HVAC Installation in Waco, TX
A new system here will heat from November through March and cool from May through October every year. Tell us about the house, and a licensed contractor who covers McLennan County will get in touch.
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A new system here works almost year round
A home in McLennan County needs heat or cooling eleven months out of the year. Summer afternoons average 94°F, so the compressor runs hard from May through October. Winter nights average 38°F from December through February, and the furnace or heat pump takes over from November through March. That leaves the system barely a month of rest.
Most homes here heat with electricity. In 2024, a third of Texas households lost power for at least a day. Wind is the more frequent risk in this county. Ten years of records show 56 damaging wind events against 4 winter storms. A new system should be sized for the summer heat and installed to hold up through the storms that come with it.
- 5 months
- November through March, your system heats
- 6 months
- May through October, it cools
- 38°F
- the average winter night it heats against
- 94°F
- the average summer afternoon it cools against
NOAA nClimDiv, 1991–2020 normals
Texas requires HVAC contractors to hold a state license.
The Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation tests and records the contractors it licenses. That license belongs to the contractor, not to any single job, so the same license covers the work whether it is a repair down the street or a full installation like this one.
For an installation, that license is what stands behind the person doing the work, but it is not the only check. In most cities and counties here, putting in a new heating and cooling system needs a permit from the local building office, and the finished job gets inspected before it is signed off. That inspection is separate from the license. It is the local check that the system was actually put in right.
Source: Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation
- When should I replace my HVAC system?
- Replace it when repairs keep coming back or the unit is old enough that another breakdown is likely. Most furnaces and air conditioners last a couple decades, and once one starts failing near the end of that stretch, sinking more money into it usually just delays the same decision. Watch for signs like uneven heating or cooling room to room, rising energy bills with no other explanation, or a contractor telling you a part has failed again after already being replaced. In Waco, homes run the AC six months a year and the furnace five, so either system spends most of the year working. A system on its last legs will make that stretch harder each season.
- Should I replace my furnace and air conditioner at the same time?
- If they're close in age, replacing both together often makes sense, but it depends on the condition of each one. A furnace and AC installed at the same time tend to wear out around the same time, so if one is failing, the other may not be far behind. They also share the blower and ductwork, so matching them keeps the whole system working the way it was designed to. If one unit is much newer than the other, there's no reason to replace it early just because its partner failed. A contractor can look at both and tell you honestly whether one or both need to go.
- What happens during an HVAC installation?
- A contractor removes the old equipment, checks the ductwork and connections, then sets the new furnace, air conditioner, or both in place. This includes running new electrical and refrigerant lines where needed, connecting the unit to the existing ducts, and testing the system to make sure it's heating or cooling correctly before they leave. They'll also check airflow at the vents and confirm the thermostat is talking to the new equipment. Depending on the house, some ductwork may need sealing or minor changes to work with the new unit. A contractor can walk through what your specific installation will involve once they've seen the house.