AC Repair & Heating in Houston, TX
We don't try to cover the whole city. We work south Houston, from the Medical Center down to the Pearland line. The housing runs from 1950s ranches and mid-century brick to 1970s towers and brand-new infill, and those are the houses we know.
- South Houston only
- Inside-the-loop work
- Same-day service
- 2,090+ Google reviews
Why only the south side
Mike Stom retired from NASA in 1990 and opened Clear the Air on County Road 130 in Pearland that same year. For 36 years our trucks have driven north into Houston from there, and they come back the same way. Staying on this side of town keeps drive times sane and lets us learn the housing street by street.
From the shop to the Medical Center is about 25 miles. Off-peak that's roughly 25 minutes. At 4pm it's an hour or more.
The south side, house by house
1950s and '60s ranches: Westbury, Meyerland, parts of South Loop
Many started with window units and had central air added later, through chases the original plans never included. Plaster walls, narrow attics, no real return path. High-velocity systems fit the tightest spaces, and mini-splits cover rooms where a duct won't go.
Mid-century brick: Brays Oaks, Westwood, Fondren Southwest
Trunk lines that are too small starve the back bedrooms, and the central return is undersized. Attic air handlers bake all summer and wear through capacitors early. The answer is seldom a bigger AC. We measure static pressure and resize the returns before matching a replacement to the corrected ductwork.
1970s and 80s subdivisions: Hiram Clarke, Sunnyside, Almeda Mall area
Equipment here is often past its second life. Tired compressors, pitted contactors, drains that plug nearly every year. Many calls on these streets become repair-or-replace talks on systems more than 20 years old. You get both numbers and make the call.
Medical Center, Midtown, EaDo high-rise and mid-rise
Building-spec air handlers in shared closets and outdoor units controlled by the HOA. We follow the building's rules and set up access with management. Condensers on balconies and rooftops get coastal-spec coils, since the humid air up there is hard on standard galvanized cabinets.
New infill south of 610
Builder-grade equipment on builder-grade ducts, often with no Manual J behind it. Our typical call on these is a two-year-old system with rooms far apart in temperature. Corrected returns and sealed trunk lines usually fix it without touching the equipment.
Sized for the humidity
South Houston stays muggy from late spring well into fall. An oversized system short-cycles, reaching the thermostat setting before it has pulled the water out, so the floors feel tacky with the AC running hard. We run a Manual J load calculation on every replacement quote and size to the house we measured. When a right-sized system still can't keep up in the worst weeks, a whole-home dehumidifier ($2,400 to $3,200 and up installed) handles what's left.
Repair prices are the same here as in Pearland. A capacitor runs $180 to $320, a contactor $190 to $280, a drain clear $150 to $250. Refrigerant leak search and recharge is $350 to $650. If a compressor goes, replacement is $1,800 to $3,500.
East of 288
The older subdivisions east of 288, Sunnyside and the Hobby corridor among them, sit closer to the Ship Channel and its industrial belt. On our tickets from that side of town, indoor coils come in dirtier and blower wheels need cleaning sooner than they do farther west. A MERV-13 filter cabinet ($600 to $1,200 installed) is what we recommend first there. For households with asthma or allergies we can talk through a whole-home air cleaner as well.
Storm season
Harvey, Imelda and Beryl all hit south Houston hard, and tropical rain lands heaviest along Sims Bayou and Brays Bayou. When we replace equipment at a property that has taken water before, the outdoor unit goes on a pad high enough to clear the old flood line.
A condenser that sat in floodwater has to be inspected before it runs again. Contamination can ruin the compressor and contactors, and manufacturer warranties generally don't cover flood damage. We check the line set and filter drier along with the charge. We won't restart a flooded unit before that, and you shouldn't either.
Heat for the few cold weeks
Most of the south side runs gas furnaces, with heat pumps showing up in the newer EaDo and South Loop infill. The season is short, but February 2021 reminded everyone what a Houston furnace is for, and no-heat calls get same-day response. We repair every major brand and lead with Trane and Goodman on installs.
Repairs and installs carry 12 months of parts and labor coverage from us. After that, parts fall under the manufacturer's warranty, which varies by brand.
Light commercial and rentals
Our light commercial and multifamily work covers small offices around the Medical Center, restaurants along Almeda and Telephone Road, shops in EaDo and on the South Loop, plus rental portfolios near Hobby. We run annual maintenance contracts, take after-hours calls at the regular rate, and quote a manager's units together on request.
South Houston questions
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 the Loop and outside it. We don't go to the Galleria or the Heights, and we stay out of the Energy Corridor and the far northwest suburbs. Those areas have their own established companies.
How fast can you get to a Houston address for AC repair?
Same-day for most calls placed before noon. Our trucks come up from the south, so the drive to south Houston is shorter for us than for a company crossing the Loop from the west side. Nights and weekends cost the same as weekdays.
Can you fit central air into a 1950s or '60s ranch in Westbury or Meyerland?
Yes. We match the equipment to the house. High-velocity systems go where the chases are tight. Where a duct can't be run at all, a mini-split can. Shop-fabricated transitions let standard equipment fit odd framing.
My new infill house has rooms eight degrees apart. What's wrong?
Usually builder ductwork that was never sized to the house. We measure static pressure and resize the returns. Then we seal the trunk leaks and rebalance the supply registers. On most homes that fixes it, and the equipment stays.
Do I need a permit to replace my AC inside Houston city limits?
Yes. A full-system replacement inside the city takes a mechanical permit, plus an electrical permit if we touch the disconnect or the panel. We file it and build the plan-review wait into your schedule. The suburban jurisdictions each have their own process, and we handle those too.
What should I do with my AC before a hurricane?
Before the storm arrives, turn the thermostat off. Then switch off the breaker to the outdoor unit. If the condenser isn't strapped to its pad, get it strapped. If the outdoor unit sat in standing water afterward, leave it off until it has been inspected.
Can I check your Texas HVAC license?
Yes. License TACLA32678 is searchable by number on the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation site, tdlr.texas.gov. Property managers, HOAs and commercial customers can ask us for a certificate of insurance.
Services for south Houston homes
Neighborhoods we're in most
We cover dozens of ZIPs across the southern half of the city, inside and outside the Loop. The ones we see most:
What Houston customers told us
Word for word from reviews on our NearbyNow profile, 2013 to 2023.
"I had Mark come to check my heating. He was extremely helpful when it came to explaining my issues with my heater. This is what I observed from him. He explained everything without being condescending to a person that is not knowledgeable. But what I appreciated the most is his amazing sensitivity to women and their concerns about their service. All in all, Clear the Air has always treated us very well and have been very fair."
"Robbie has been here before. Always professional, efficient and personable. A good representative/technician for your great company."
"Robby was extremely knowledgeable and patient with all of my questions. I was surprised to get quotes on-site and not have to wait several days to receive them."