Austin is hot for four months, dear to live in, and served in the city by a utility the city owns. Those three facts shape every ad we would run there. Here is how we would run HVAC marketing in Austin for a replacement-first contractor.
Why is HVAC marketing in Austin different?
Because Austin combines a long, hot season with high home values and its own city-owned electric utility. Normal highs sit above 90°F from late May to late September, the median owner-occupied home in the city is worth $555,300, and Austin Energy customers have access to an AC rebate that most of Texas does not.
| NWS figure, Austin Camp Mabry (1991-2020 normals) | Figure |
|---|---|
| Normal July high | 96.6°F |
| Normal August high | 97.8°F |
| Days a year at 90°F or more | 122.8 |
| Normal highs at 90°F or more | May 26 to September 23 |
| Nights a year at 32°F or below | 11.9 |
| Cooling degree days a year | 3,290 |
| Heating degree days a year | 1,442 |
Sources: NWS Austin monthly normals, NWS Austin July records and the NWS Austin climate summary.
The climate summary adds two local details. In 2011, Austin had 90 days at 100°F or more. And winter is uneven: Camp Mabry averages about 12 sub-freezing days a year, while Austin Bergstrom, in the low ground to the southeast, averages 33. That matters when we pick which areas get winter heat pump offers.
What housing do Austin contractors work in?
Expensive homes, and a city core full of renters. Census QuickFacts puts the owner-occupied rate at 43.4% in the City of Austin and 66.4% in Williamson County. Median owner-occupied values run from $447,000 to $555,300. High-value homes support full system replacements, but only owners can sign for one.
| Census QuickFacts, 2020-2024 | Owner-occupied rate | Median value of owner-occupied homes |
|---|---|---|
| Austin city | 43.4% | $555,300 |
| Travis County | 52.1% | $523,000 |
| Williamson County | 66.4% | $447,000 |
Sources: Census QuickFacts for Austin city, Travis County and Williamson County.
We have no verified data on the age of Austin's installed systems or the split between heat pumps and gas furnace systems. Your replacement history tells us more than a statistic would, so the audit call starts there.
How does Austin Energy change HVAC marketing in Austin?
It gives some Austin ads a rebate to mention. Austin Energy is a department of the City of Austin, and its cooling and heating rebates page says customers can earn a rebate averaging $800 to install a new, energy efficient air conditioning system. That is a real line for a replacement ad.
The catch is the service area. Austin Energy is a municipal utility, and the Public Utility Commission of Texas notes that municipal utilities and co-ops choose for themselves whether to join retail competition. The rebate is for Austin Energy customers, and the metro spreads well beyond the city limits. So we would split campaigns: ads that mention the Austin Energy rebate run only where it applies, and the qualifier checks the address. Everywhere else, the offer carries the ad without it.
We checked that page in September 2026. Rebate programs change, so we recheck before any ad goes live and link to the source.
How would we run Meta and Google in Austin?
Google heavier from May to September, Meta the rest of the year, with the Austin Energy rebate only where it applies. Google Search catches "AC replacement" and "AC not cooling" searches through the long summer. Meta reaches owners in Round Rock, Cedar Park or Lakeway whose system is getting old, before it fails.
What changes in Austin:
- Two rebate tracks. Austin Energy areas see the rebate in the ad, linked to the source. Other areas see a free in-home replacement assessment and a dated install slot.
- Targeting by band. North (Round Rock, Georgetown, Pflugerville, Hutto), northwest (Cedar Park, Leander), west (Lakeway, Bee Cave, Dripping Springs), south (Kyle, Buda) and east (Manor). We start where your trucks already run.
- Winter heat pump offers where it freezes. Low ground like the area around Bergstrom freezes far more often than central Austin, so winter Meta spend leans toward areas like it.
- Budget flip. From May to September the US$4,000 minimum splits Google $2,500 and Meta $1,500. The rest of the year it is Meta $2,500 and Google $1,500.
The reasons for running both channels are in Google Ads vs Facebook ads for HVAC. What happens after the quote matters as much as the ad: read the day 1, 3 and 7 quote follow-up.
Worked example: an Austin July at minimum spend (planning assumptions, not results)
Google $2,500 + Meta $1,500 = $4,000
$4,000 / $100 to $130 assumed blended cost per enquiry = about 35 enquiries
35 x 60% pass the qualifier = about 21. 21 x 60% book = about 12 to 13 booked quotes
12.5 x 30% close = about 3 to 4 replacements
Break-even = ($3,000 fee + $4,000 ads) / your gross profit per replacement
These are planning assumptions from how we plan in Australia, not Austin results. We have no Austin data yet. Your first month replaces them.
Is the Austin territory available?
Yes. Austin is open, with one HVAC client per service line in the metro. We have no US clients yet and are based in Sydney, working Texas business hours remotely.
The fee is US$3,000 a month, with half of the first 90 days paid only after 3 won jobs or day 60. See US pricing for the full maths, or go back to the Texas overview for the other metros.
Sources
- Austin Climate Summary, NWS Austin/San Antonio
- Austin Camp Mabry monthly normals 1991-2020, NWS Austin/San Antonio
- City of Austin Climate Records, July, NWS Austin/San Antonio
- QuickFacts: Austin city, Texas, US Census Bureau
- QuickFacts: Travis County, Texas, US Census Bureau
- QuickFacts: Williamson County, Texas, US Census Bureau
- Residential cooling and heating rebates, Austin Energy
- About Austin Energy, Austin Energy
- Municipally-Owned Electric Utilities and Electric Cooperatives FAQs, Public Utility Commission of Texas