Frequently Asked Questions

Twice a year. We do AC tune-ups in the spring before Houston’s heat and humidity arrive, and heating maintenance in the fall before you actually need it. We’ve seen what happens when people skip a year or two. It’s usually not the skipping that causes the problem. It’s the second or third year, and by then it’s 100 degrees and you’re calling us on a Saturday afternoon wondering why nobody said something sooner. If you’d rather stop thinking about it altogether, our Shield of Protection membership handles the scheduling for you.

Our technicians inspect your system top to bottom. On a typical precision tune-up visit, we’re looking at:

• Fans, compressors, and coils, both indoor and outdoor
• Refrigerant lines and levels
• Electrical connections, including frayed wires and corroded contacts
• Drain lines, ductwork, and any signs of rust, soot, or rot
• Furnace components: dampers, valves, blowers, burners, and flue

The goal is to find small problems before they become expensive ones. Most people don’t realize something is wrong until the system stops working entirely. We’d rather catch it at a tune-up.

It depends on the equipment, how it was installed, and how well it’s been maintained. Generally, a well-maintained system in the Houston area runs 12 to 18 years. Your system works harder here than almost anywhere else in the country. Between the long summers, the humidity, and the occasional hard freeze that catches everyone off guard, regular maintenance is the single biggest factor in getting the most life out of it. We carry equipment from brands like Trane, American Standard, Daikin, Carrier, and Mitsubishi Electric. If your system is getting older, we’re happy to talk through whether repair or replacement makes more sense for your situation.

It matters, especially here. SEER stands for Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio. Simply put, it measures how much cooling you get per dollar of electricity. A higher number means a more efficient system and lower monthly bills. Modern systems start around 14 SEER and go higher from there. Texas requires new systems to meet minimum efficiency standards, and in Houston, where your AC runs most of the year, the difference between a lower and higher SEER system shows up on your electric bill every single month. One thing to know: the efficiency rating on the label assumes a specific pairing of indoor and outdoor components. Mix up that pairing and your real-world efficiency changes. We size and match equipment correctly so you actually get what you paid for. We back that with a 30% utility savings guarantee on new system installations.

Bigger is not better. It’s one of the most common misconceptions in this industry. An oversized system short-cycles, turns on and off too frequently, wears out faster, and never properly dehumidifies your home. In Houston, that last part matters more than almost anywhere else. An undersized system runs constantly and still can’t keep up on the worst days. We do a full in-home load analysis before recommending anything. That accounts for your square footage, insulation, window placement, ceiling height, duct layout, and more. It’s the only way to know what your home actually needs. We won’t quote you a system until we’ve done the math.

Depends on the filter. Standard 1-inch filters usually need replacing every 30 days. Thicker media filters can go 60 to 90 days. If you have pets or someone in the house with allergies, lean toward the shorter end. A clogged filter makes your system work harder and can restrict airflow to the point of causing damage. It’s one of the cheapest forms of maintenance you can do yourself. If you’re not sure what filter your system takes, just call us.

Whatever you’re comfortable with. We get asked this a lot and the honest answer is that comfort varies. Most energy-efficiency guidance puts the sweet spot around 78 degrees when you’re home and slightly higher when you’re away. A smart thermostat makes this easy to manage without thinking about it every day. We install those too, and can set it up so it’s actually working for your schedule.

Once a month is a good habit. Flush it with a mix of equal parts warm water and white vinegar. It takes five minutes and prevents the kind of drain backup that ends up as a water stain on your ceiling. Between Houston’s heat and humidity, drain lines clog faster here than most places. We see that more than we’d like to.

Not much. This surprises a lot of people. Standard 1-inch air filters protect your HVAC equipment from dust and debris. They’re not designed to meaningfully clean the air you breathe. If indoor air quality is the goal, you need a media air filter or a whole-home air purification system. Media filters capture significantly more particulates than a standard filter. UV air purifiers go further, addressing airborne viruses, bacteria, and other contaminants that filters alone won’t catch. It’s a layered approach, and we can help you figure out what level makes sense for your home and your family.

Yes. All of it. Houston homes deal with a lot: pollen, mold spores, high humidity, and duct systems that haven’t been looked at in years. We offer a full range of indoor air quality solutions, including:

• Media and whole-home air filtration systems
• UV air purifiers
• Humidifiers and dehumidifiers
• Duct cleaning and sanitizing
• Ductwork inspection, sealing, and insulation
• Attic insulation

If you’re dealing with allergy symptoms, musty smells, excessive dust, or humidity problems, those are worth paying attention to. We can assess your home and walk you through what’s actually going on. We provide estimates before any work starts.

Yes. Hard water is a real issue in the Houston area, and it does damage to plumbing fixtures and water heaters over time that most people don’t notice until it’s a problem. We install whole-home water softeners and filtration systems. Give us a call and we’ll walk you through the options.

We handle all residential and commercial plumbing needs across Houston, Conroe, Humble, Pasadena, Katy, and the surrounding areas. That covers drain cleaning, water heaters, water softeners, water leak detection, slab leak services, sewer lines, trenchless plumbing, gas lines, bathroom and kitchen plumbing, sump pumps, and more. If it involves plumbing in your home or business, we can help.

Some are obvious. A burst pipe. Active flooding. A drain that won’t clear no matter what you do. Others are easy to dismiss but worth taking seriously:

• Low water pressure throughout the house, not just one fixture
• Slow drains in multiple areas at once
• Gurgling sounds from drains or toilets
• Unexplained wet spots, water stains, or soft spots in flooring
• Foul odors coming from drains
• A water bill that’s crept up without explanation

The earlier you catch a plumbing problem, the cheaper it is to fix. That’s not a sales pitch; it’s just how plumbing works.

A slab leak is a leak in the water lines that run beneath your home’s concrete foundation. They’re more common in the Houston area than most homeowners realize, and the older the home, the more likely. Signs include warm spots on your floor, the sound of running water when everything’s off, unexplained increases in your water bill, or cracks appearing in your flooring or walls. Slab leaks don’t fix themselves. Left alone, they cause serious foundation damage. We offer slab leak detection and repair, so if something feels off, don’t wait on it.

Yes. Burst pipes, active leaks, and sewer backups don’t wait for business hours. We offer emergency plumbing service for urgent situations. If your home is flooding, call us immediately. We can walk you through shutting off your water supply while a technician is on the way.

Because plumbing hides. What looks like a simple leak at a fixture is sometimes a corroded line inside the wall. Giving you a number over the phone sets up a bad experience, and we’d rather be straight with you from the start. Our technician visits, assesses the situation, explains your options, and gives you a real price before any work begins. You decide whether to move forward.

Yes. We stand behind everything we do. Specific warranty terms vary by service type, and your technician will go over what applies before completing any work. No guessing on your end.

Two things before calling anyone. First, look for a tripped GFCI outlet. These are the outlets with a small reset button, usually in bathrooms, kitchens, garages, and outdoor areas. One tripped GFCI can cut power to an entire group of outlets. Press the reset button and see if power returns. Second, check your breaker panel for a breaker that’s flipped to the middle position. Switch it fully off, then back on. If neither of those works, or if the breaker trips again right away, call us. A breaker that won’t stay reset usually means the circuit is overloaded or there’s a wiring issue, and those need a licensed electrician.

Usually overload. Breakers are rated for a specific amount of amperage, and when you pull more than that, they shut off. Appliances that use electricity to heat or cool, like microwaves, toasters, space heaters, and hair dryers, are the biggest culprits. Running two of them on the same circuit at the same time is often enough to trip a 20-amp breaker. Try unplugging everything on that circuit and resetting the breaker. If it holds, the problem is likely with one of the devices. If it trips again with nothing plugged in, there’s a wiring issue and you need an electrician. Don’t ignore a breaker that won’t stay on.

GFCI stands for Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter. It monitors the flow of electricity on both the hot and neutral wires. If it detects even a small imbalance, as little as half a milliamp, it shuts off instantly. It’s a safety device, required near water for good reason. Common causes of nuisance tripping include a failing appliance, an aging refrigerator or motor on the same circuit, moisture in the outlet itself, or a GFCI that’s simply worn out. If yours keeps tripping with nothing obviously wrong, it’s worth having us take a look. A bad GFCI is a cheap fix. Ignoring what it might be warning you about is not.

We’d rather you didn’t, especially with breakers. The panel is energized even when the main breaker is off, and touching the wrong part can cause serious injury or start a fire. Outlet replacement is less dangerous but still carries real risk if the power isn’t properly isolated or the wiring is done wrong. A licensed electrician can swap an outlet in under an hour. The cost is low and the peace of mind is real.

This one is usually a “lost leg.” Your home gets power from two 120-volt lines. If one of those has a bad or loose connection, you lose half your voltage. You may have noticed lights flickering or dimming when appliances run, which is often the first sign. The problem can be in the lines coming from the utility to your home, which the utility company will test and repair at no charge, or in your meter or panel, which requires a licensed electrician. Don’t sit on this one. It can be hazardous.

A faint click is normal. A loud pop is not. That’s a sign of arcing, which is a fire hazard, and it should be checked right away. Same goes for any switch that feels warm to the touch or makes crackling sounds. Don’t wait on those.

Yes. Whole-home surge protection is something we install regularly, and it’s worth considering anywhere in the Houston metro. A single power surge, whether from a storm, a grid fluctuation, or equipment on your block, can damage or destroy appliances, electronics, and HVAC equipment in seconds. A whole-home surge protector sits at your panel and intercepts that before it reaches anything inside your house.

Yes. If you have an electric vehicle or you’re planning on one, a dedicated Level 2 charger at home is a much better setup than using a standard outlet. We install them, pull the necessary permits, and make sure the circuit is properly sized for your vehicle. Straightforward job for a licensed electrician, and a lot more convenient than you’d think once it’s in.

Yes. After what this area has been through with extended outages, winter storms, and hurricane season, a lot more Houston-area homeowners are taking backup power seriously. We install standby generators that connect directly to your home’s electrical system and turn on automatically when the power goes out. You don’t have to do anything. It just works.

A portable generator runs on gasoline, has to be started manually, and needs to stay well outside your home. It powers whatever you plug into it directly. It’s a temporary solution, and a stressful one if you’re dealing with a multi-day outage after a storm. A standby generator is permanently installed, connected to your natural gas or propane line, and tied directly to your electrical panel. When the grid goes down, it senses the outage and kicks on within seconds. No extension cords, no hauling fuel, no going outside in the middle of a storm. For families who rely on medical equipment, or who’ve lived through enough Houston outages to know better, standby is the right call.

Yes. Generators sit idle most of the time, which is actually harder on them than regular use. Oil, filters, spark plugs, and battery connections all need periodic attention. Most standby generators run a brief self-test weekly, but that’s not a substitute for an annual tune-up. We offer generator maintenance, and Shield of Protection members can include it in their plan.

It’s our whole-home membership program for homeowners who want to stay ahead of problems instead of reacting to them. One membership covers your HVAC, plumbing, and electrical systems. We schedule the maintenance visits, we send the reminders, and you stop worrying about whether your systems are in good shape heading into summer or the next freeze. We’ve found that members catch issues earlier, spend less on emergency repairs, and get more life out of their equipment. The savings tend to add up faster than most people expect.

Benefits cover all three trades. Here’s what members receive:

• Two free precision HVAC tune-ups per year, spring AC and fall heating
• One free plumbing inspection and annual water heater flush
• One free electrical inspection
• 48-hour priority scheduling across all trades
• Free diagnostic fee on all service calls
• 20% discount on HVAC repairs, 10% on plumbing, 5% on electrical
• $100 per year in loyalty credit toward a new system, up to $800

Give us a call and we’ll walk you through the details and current pricing.

Honestly, newer systems benefit from maintenance too. Most manufacturer warranties require documented maintenance to stay valid. If your system goes out and you can’t show service records, you may be paying out of pocket even on a unit that’s only a few years old. Beyond the warranty angle, the free diagnostic fee alone tends to offset a chunk of the membership cost the first time you need a service call. And that $100 annual loyalty credit builds toward a future system replacement whether you need it soon or years from now.

No, and here’s why. A phone quote is either too low (and you’re surprised at the door) or padded to protect us from surprises (and you overpay). Neither is good. We send a technician, they assess what’s actually going on, and give you a clear price before touching anything. You decide whether to move forward. No pressure, no surprises. That’s part of what we mean by transparent estimates.

Yes. We run seasonal specials on equipment, tune-ups, and certain services throughout the year. Current offers are on our website at airtechofhouston.com/specials/, or just ask when you call. We’d rather you know about a deal before you book than find out after.

Yes. A new HVAC system, a whole-home generator, a full repipe; these are not small purchases. We offer financing options to make necessary work more manageable. Terms vary by project, and our team will walk you through what’s available during your appointment. We’d rather you get what your home needs than put it off because of cash flow.

Yes. Every Air Tech of Houston technician is licensed, background-checked, and holds the credentials required for their trade. Our electricians and plumbers hold state licenses. Our HVAC technicians are EPA certified. We’re fully insured, and we carry a BBB A+ rating. Air Tech has been serving this area since 1985. That kind of history in one market doesn’t happen by accident. When we show up at your door, you know who you’re getting, and you know we have a reputation here worth protecting.