AC Repair & Heating in Houston, TX
We're not a citywide company. We're south Houston specialists with deep local knowledge of the neighborhoods between the Medical Center and the Pearland line. Bungalows, mid-century brick, post-war ranches, 1970s towers, modern infill. We work the houses we know.
- South Houston only
- Inside-the-loop work
- Same-day service
- 1,871+ Google reviews
What makes a south-Houston install different
South Houston is the densest mix of building eras and microclimates in our coverage area. Inside the loop, equipment squeezes into closets and chases that were sized for 1950s window units, not modern split systems. Outside the loop, post-war ranches in Brays Oaks and Westbury hide undersized returns and 1980s-vintage ductwork above ceilings that have never been touched. The Medical Center high-rises run on building-spec equipment with HOA constraints. Near Hobby Airport, jet noise plus tower-water cooling on commercial buildings creates a different acoustic and pressure environment than residential equipment is rated for.
The shared challenge is humidity. South Houston runs 75°F dewpoints from late May to October. Equipment that's even slightly oversized short-cycles, never running long enough to wring water out of the air. Walls and floors stay tacky at 65-70% RH even with the AC blasting. We size to the actual envelope, not to the largest tonnage that fits the existing slab. Manual J on every replacement quote, no exceptions.
South Houston by era (HVAC version)
Pre-war and 1940s bungalows: Westbury, Meyerland, parts of South Loop
Original homes had window units or none. Central air was retrofitted in the 70s and 80s through chases that don't exist in the design. Plaster walls, narrow attics, no real return path. We work with what's there: high-velocity systems for the tightest spaces, mini-splits where ducts simply can't be run, and shop-fabricated transitions to make standard equipment fit unstandard frames.
Mid-century brick ranches: Brays Oaks, Westwood, Fondren Southwest
Original ductwork is undersized at the trunk and starves the back bedrooms. Returns are too small at the central register. Air handlers in the attic bake every summer and their capacitors cycle out years before their rated life. The fix is rarely a bigger AC; it's static-pressure measurement, return resizing, and a properly matched replacement on the corrected distribution.
1970s and 80s spec subdivisions: Hiram Clarke, Sunnyside, Almeda Mall area
Equipment is past its second life. Compressors are tired, contactors are pitted, and condensate drains plug almost annually. Most calls here are repair-vs-replace conversations on systems 20+ years old. We give both numbers and let the customer decide.
Medical Center, Midtown, EaDo high-rise and mid-rise
Building-spec air handlers in shared closets, HOA-controlled outdoor units, and roof-platform constraints. We work within building rules, coordinate with management on access, and use coastal-spec coils on anything exposed to outside air on a balcony or rooftop.
Modern infill south of 610
Builder-grade equipment installed on builder-grade ductwork, often without a Manual J. The most common call is room-to-room imbalance on a 2-year-old system. Corrected returns and an Aeroseal pass usually solve it without touching the equipment.
South Loop and Hobby corridor
Older small homes, working-class subdivisions, and pockets of new construction. We've worked these streets for 35 years. Real local context beats a generic playbook on every visit.
What we run most on a south-Houston service call
The mix tracks the housing era. In the older bungalow and mid-century neighborhoods (Westbury, Meyerland, Brays Oaks), the calls run heavy on aging equipment: blower motor wear on 20-plus-year-old air handlers, original-spec contactors, and refrigerant work on weathered line sets. In the 1970s spec subdivisions, condensate drain issues and capacitor failures dominate. In the modern infill replacing teardowns south of 610, the most common call is duct rebalancing on a builder install that didn't account for the actual square footage and orientation.
Universal pricing: capacitor replacement $180 to $320, contactor $190 to $280, condensate drain clear $150 to $250, R-410A refrigerant diagnosis and recharge $350 to $650, compressor replacement $1,800 to $3,500 if it gets there. Inside the loop, we also run a steady stream of high-velocity and mini-split installs because the older homes can't accept standard ducted equipment.
Houston permit and code context
The City of Houston handles HVAC permits differently than the unincorporated parts of the metro. Inside Houston city limits, full-system replacement requires a mechanical permit, and any work that touches a disconnect, breaker, or panel triggers a separate electrical sub-permit. Plan review runs 5 to 10 business days; the schedule has to account for that. The 2018 IECC energy code is in effect with Houston amendments, which puts envelope-leakage and duct-leakage testing requirements on new construction and on any retrofit that touches more than half the existing duct system.
We pull every permit on every Houston city install. The homeowner does not deal with the city office, the inspector calls our office, and the inspection record stays with the property. For unincorporated metro work (Sugar Land, Friendswood, Pearland's ETJ, parts of Pasadena), the process is different and faster; we handle those jurisdictions too. License TACLA32678 is verifiable on TDLR for any homeowner or property manager who wants the documentation in writing.
Refinery-corridor air filtration
Prevailing easterlies push particulate from the Pasadena and Channelview refinery complexes inland on a wedge between the Ship Channel and 288. Hobby Airport corridor, Sunnyside, parts of South Park, and the older subdivisions east of 288 sit in that path. The HVAC consequence is real: indoor evaporator coils foul roughly twice as fast as the same equipment in West Houston, blower wheels need cleaning every 6 months instead of every 12, and the call mix runs heavier on filtration upgrades than on equipment failure.
We pre-stage MERV-13 filter racks and replacement media on the truck for these ZIPs because the upgrade pays back inside the first year through fewer coil-cleaning service intervals and reduced HVAC runtime. UV-light installs at the indoor coil run another $400 to $700 and are worth doing on the same visit when we're in the air handler anyway. Whole-home electronic air cleaners (Trane CleanEffects, similar) run $1,200 to $1,800 installed and are the right call for households with respiratory sensitivities or for homes within 2 miles of the Ship Channel.
Hurricane and flood-zone considerations
Houston's hurricane season runs June 1 through November 30. South Houston specifically has Harvey, Beryl, and Imelda as recent baselines, plus the everyday tropical-storm rains that hit hardest along the Sims Bayou and Brays Bayou drainage areas. HVAC equipment in these zones needs three things the rest of the metro can usually skip.
One: height above grade. Outdoor condensers in Harvey-flood-zone properties belong on a minimum 18-inch concrete pad above grade. Homes that took water in any prior storm get sized to clear the highest prior flood line plus a margin. We raise the pad as part of every replacement install in at-risk ZIPs at no additional charge above the standard install.
Two: pre-storm shutdown protocol. Before a named storm makes landfall: thermostat to off, outdoor unit breaker to off, hurricane strap on the condenser pad if not already in place. After the storm and once power is restored, 30 minutes of wait time before flipping the breaker back on. We send members a same-day text with this checklist when the National Hurricane Center issues a Houston-area warning.
Three: post-flood contamination assessment. Any outdoor unit that took standing water needs an inspection before restart. Saltwater or floodwater contamination of the compressor or contactors is catastrophic and not covered by manufacturer warranty. The line set, filter drier, and refrigerant charge all need evaluation; full replacement is often required. We do not turn on a flooded condenser before assessment, and customers should not either.
Houston commercial and multifamily
Light commercial and multifamily across south Houston: small offices in the Medical Center periphery, restaurants along Almeda and Telephone Road, retail in EaDo and on the South Loop, and the property-management portfolio along Hobby corridor. We carry coastal-spec replacement equipment for rooftop and balcony installs, schedule preventive maintenance on annual contracts, and handle the after-hours emergency calls that restaurants and 24-hour businesses need.
Multifamily property managers can request a bulk quote for the units they manage. We provide certificate-of-insurance documentation, master service agreements with predictable per-unit pricing, and a single point-of-contact dispatcher who knows the property history. Common scope: rooftop unit replacement, condenser swap-outs, ductwork sealing across multiple units in one mobilization, and the ongoing maintenance contracts that keep the unit count operational through summer.
South Houston response window
The drive from County Road 130 to the Medical Center is 25 miles and 25 minutes off-peak. The same drive at 4pm is 60 minutes plus. We dispatch from outside the loop, which means we're often quicker than companies based in Galleria or West Houston that have to fight 610 traffic the wrong way. Our trucks come in from the south and they leave the same way. For most south-Houston calls placed before noon, same-day is realistic. After-hours and weekend dispatches are no-overtime-fee for Clear Advantage members.
The south-Houston AC repair company since 1990
Mike Stom started Clear the Air on County Road 130 in Pearland in 1990. We've worked the south side of Houston ever since, from the bungalows of Westbury to the high-rises of the Medical Center. 1,871+ Google reviews, every one from a real Houston-area customer. We don't pretend to cover the Galleria, the Heights, the Energy Corridor, or West Houston. Those neighborhoods have their own established companies. South Houston is what we know, and AC repair done by techs who actually know the housing stock beats a citywide mass-market dispatch every time.
What that looks like in practice: same-day air conditioning repair in south Houston for most calls placed before noon, real diagnostic measurements (static pressure, refrigerant subcooling, amp draws) instead of "looks like the compressor", and a written report with photos so you have what we found in your own records.
South Houston AC repair FAQs
Do you cover all of Houston, or just the south side?
South side only. We work the neighborhoods between the Medical Center and the Pearland line, both inside and outside the loop. We don't cover the Galleria, the Heights, the Energy Corridor, Spring, or Cypress. A real local HVAC company that knows the housing stock beats a citywide dispatch every time, and that's the tradeoff we choose.
How fast can you get to a Houston address for AC repair?
From County Road 130 to the Medical Center is 25 miles, 25 minutes off-peak. We dispatch outside the loop and come in from the south, so we usually beat companies that have to fight 610 traffic. Same-day for most south-Houston calls placed before noon. After-hours and weekend dispatches are no-overtime-fee for Clear Advantage members.
Why is my Houston bungalow so humid even with AC running?
South Houston runs 75°F dewpoints from late May to October. If the AC is even slightly oversized, it short-cycles and never runs long enough to pull moisture out. The fix is rarely a bigger AC; it's a Manual J load calculation followed by a right-sized replacement, or a whole-home dehumidifier ducted into the existing system as a Band-Aid.
Can you put central air in a pre-war Westbury or Meyerland bungalow?
Yes. The trick is matching the equipment to the existing structure rather than tearing the house apart to fit standard ducted gear. We use high-velocity systems where chases are tight, mini-splits where ducts can't be run, and shop-fabricated transitions to make standard equipment fit unstandard frames.
Do you service Medical Center high-rises and Midtown condos?
Yes. Shared air handler closets, building-spec equipment, HOA-controlled outdoor units. We coordinate with building management on access and use coastal-spec coils on any condenser exposed to outside air. The salt and humidity exposure on a high-rise balcony is real even without the Galveston seawall, and standard galvanized cabinets don't last.
My new infill house has rooms eight degrees apart, what's wrong?
Almost always builder-grade ductwork that wasn't sized to the actual home. Static-pressure measurement plus return resizing, an Aeroseal pass on the trunk leaks, and rebalancing the supply registers usually solve it without replacing the equipment. We measure first and quote the actual fix, not a generic "you need a bigger AC."
Do I need a permit for AC replacement inside Houston city limits?
Yes. The City of Houston requires a mechanical permit on full-system replacement and an electrical sub-permit if any disconnect, breaker, or panel work happens. Plan-review window is typically 5 to 10 business days. We pull the permit on every Houston city install and the homeowner does not have to deal with the city office. Houston-area unincorporated work (Sugar Land, Pearland, Friendswood) follows different processes; we handle those too.
How should I raise my outdoor condenser after Harvey-flood-zone experience?
FEMA-flood-zone homes south of 610 should sit on a minimum 18-inch concrete pad above grade. Homes that took water in Harvey or Beryl get sized to clear the prior flood line plus a margin. Compressor electrical components fail catastrophically when submerged; the line set + filter drier also need replacement after any saltwater or floodwater contact. We raise the pad as part of every replacement install for at-risk properties at no additional charge.
What's special about HVAC for refinery-corridor neighborhoods (Hobby, Sunnyside, Almeda Mall)?
Prevailing easterlies push refinery particulate inland into a wedge between the Ship Channel and 288. Indoor coils foul faster, blower wheels need cleaning twice a year instead of once, and MERV-13 filtration starts paying back inside the first year through reduced coil-cleaning service intervals. We pre-stage MERV-13 plus filter racks on the truck for these ZIPs because the call mix runs heavy on filtration upgrades.
Do I need to do anything special to my AC before a hurricane warning?
Three things, in order. (1) Set the thermostat to off and flip the breaker to the outdoor unit so a power surge during the storm does not damage the compressor. (2) Strap or tie the outdoor unit to its pad with a hurricane strap rated for 130 mph if it's not already secured; we sell + install these for $80 to $150. (3) After the storm passes and power is restored, wait 30 minutes before flipping the breaker back on so any voltage-spike protection in the panel can settle. If the outdoor unit took standing water, do not turn it on; call us for an inspection first.
Can I verify your Texas HVAC license for Houston-jurisdiction work?
Yes. License TACLA32678 is verifiable on the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation site (search by license number at tdlr.texas.gov). Our license covers Class A air conditioning + refrigeration and is current through every Houston-jurisdiction permit office. Certificate of insurance available on request to commercial customers, property managers, and HOAs.
South-Houston air conditioning, heating, and air filtration
We are not a citywide Houston HVAC company. We are south Houston specialists with deep local knowledge of the neighborhoods between the Medical Center and the Pearland line. Bungalows in Westbury and Meyerland, mid-century brick in Brays Oaks, post-war ranches in Fondren Southwest, 1970s towers near the Medical Center, modern infill in EaDo and the South Loop. We work the houses we know.
Cooling
AC repair in Houston for south-side neighborhoods is split by housing era. Pre-war Westbury and Meyerland bungalows with small attics need high-velocity or mini-split solutions; standard ducted gear doesn't fit. AC repair in Houston for post-war Brays Oaks and Fondren Southwest ranches runs the conventional split-system pattern: capacitor work, contactor work, refrigerant leak finding. AC installation in Houston for modern EaDo infill uses Manual J load calculations that account for two-story load distribution and modern envelope tightness. Air conditioning repair in Houston handles every major brand: Trane, Carrier, Lennox, Goodman, Rheem, American Standard.
Heating
Furnace repair in Houston covers gas furnaces in most south-side neighborhoods (the gas grid is well-built throughout the south Houston metro). Heat pump systems are growing in newer EaDo and South Loop infill. November-through-February heat demand is short but real, and a no-heat call during the rare hard freeze (Uri 2021 was real) needs same-day response. HVAC repair in Houston for the medical-center high-rises means coordinating with building management on access.
Indoor air quality
South Houston runs 75° dewpoints from late May through October. Standard AC short-cycles in this humidity if even slightly oversized and never pulls moisture out. Whole-home dehumidifiers solve what bigger AC can't. Air duct cleaning in Houston on pre-war Westbury bungalows is regularly heavy work because original ductwork accumulated decades of dust. Rotary-brush plus negative-air-pressure equipment, before-and-after photos. Refinery-corridor neighborhoods (Hobby, Sunnyside, Almeda Mall) need MERV-13 minimum because of particulate loading.
Install warranty and licensing
HVAC installation in Houston carries a 5-year warranty plus manufacturer warranty pass-through; AC and HVAC repairs are backed by a 1-year parts and labor warranty. We pull the City of Houston mechanical permit on every install (the City of Houston requires this for full-system replacement; we file the paperwork). FEMA flood-zone properties south of 610 get pad-elevation verification. Licensed Texas HVAC contractor TACLA32678.
Houston services
All residential HVAC, with high-velocity and mini-split options for inside-the-loop homes that can't accept standard ducted equipment.
South Houston neighborhoods we work in often
We cover dozens of Houston ZIPs across the southern half of the city, inside and outside the loop. Areas we work in often: