2025 Update
Getting new leads for your HVAC business can feel like a never-ending battle. You know you need a steady stream of new customers, but traditional advertising methods like flyers and radio ads just don’t cut it anymore. Chasing down bad leads is a waste of time, money, and resources.
So, what’s the solution? You need high-quality lead services that connect you with homeowners and businesses actively searching for HVAC services. But not all lead generation companies are created equal. Some offer exclusive, high-intent leads, while others flood your inbox with shared leads that end up in a bidding war.
For many HVAC contractors, the ins-and-outs of online marketing – such as website development, SEO, online advertising, or directory listing – can be time-consuming, or worse, unproductive. To help you make the best choice, here’s a rundown of 10 lead services that can fuel your HVAC business with quality prospects.
Figure 1: How each pay-per-lead website handles lead generation, verification, and distribution
Shared vs. Exclusive Leads
Shared leads offer affordability. Exclusive leads provide a better chance of securing jobs, ideal for new businesses or those seeking direct opportunities.
- Shared leads go to multiple HVAC contractors, making competition tougher but keeping costs lower.
- Exclusive leads are sold to just one contractor, eliminating competition but at a higher price. While shared leads offer affordability, exclusive leads provide a better chance of securing jobs—ideal for new businesses or those seeking direct opportunities.
What Are Verified Leads?
Verified leads are pre-screened to ensure they are genuine and interested in your services. Some vendors use detailed forms to assess intent, while others pre-qualify leads through pay-per-call or web inquiries. If leads come through direct calls, reputable vendors often record them to confirm quality and offer dispute resolutions for unqualified leads. Choosing verified leads helps you avoid wasted time and focus on real opportunities.
Below is Brief Overview of Each Lead Service Mentioned Above
1. 99 Calls – Exclusive, Warm Leads
99 Calls specializes in providing exclusive, high-converting leads for HVAC contractors.
- Cost per lead: $9.99 – $129.99 per exclusive lead.
- Lead distribution system: Exclusive.
- Lead source: 99 Calls Lead Generation System drives a contractor’s website to the top of search engine results so they can be found by high-quality prospects.
- Unlike platforms that sell the same lead to multiple businesses (e.g., Angi, Thumbtack), 99 Calls provides exclusive leads, increasing the chances of conversion.
- Warm Leads – 99 Calls focuses on search engine optimization (SEO), pay-per-click (PPC) marketing, and Local Services Ads (LSA), which means the leads are high intent and ready to book a job.
- 99 Calls builds and optimizes a custom lead generation website to help contractors rank higher in local search results and generate organic leads over time.
- Instead of relying on form submissions only, many leads come through as live calls, increasing the chances of immediate customer engagement.
2. HomeAdvisor
- Cost per HVAC lead: $15-$100 per lead.
- Additional Cost: $300/year.
- Lead distribution system: Leads shared by several contractors.
- Lead source: Form on the website and third-party data sources.
Pros:
- HomeAdvisor is the largest contractor-matching service and popular among homeowners.
- It has a strong online presence. If you’re starting out, building a good profile on HomeAdvisor can help you get found on Google.
- Some contractors report having purchased good leads from the site.
Cons:
- Leads are sold to multiple contractors, making competition stiff.
- Since it’s free and easy for homeowners to submit a request for quote, some leads may not be ready to start a project.
- Many contractors aren’t happy with HomeAdvisor’s customer service.
- Canceling your subscription and requesting a refund can be a hassle.
3. CraftJack
- Cost per HVAC lead: $12-$105 per shared lead.
- Lead distribution system: Leads shared by up to four contractors.
- Lead source: Homeowners submit requests on the vendor’s website.
- Lead Verification System: The vendor’s automated system calls the prospects to verify their information when they submit requests for quotes.
Pros:
- CraftJack’s lead management tool makes it easy for contractors to track prospects and receive text or email alerts on new leads.
- It’s easy to request a credit for a bad lead through the lead management tool.
Cons:
Using shared leads means you’ll have to compete with other contractors for the same prospects.
4. Porch – Partners with Big-Box Stores
Porch partners with companies like Lowe’s to generate leads for local contractors. If a homeowner purchases an HVAC-related product, Porch connects them with a pro for installation.
- Cost: Porch takes a percentage of the total project cost.
- Inconsistent Lead Quality.
- Lead distribution system: Shared Leads. Leads are sent to multiple contractors.
4. Facebook & Instagram Ads – Hyper-Targeted Marketing
Social media ads allow HVAC contractors to target specific demographics, such as homeowners in need of HVAC repair or seasonal maintenance. With the right ad copy and landing page, you can generate high-intent leads directly from social platforms.
- Cost: The average cost for an HVAC lead is between $250 and $300 per lead.
- Lead Source: Prospects submit requests to contractor’s page.
- Lead distribution system: Exclusive.
- It can be difficult to target specific audiences with Facebook and Instagram ads.
- High competition – Instagram has many business profiles, which can make it difficult to stand out. The competitive nature of Facebook’s ad auction can drive up costs, especially for businesses in popular industries.
- Time-consuming – Managing Facebook ads can be time-consuming and complex.
5. Yelp Ads – Boosted Visibility for Reviews-Based Leads
Yelp’s advertising platform helps businesses reach homeowners searching for HVAC services. While Yelp reviews play a significant role in winning leads, paid ads can further increase your visibility. Contractors with strong Yelp ratings tend to see the best results.
- Cost per HVAC lead: $30-$100 per lead.
- Lead Source: Prospects submit requests to contractor’s page.
- Lead Distribution: Exclusive.
6. HVAC-Local Home Specific Directories (e.g., HVAC.com, HVACNearYou)
Niche directories like HVAC.com connect homeowners with vetted contractors. Listing your business on these platforms can generate steady leads, especially for service-focused searches.
- Lead Cost: $50 – $195 per lead.
- Can lead to lower closing rates due to the vetting process.
8. Craigslist – Budget-Friendly Local Leads
While not traditional lead services, Craigslist and Nextdoor allow HVAC contractors to connect with local homeowners looking for services. Posting regular service ads can generate low-cost leads in your service area.
- Craigslist lacks advanced targeting features, making it harder to reach a specific demographic.
- Craigslist is notorious for scammers and spam responses, meaning you may have to sift through low-quality leads or fraudulent inquiries.
- Ads are mostly text-based, with a few images allowed, offering little room for creative branding or engaging ad formats.
9. Thumbtack
- Cost per HVAC lead: $10 – $100 to send a quote. Price can vary depending on the job.
- Introductory Price: Start with a 10-quote package at a 30% discount.
- Lead distribution system: Shared by several contractors.
- Lead source: Prospects fill out a form on the vendor’s website.
- Lead Verification System: The vendor reviews each lead to make sure the request is legitimate.
Pros:
- The site offers a detailed description of each job or project.
- There’s a large number of homeowners sending requests to Thumbtack.
- You only pay for each quote you send, there are no hidden or additional fees.
- It’s possible to get good quality leads at a low cost if you have excellent reviews and a compelling description of your services on your profile.
Cons:
- Your company’s contact details aren’t visible to potential clients so they can’t contact you directly via your Thumbtack profile.
- Thumbtack allows homeowners to directly contact HVAC pros based on reviews and profiles. Unlike traditional lead services, this platform encourages contractors to build a strong reputation through customer feedback. Since customers choose who to message, it’s not a true “pay-per-lead” model, but it can be an effective way to generate local business.
- Multiple businesses often receive the same lead, making it a race to respond first and outbid competitors.
- Many users inquire out of curiosity or compare prices but never respond, leaving you paying for unqualified or dead-end leads.
- Thumbtack encourages price shopping, so customers may go with the cheapest option instead of valuing expertise or long-term relationships.
- Thumbtack has a history of changing its pricing structure and lead distribution model, making it harder for businesses to plan their marketing budgets effectively.
10. Angi – Large Customer Network
Angi connects HVAC pros with homeowners seeking services. While it’s a popular choice, many contractors complain about high competition since leads are often shared. The key to success here is quick follow-ups and a strong sales approach.
- Cost per HVAC lead: $15 – $85 to send a quote. Price can vary depending on the job.
- Lead source: Prospects fill out a form on the vendor’s website.
- Lead Distribution: Shared leads.
- Businesses often have to pay for leads regardless of whether they convert into jobs. Some contractors report expensive leads with low ROI.
- Angi often sells the same lead to multiple businesses, making it a race to win the customer’s attention.
- While Angi allows free listings, businesses that don’t pay for premium placements may struggle to get visibility.
- Since Angi controls the platform, businesses often don’t fully own the customer relationship, making it harder to build long-term client loyalty.
- Some businesses report that Angi makes it difficult to remove unfair or false negative reviews, which can harm credibility.
Figure 2: Price-per-lead comparison
Final Thoughts: Which Service Should You Choose?
No single lead service will work for every HVAC contractor. The best approach is to test multiple options and track which delivers the highest ROI. If you prefer exclusive leads, 99 Calls is a great starting point. If you’re comfortable competing for shared leads, HomeAdvisor and Porch might work. Don’t underestimate the power of social media advertising to generate leads on demand.
You may have to test out a few vendors to find the method that works best for your market and business model. Make sure to track the results so you can identify a lead generation service that yields the highest ROI for your business.
Whichever route you choose, consistency is key. The HVAC businesses that dominate their local markets aren’t just waiting for leads, they’re actively working on their marketing strategy every day.