. Government bids cost more time. Paid ads work for some shops, but they are a different game, and the question of buying leads is its own topic. See HVAC leads cost for how to compare buying leads with earning your own.
Common questions
How do I get my first commercial HVAC customer?
Start with the businesses you already know. Ask your residential customers who own shops or offices. Then visit a few small commercial buildings near you and ask who handles maintenance. One small, well-done job earns the next one. Keep your phone answered and your quote on paper.
What is a commercial HVAC maintenance agreement?
It is a written contract to service a building's equipment on a set schedule for a set price. It lists what is covered, how often, pricing, cancellation, and who pays for repairs. Have a lawyer review yours, since states differ on warranties and payment rules.
Do I need a different license for commercial HVAC work?
It depends on your state. Rules differ by state. In Ohio, the state HVAC license under Chapter 4740 applies to buildings under that chapter and leaves out residential buildings as defined in the building code. Technicians who handle refrigerant also need EPA Section 608 certification. Check your state board.
Can a small HVAC company bid on government contracts?
Yes. Federal bidding starts with SAM.gov registration, which assigns a Unique Entity ID. The SBA says you must qualify as small under the size standard for the industry code to compete for small business set-asides. Local governments run their own bids. Try a small one first.
Should I advertise to commercial customers online?
Build the commercial page and Google profile first, since those are free to try. Add ads only if you can handle more jobs and track results. Calls from property managers may come from a referral, so watch where each lead comes from.
Want a site with a commercial page built for facility managers and property managers? See a free demo site for your HVAC company.
Sources
- Ohio Revised Code Chapter 4740
- ACHR News: Why every HVAC contractor needs solid service agreements (2025)
- SAM.gov: Entity registration
- SAM.gov: Contract opportunities
- SBA: Size standards
- EPA: Section 608 technician certification requirements
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