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AC & heating repair in Dallas–Fort Worth–area suburbs

Pick your city for local, sourced data and to request help.

Repair or replace? What a good HVAC visit covers

  • Airflow first. A clogged filter, blocked return or crushed duct makes a healthy system look broken.
  • Refrigerant and electrical. Capacitors, contactors and refrigerant leaks are the common repair items; ask what was measured, not just what was replaced.
  • Ducts count. In older homes the ductwork is often original even if the equipment isn't — ask for a duct leakage and static-pressure check with any replacement quote. A new system on old, leaky ducts won't deliver what the label promises.
  • A written load calculation for replacements. Replacing “same size as before” repeats any original sizing mistake. On a builder-installed system, check whether the equipment warranty was registered.
  • Know your setup. A heat pump does both heating and cooling, and in a hard freeze leans on backup heat strips — that's when weak strips, breakers or thermostats show up. A gas furnace that sits idle most of the year should get its safety checks before the first cold snap.
  • A licensed contractor. Texas licenses air-conditioning and refrigeration contractors through TDLR[1].

Is this an AC or heating emergency? A decision guide

The same guidance as the quiz on each city page, laid out in full. Find the line that matches your situation. The most urgent ones are listed first.

Act now A smell of gas

Leave the house now, then call from outside

A gas smell is a safety call before it's a repair call. Get everyone out first.

Do this now

  1. Get everyone, including pets, out of the house and away from it.
  2. From outside, call 911 or your gas company's emergency line.
  3. Stay out until the gas company or fire department says it's safe to go back in.

Don't

  • Don't flip light switches, unplug things, use the thermostat or start a car in an attached garage. A spark can ignite gas.
  • Don't try to find the leak yourself.
Act now A carbon-monoxide alarm sounding

Get everyone into fresh air and call 911

Carbon monoxide has no smell. Treat the alarm as real until the fire department tells you otherwise.

Do this now

  1. Get everyone, including pets, outside into fresh air right away.
  2. Call 911 from outside. Tell them if anyone has a headache, dizziness, nausea or confusion.
  3. Once the fire department has cleared the house, have the furnace and any gas appliances inspected before you use them again.

Don't

  • Don't go back in to open windows or look for the source.
  • Don't silence the alarm and assume it's faulty.
Act now No cooling or heat in extreme weather, with someone at risk at home

Call for emergency service and keep people safe meanwhile

With someone vulnerable at home in extreme weather, this can't wait for a regular appointment. Many HVAC companies run after-hours lines.

Do this now

  1. Call an HVAC company's emergency line and tell them who's at risk.
  2. In heat: move people to the coolest room, draw the blinds, use fans and cool water. In cold: close off one room, layer up, and use space heaters safely.
  3. If you can't keep someone safe at home, go to a family member's house or a public cooling or warming center.
  4. Call 911 for signs of heat illness or hypothermia: confusion, fainting, a racing pulse, or no sweating in the heat.

Don't

  • Don't heat the house with a gas oven, grill or generator indoors.
  • Don't leave anyone at risk alone in a hot or cold house while you wait.
Get help today A burning or electrical smell from the system

Turn the system off and get a technician out today

A burning smell usually means a failing motor, a capacitor or wiring overheating. Turning it off stops the damage and the risk.

Do this now

  1. Turn the system off at the thermostat, then switch off its breaker at the panel.
  2. If you see smoke or flames, get out and call 911.
  3. Call an HVAC company for a same-day visit and say it smelled of burning.
  4. Use fans or a room heater (not a gas oven) to stay comfortable meanwhile.

Don't

  • Don't turn it back on to see if the smell comes back.
  • Don't open the unit's electrical panel yourself. The capacitor can hold a charge after the power is off.
Get help today No cooling or heat in extreme weather

Book a same-day repair

No cooling in the heat or no heat in a freeze gets harder to live with by the hour, and appointments fill fast in that weather.

Do this now

  1. Call and ask for the first available slot today. Tell them the symptoms and what you've already checked.
  2. Have the outdoor unit's model and serial number ready, from the label on its side.
  3. Keep the house as comfortable as you can: blinds and fans in the heat, one closed-off room in the cold.

Don't

  • Don't keep the system running if it's making grinding or screeching noises.
  • Don't agree to a replacement over the phone before anyone has diagnosed it.
Get help today Water leaking from the indoor unit

Stop the water and clear the condensate drain today

An AC makes water as it cools. When the drain line clogs, the water overflows, and with an attic unit it can come through the ceiling.

Do this now

  1. Turn the system off at the thermostat so it stops making water.
  2. Put a bucket or towels under the leak, and check the drain pan under the indoor unit.
  3. If you know where the drain line exits outside, check it isn't blocked. A wet/dry vacuum on the outside end often clears it.
  4. Call for a service visit today if the leak comes back or the ceiling is wet.

Don't

  • Don't keep running the AC while it's leaking.
  • Don't ignore a stain on the ceiling below an attic unit. Wet drywall can give way.
Book a visit An older system that's struggling or expensive to run

Get a repair quote and a replacement quote side by side

On an older system, the useful question is what the repair costs against what a replacement costs and saves. You need both numbers to decide.[1]

Do this now

  1. Book a diagnostic visit and ask for the repair price in writing.
  2. Ask for a replacement quote sized with a load calculation (often called Manual J), not just matched to the old unit's size.
  3. Get two or three replacement quotes that name the equipment's model numbers so you can compare them.
  4. Check the technician's company holds a Texas A/C contractor license.

Don't

  • Don't replace a system based on its age alone if it's working and the repair is small.
  • Don't accept a replacement quote that doesn't list the model numbers.
Book a visit A newer system that works but costs a lot to run

Book a tune-up, not a repair

High bills from a newer system that still cools or heats often come from dirty coils, low airflow or leaky ducts, which a maintenance visit checks.

Do this now

  1. Replace the filter now, and every one to three months after that.
  2. Book a maintenance visit and ask them to check refrigerant, coils, airflow and the ducts.
  3. Look for gaps where duct runs meet vents in the attic or closets.

Don't

  • Don't set the thermostat far below the target to cool faster. It doesn't cool any faster.
  • Don't block return vents with furniture.
Book a visit A system that's running but not right, in mild weather

Book a service visit in the next few days

Noises, short cycling or weak performance in mild weather are worth diagnosing before the next heat wave or freeze, when every company is booked out.[1]

Do this now

  1. Write down what you notice and when: the noise, how long it runs, whether it's worse at certain times.
  2. Book a diagnostic visit and ask what the fee covers.
  3. If there's ice on the pipes, turn the cooling off and run the fan only until it melts.

Don't

  • Don't add refrigerant yourself with a store kit. Low refrigerant means a leak that needs finding.
  • Don't ignore short cycling. It wears out the compressor.
Handle it yourself The system isn't working and the basics haven't been checked yet

Check three things before you call

Some no-cooling and no-heat problems turn out to be the thermostat, a tripped breaker or a clogged filter. These checks take about ten minutes.

Do this now

  1. Thermostat: set it to Cool (or Heat), a few degrees past the room temperature, fan on Auto. Replace its batteries if it has them.
  2. Breakers: look for tripped breakers for the air handler and the outdoor unit. Reset once. If it trips again, leave it off and call.
  3. Filter: if it's grey and clogged, replace it. A blocked filter can make the coil freeze and stop the cooling.
  4. Outdoor unit: clear leaves and debris from around it, and check its disconnect switch is on.

Don't

  • Don't keep resetting a breaker that trips again.
  • Don't run the AC with ice on the pipes. Turn it off, run the fan only, and let the ice melt first.

Good to know

  • Heat illness can come on fast for babies, older adults and people with health conditions. Dizziness, confusion, a racing pulse or no sweating in the heat means call 911.
  • A newer system may still be under the manufacturer's parts warranty. The model and serial number on the outdoor unit's label is what the installer will ask for.

This guidance was written with AI tools. It has not yet been reviewed by a person. It's general information, not professional advice. If anyone is in danger, call 911.

Common questions

How do I check an HVAC contractor’s license in Texas?

Air-conditioning and refrigeration contractors are licensed by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation; its license search takes a name or license number[1]. Ask for the license number when you book.

Heat and freeze records by county

These National Weather Service records are kept per county forecast zone, so every city in a county shares them.

Heat & excessive-heat days by county forecast zone[2]
Forecast zoneDaysMost recent 8
COLLIN
Plano, Frisco, McKinney, Allen		49Aug 15, 2025 (Heat); Aug 6, 2025 (Heat); Jul 28, 2025 (Heat); Jul 24, 2025 (Heat); Aug 23, 2024 (Excessive Heat); Aug 16, 2024 (Excessive Heat); Aug 13, 2024 (Heat); Aug 7, 2024 (Heat)
DALLAS
Garland, Irving, Grand Prairie, Mesquite		52Aug 15, 2025 (Heat); Aug 6, 2025 (Heat); Jul 28, 2025 (Heat); Jul 24, 2025 (Heat); Aug 23, 2024 (Excessive Heat); Aug 16, 2024 (Excessive Heat); Aug 13, 2024 (Heat); Aug 7, 2024 (Heat)
TARRANT
Arlington, Mansfield		54Aug 15, 2025 (Heat); Aug 6, 2025 (Heat); Jul 28, 2025 (Heat); Jul 24, 2025 (Heat); Aug 23, 2024 (Excessive Heat); Aug 16, 2024 (Excessive Heat); Aug 13, 2024 (Heat); Aug 7, 2024 (Heat)
DENTON
Carrollton, Lewisville, Flower Mound, Denton		51Aug 15, 2025 (Heat); Aug 6, 2025 (Heat); Jul 28, 2025 (Heat); Jul 24, 2025 (Heat); Aug 16, 2024 (Excessive Heat); Aug 13, 2024 (Heat); Aug 7, 2024 (Heat); Aug 1, 2024 (Heat)
ROCKWALL
Rockwall		45Aug 15, 2025 (Heat); Aug 6, 2025 (Heat); Jul 28, 2025 (Heat); Jul 24, 2025 (Heat); Aug 23, 2024 (Excessive Heat); Aug 16, 2024 (Excessive Heat); Aug 13, 2024 (Heat); Aug 7, 2024 (Heat)
Winter-storm & freeze days by county forecast zone[2]
Forecast zoneDaysMost recent 8
COLLIN
Plano, Frisco, McKinney, Allen		14Feb 18, 2025 (Extreme Cold/Wind Chill); Jan 19, 2025 (Cold/Wind Chill); Jan 9, 2025 (Winter Storm); Jan 6, 2025 (Cold/Wind Chill); Jan 15, 2024 (Extreme Cold/Wind Chill); Feb 1, 2023 (Ice Storm); Jan 30, 2023 (Winter Storm); Feb 2, 2022 (Winter Storm)
DALLAS
Garland, Irving, Grand Prairie, Mesquite		20Feb 18, 2025 (Extreme Cold/Wind Chill); Jan 19, 2025 (Cold/Wind Chill); Jan 9, 2025 (Winter Storm); Jan 6, 2025 (Cold/Wind Chill); Jan 15, 2024 (Extreme Cold/Wind Chill); Feb 1, 2023 (Ice Storm); Jan 30, 2023 (Winter Storm); Feb 23, 2022 (Winter Storm)
TARRANT
Arlington, Mansfield		19Feb 18, 2025 (Extreme Cold/Wind Chill); Jan 19, 2025 (Cold/Wind Chill); Jan 9, 2025 (Winter Storm); Jan 6, 2025 (Cold/Wind Chill); Jan 15, 2024 (Extreme Cold/Wind Chill); Feb 1, 2023 (Ice Storm); Jan 30, 2023 (Winter Storm); Feb 23, 2022 (Winter Storm)
DENTON
Carrollton, Lewisville, Flower Mound, Denton		14Feb 18, 2025 (Extreme Cold/Wind Chill); Jan 19, 2025 (Cold/Wind Chill); Jan 9, 2025 (Winter Storm); Jan 6, 2025 (Cold/Wind Chill); Jan 14, 2024 (Extreme Cold/Wind Chill); Feb 1, 2023 (Ice Storm); Jan 30, 2023 (Winter Storm); Feb 2, 2022 (Winter Storm)
ROCKWALL
Rockwall		9Feb 18, 2025 (Extreme Cold/Wind Chill); Jan 19, 2025 (Cold/Wind Chill); Jan 9, 2025 (Winter Storm); Jan 6, 2025 (Cold/Wind Chill); Jan 15, 2024 (Extreme Cold/Wind Chill); Feb 1, 2023 (Ice Storm); Feb 14, 2021 (Extreme Cold/Wind Chill); Feb 13, 2021 (Winter Storm)

Sources

  1. TDLR A/C contractor licensing (link unverified)
  2. NOAA Storm Events Database

Full citations and method.