AI Search Is Reshaping HVAC Buying

AI is quietly rewriting the rules of how homeowners find and hire HVAC contractors. Today’s consumers increasingly start their buying journeys by asking AI assistants for recommendations — and prices.

Half of consumers polled in a McKinsey survey now intentionally seek out AI-powered search engines, with a majority of users saying it’s the top digital source they use to make buying decisions. Additionally, use of AI-powered search spans all ages, including a majority of older generations (for example, baby boomers) already adopting it. 

“Zero-click searches, where users get the answer directly on the search results page, now account for nearly 80% of queries,” says EDEN Co-founder and CEO Ben Phillips says in his December column. “This means fewer people are clicking through to websites, preferring instead to view the search results page itself as a comprehensive information hub.”

Phillips notes that Google has also begun rolling out features, like “Have AI check pricing,” which will automatically search local businesses about product availability and pricing. “In other words, your interaction with a potential customer may start with a bot, not a browser click. Industry analysts expect this trend to accelerate, with traditional search volumes projected to decline in the years to come.”

Now, if your company is not displaying that pricing information on your website, you will be overlooked. There are other ramifications as well.

During her breakout session at Service World Expo, Colleen Keyworth, vice president of sales and marketing at Online-Access, shared a screenshot of an AI-search she prompted, asking the average cost of a water heater in Port Huron, Michigan. The results came from Detroit, Grand Rapids, and even Canada. For those unfamiliar with Michigan geography, Detroit is 62 miles away from Port Huron, while Grand Rapids is 180 miles away. And Canada is a different country altogether. These are three very different markets.

“The reason it displayed that information is it didn’t have anything to go by,” Keyworth said. “So it found a company in Grand Rapids that had pricing information about water heaters and put it together. This is going to be the biggest game changer going forward. I was raised on the race to the bottom mentality, so I get it. But I do think it’s going to change whether we like it or not. Consumers want more information around the price. And I’d rather not have a one-truck Chuck educating them on pricing to be honest with you — somebody that doesn't have overhead, somebody doesn't have capacity, somebody that doesn't have insurance or coverage or warranties. And then, we do a poor job our customer about what we actually do because we keep it so secret.”

To adapt, HVAC contractors can start by making pricing and estimates easily accessible online, ensuring their websites are optimized for AI-powered search. Tools like interactive quote calculators, instant estimate forms, and service-package pricing tables not only meet consumer expectations but also feed the structured data AI systems rely on to surface relevant results.

One recent study shows independent HVAC and plumbing contractors have implemented an “HVAC eCommerce” approach — displaying install prices and offering instant online quotes to combat private equity consolidation. The strategy reflects a growing movement toward radical transparency to strengthen customer trust. Learn more about the benefits of online estimates in this month’s cover story.

Contractors should also consider integrating AI-driven chatbots or virtual assistants that can answer pricing questions, suggest service options, and schedule appointments in real time. Beyond technology, clear, consistent messaging across Google Business Profiles, social media, and review sites reinforces transparency, increasing the likelihood that AI tools recommend their services over competitors. By combining these digital practices with traditional customer service excellence, contractors can turn AI-driven search behavior into a reliable lead-generation channel.

Adopting AI — and adapting to it — today is like adopting field service and mobile dispatching a decade ago — the contractors who embraced it early became the most efficient, most profitable, and most competitive in their markets. The ones who waited were forced to catch up.