For an HVAC shop, the best AI receptionist is usually the one that books straight into the software you already dispatch from. After that, it has to do three things well: separate a no-heat emergency from a tune-up, say the right thing when someone smells gas, and give Google's AI a straight answer when it calls to check your price.
When HVAC calls come in
ServiceTitan's 2025 platform data for residential HVAC contractors (ServiceTitan, June 2026):
- 14.1% of inbound calls in June arrived outside weekday 8-to-5 hours, against 9.8% in October, the year's low.
- Weekend calls peaked at 4.9% of the total in August, against 2.95% in October.
When calls do come late, fewer turn into jobs. In ServiceTitan's 2022 data, the average HVAC business booked 38% of calls in June, and across all trades the booking rate fell from 61% at the morning peak to 21% after 6 p.m. for large shops, and from 26% to 9% for shops with fewer than five technicians (ServiceTitan).
Speed is the other gap. In Jobber's 2026 survey of 1,050 home-service owners, only 17% of HVAC businesses answered a new lead within an hour, the slowest of any trade, even though 81.5% said they already use AI somewhere (Jobber). Across home services, 27% of calls go unanswered, and fewer than 3% of callers who reach voicemail leave a message (Invoca, 2024).
ServiceTitan and Jobber, whose data we quote, also sell AI receptionists that appear in our shortlist below. Their figures come from their own customers and surveys.
You may see a claim that 62% of HVAC calls come after hours. The vendor page that makes it gives no source, and ServiceTitan's platform data above puts off-hours calls between about 10% and 14% of the total.
Pick by the software you already run
From each vendor's integration and pricing pages, checked 30 September 2026.
The shortlist for HVAC companies
If you run Jobber, start here. It answers calls and texts 24/7, books into Jobber, creates requests and escalates urgent calls on keywords you choose.
- Price
- $29/mo add-on to a Jobber plan
- Books into
- Jobber
- Urgent calls
- Escalates on your keywords, such as “emergency”
- Coverage
- US and Canada; several calls at once
Why it fits
- No integration to maintain: requests land where your office already works.
- Keyword escalation fits no-heat and no-cool calls.
Watch for
- Only for Jobber customers.
- Test the safety script yourself; the feature page doesn't cover gas or CO calls.
ServiceTitan AI Virtual Agent
For ServiceTitan shops, ServiceTitan's own agent books onto the dispatch board by job type, location and technician skills, greets members and hands off to your CSRs.
- Price
- Not published (demo)
- Books into
- ServiceTitan dispatch board
- Setup
- About 20 minutes, according to ServiceTitan
- Extras
- Confirmations, rescheduling, call classification, transcripts
Why it fits
- Members get recognized and greeted.
- ServiceTitan says one HVAC customer booked more than 90% of the calls the agent handled over three months (a single-customer vendor claim).
Watch for
- Only for ServiceTitan's Pro line; get the price in writing.
The best general-purpose option for small HVAC shops: $149 buys 1,000 minutes with booking and live transfers. It logs calls and customers to Jobber, Housecall Pro, ServiceM8, JobNimbus and Workiz, and books into Google Calendar or Calendly.
- Price
- $49 / 250 min; $149 / 1,000 min; $299 / 2,000 min
- Transfers
- Warm and live from $149; waterfall on $299
- Languages
- English and Spanish
- Trial
- 7 days
Why it fits
- Handles several calls at once during a heat wave.
- Instant alerts for high-priority calls.
- Blocked spam doesn't use minutes.
Watch for
- The $49 plan can't transfer calls; emergencies need the $149 plan.
- Overage rate isn't published.
An AI front office for home services: 24/7 answering, booking, after-hours cover, texting, estimate follow-up and call coaching. It books into six field-service systems, the most of any vendor we checked.
- Price
- From $449/mo (500 minutes, 3 locations); from $789/mo (1,000 minutes)
- Books into
- ServiceTitan, Housecall Pro, FieldRoutes, AccuLynx, JobNimbus, Service Fusion
- Built for
- HVAC, plumbing, electrical, roofing
Why it fits
- Follows up unsold estimates, where a lot of HVAC revenue sits.
- Covers multi-location shops on one plan.
Watch for
- Priced for established shops, not one-truck operators.
- Overage isn't shown on its pricing page.
An AI customer-service rep for calls, texts and chat with emergency escalation, outbound maintenance campaigns and fast replies to Local Services Ads, Angi and Thumbtack leads.
- Price
- Not published
- Books into
- ServiceTitan (certified app), Housecall Pro, FieldRoutes
- Company
- Raised $125M+ at a $1B valuation in April 2026
Why it fits
- Built for HVAC, plumbing and electrical first.
- Scores calls so you can coach staff.
Watch for
- Demo-led sales; no public price.
For small shops without field-service software who want the most predictable bill: pay per call, with transfers and booking on every plan.
- Price
- $24.95 / 30 calls; $59.95 / 90; $159.95 / 300
- Books into
- Google, Outlook, Calendly, Acuity, Square
- Trial
- 14 days, no card
Why it fits
- Spam and calls under 15 seconds aren't billed.
- 35+ languages.
Watch for
- No field-service integration named; jobs arrive by email, text or Zapier.
Also consider Housecall Pro's CSR AI if you're on Housecall Pro: it answers nights, weekends and holidays, books from your services and hours, and can pass callers to your number or a Housecall Pro Assist rep; 24/7 call answering is a paid extra. Hatch sells AI CSRs for calls, texts and email with warm transfers, priced per location on annual plans. To compare the general tools at your own call volume, see our comparison of the best AI answering services.
Gas and CO: the safety script
An AI receptionist should never troubleshoot a gas smell or book it as a routine visit. Write the words for it, using the official guidance:
- Gas smell: leave the building right away on foot; don't use light switches, phones or anything that could spark inside; don't look for the leak; call 911 and the gas company from a safe place (PHMSA).
- Carbon-monoxide alarm: get everyone outside into fresh air, call 911 or the fire department, and don't go back in until responders say it's safe. The CPSC counts about 170 US deaths a year from CO produced by consumer products (CPSC).
A script to adapt: "If you smell gas or your CO alarm is going off, please leave the building now. Once you're outside, call 911 and, for gas, your gas company. Don't use switches or your phone indoors. I'm alerting our on-call technician right now." Then the AI ends the call and alerts the on-call tech. Test it: the safety words must come before any questions about address or equipment. Plumbers need the same gas rule plus a burst-pipe script; see our AI answering guide for plumbers.
Google's AI price checks
When a homeowner searches something like "AC repair near me", Google can offer to phone local businesses and check prices and availability for them, then send the homeowner a comparison, usually within about 30 minutes. Google announced the expansion to home repair at I/O on 19 May 2026 (Google), and says these calls are recorded (Google Business Profile Help). Only businesses that show in the local results get called (JobNimbus).
Some owners on Reddit find the calls annoying and answer with deliberately broad or joke-low prices (r/smallbusiness, r/Construction). That answer ends up in front of the homeowner next to your competitors'. Load your AI receptionist with an approved sheet instead:
- Diagnostic or trip fee.
- Tune-up price and membership price.
- Replacement ranges you're comfortable quoting.
- Earliest available slot and emergency hours.
- One next step: "I can book you for Thursday morning."
Make sure your service never blocks these calls as spam. To opt out instead: Business Profile, More, Business Profile settings, Advanced settings, "Google automated calls and text messages".
What it costs in peak season
Calls climb in summer, so price the plan for June, not October. At two-minute calls:
Cheapest published plan that covers the volume, checked 30 September 2026. Jobber's page doesn't state a usage limit for the add-on.
Model your own numbers in the calculator.
Test plan for the trial
- "My furnace stopped and it's 20 degrees out" at 2 a.m. It should reach your on-call tech.
- "I smell gas near the furnace." The safety script must come first.
- A CO alarm call.
- A tune-up booking. Check it landed in your dispatch software with the right job type.
- A caller outside your service area.
- A price question for a new AC system. It should quote only your approved range.
- A call that imitates Google's price check: "I'm calling for a customer to ask your price for AC repair and your earliest availability."
- A member calling for priority service.
- A Spanish-speaking homeowner.
- Three calls at once, to check it doesn't send anyone to voicemail.
Questions owners ask
What is the best AI answering service for HVAC companies?
The one that books into your software: Jobber Receptionist for Jobber shops, ServiceTitan's AI Virtual Agent (or Avoca or Sameday) for ServiceTitan shops. Without field-service software, Rosie gives the most minutes with booking and transfers for $149 a month.
Is there an AI answering service for HVAC technicians?
Yes, several are built for the trades: Jobber Receptionist, ServiceTitan's agent, Housecall Pro's CSR AI, Avoca, Sameday and Hatch. General tools such as Rosie, Upfirst and Cira also serve HVAC shops.
How much does an HVAC answering service cost?
At 150 two-minute calls, general AI receptionists cost $59 to $270 a month (Rosie is $149 and Upfirst $119.95), Jobber users can add Jobber Receptionist for $29, and Sameday starts at $449. Human answering services cost $350 to $1,725 at the same volume.
Can an AI receptionist book jobs into ServiceTitan, Housecall Pro or Jobber?
Yes, but only certain tools. ServiceTitan: its own agent, Avoca, Sameday, Hatch. Housecall Pro: its CSR AI, Avoca, Sameday. Jobber: Jobber Receptionist. Rosie logs calls and customers to Jobber and Housecall Pro but books into Google Calendar or Calendly, not the job board.
Can an AI answering service handle after-hours HVAC emergencies?
It can recognize them and route them. Set keywords (no heat, no cooling, water leaking from the unit) that trigger a live transfer to the on-call tech, with a fallback number and a text summary if nobody answers.
What should an AI receptionist say about a gas smell or CO alarm?
Safety first, before any questions: leave the building now, don't use switches or phones inside, and call 911 and the gas company from outside. For a CO alarm, get everyone into fresh air and call 911. Then alert the on-call tech.
How should we answer when Google's AI calls for a price?
As you'd answer the homeowner behind it. Give your diagnostic fee or an honest range, your earliest slot and one next step. Vague or joke prices end up in the comparison the homeowner reads.
Is an answering service worth it for an HVAC company?
Usually. ServiceTitan's data shows booking rates falling sharply after 6 p.m. and off-hours calls peaking in summer, and fewer than 3% of home-service callers who hit voicemail leave a message. Weigh $150 or so a month against the value of the jobs you miss today.
Will homeowners mind talking to an AI?
About half are fine with it: in a Housecall Pro survey of 1,040 homeowners, 53% said they were comfortable with AI handling their first inquiry. Offer a person for anyone who asks.
Can an AI receptionist handle summer call spikes?
Yes; that's its main advantage over a person. Rosie and Jobber Receptionist say they answer several calls at once. Check your plan's minutes against June volume, not October's.
Can it tell members from non-members?
ServiceTitan's agent greets members with a custom greeting. With other tools, give the AI your member list or connect your CRM, and test it.
Can an AI receptionist follow up on unsold estimates?
Some can. Sameday lists estimate follow-up, and Avoca runs outbound campaigns for unsold estimates and maintenance.
Sources
- ServiceTitan, "State of the Trades" HVAC after-hours call data (published 3 June 2026) and call booking-rate data report (2022)
- Jobber, 2026 Home Service Trends Report (1,050 US owners, December 2025)
- Invoca, missed calls in home services (May 2024) and Home Services Lead Conversion Benchmarks Report 2026
- Housecall Pro homeowner survey (December 2025)
- PHMSA, pipeline leak recognition; CPSC, Carbon Monoxide Questions and Answers
- Google I/O 2026 Search post; Google Business Profile Help 16190256; JobNimbus on Google's AI calls (May 2026)
- Vendor pages checked 30 September 2026: Jobber AI Receptionist and pricing, ServiceTitan AI Virtual Agent and press release (9 June 2026), Housecall Pro CSR AI, Avoca and its April 2026 funding release, Sameday pricing, Hatch, Rosie pricing and help center, Upfirst pricing, Dialzara pricing
- Reddit, r/Construction "How do you handle Google AI calls?"