How to Choose an AC Installer in Houston: 8 Questions to Ask

A new AC system is one of the biggest checks a Houston homeowner writes, and the installer matters as much as the equipment. The same system can run well for years or struggle from day 1, depending on how it was sized, charged and set up. If you are comparing AC installers in Houston, these 8 questions sort them out fast. We answer each one for Beede AC & Heating too, so you can hold us to it.

1. Are you licensed in Texas?

Texas requires an Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Contractor license from the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR) to install AC. Ask for the number and look it up on the TDLR license search. It takes 1 minute. Ours is TACLB68911E.

2. How will you size the system?

An installer who sizes your system off square footage alone is guessing. Window area, insulation, ceiling height and which way the home faces all change the load. In Houston it matters more than most places. An oversized system cools the air fast but shuts off before it pulls the humidity out, so the home feels cold and clammy at the same time. We verify sizing at your home before we give a final price.

3. Is it a complete matched system?

The outdoor condenser and the indoor coil or air handler are rated to work together. Pairing a new condenser with an old coil saves money up front and costs you efficiency, warranty coverage and often the compressor. New systems installed in Houston now use A2L refrigerant, which has been required in new equipment since January 2025, so both sides have to be built for it.

4. Which brands do you install, and who registers the warranty?

We are factory authorized dealers for American Standard, Carrier, Lennox, Ruud, LG and Mitsubishi, and we service every brand. We do not install builder-grade lines. Most manufacturers require registration after install to give you the full parts warranty. Ask who registers it and when. If nobody does, you can end up with the shorter base warranty.

5. Do you pull the permit?

The City of Houston and most surrounding cities require a permit to replace an AC system, followed by an inspection. The inspector checks the electrical, the refrigerant lines and the drain. If an installer offers to skip the permit to save you money, that tells you how the rest of the job will go. We pull the permit whenever the job requires one.

6. What is included in the price?

Get the scope in writing. A complete install should list:

• New pad or stand for the outdoor system
• Line set replaced or evaluated for the new refrigerant
• Condensate drain line and safety switch
• Electrical disconnect and whip
• Thermostat
• Haul-off of the old equipment
• Startup and refrigerant charge check

A low price that leaves out the line set or the drain is not a low price.

7. Is the price flat and in writing? Is financing available?

Flat-rate means the price you sign is the price you pay, with no hourly surprises. At Beede, estimates are free on complete matched systems, and financing is available through Hearth. Educators and first responders get 3% off repairs and installations. Proof required at time of service.

8. Who will be in my attic?

Ask whether the company's own techs do the install or a subcontractor does. Ask who you call if something is off a week later, and how fast they come back.

Red flags when hiring an AC installer in Houston

• A final price over the phone with no plan to see the home
• Pushing a bigger system "to be safe"
• Offering to skip the permit
• A price that changes after the work starts
• Pressure to sign today
• No license number on the truck or the paperwork

Why Houston homeowners call Beede for AC installation

Beede AC & Heating is family-owned and has installed AC in Katy and Houston homes since 2010. 5 trucks run out of our Katy office and cover West Houston, Cypress, Richmond, Sugar Land and Fulshear. Free estimates on complete matched systems. Financing available through Hearth. License # TACLB68911E.

See AC installation and replacement, Financing and AC repair or replace: how to decide. Call 281-222-9591 or book online.