I’m Planning a Replacement

Sizing, ductwork, efficiency ratings and refrigerant: learn what separates two quotes before you sign either one.

A black and gold Gold Eagle Services HVAC van is parked beside a sunny residential street lined with trees and homes.

Read These Before You Compare Quotes

A new heating and cooling system is one of the biggest purchases a house asks of you. Two quotes can look alike on paper and still differ in what matters: whether the system was sized for your house or copied from the old one, whether anyone checked the ducts, which efficiency rating and refrigerant you get, and how it will handle a humid August and a February freeze.

Further down: questions to ask any HVAC contractor, us included.

Gold Eagle installer unloading a boxed air handler from the company trailer

See Your Options With Build Your System

Once the terms make sense, try Build Your System. Answer a few questions about your home, pick a system type, and see a live diagram of what gets installed, with pricing for that exact setup, online and on your own time.

Treat it as a starting point for comparing options, not a final quote. The right size for your house still comes from a load calculation done on site.

Gold Eagle replaces heating and cooling systems across the Austin area. When you’re ready for that on-site visit, schedule it online.

Build Your System

Questions to Ask Any HVAC Contractor

Ask these of whoever you hire. The answers show whether a contractor is designing a system for your house or just swapping the old box for a new one, and a good contractor will be glad you asked.

Are you licensed by the State of Texas? Air conditioning contractors are licensed by TDLR (the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation), and the license number should be easy to find.
Will you do a Manual J load calculation for my home, or size the new system from the old one?
Will you check my ductwork and airflow, or only the equipment?
What refrigerant does the new system use?
Will you pull the required permit?
Who registers the manufacturer’s warranty, and what does your labor warranty cover?
How will the system handle summer humidity and our occasional hard freezes?
What maintenance will the system need, and which parts can I do myself?
What happens if the house isn’t comfortable after installation?

Learn more: Smart HVAC Design: Manual J, D and S Explained and Why Properly Sized Ductwork Matters.

Austin Climate Facts That Shape Your System

Long, hot summers

Austin regularly sees weeks of 100 degree days, so systems here run harder and longer than in most of the country.

Humid heat

Summer heat comes with sticky air, so your system has to remove moisture as well as heat. Oversized systems cool fast but leave the air clammy.

A few hard freezes

Winters are mild, but storms like February 2021 showed why heat pumps, backup heat and the right settings matter.

Cedar season

Mountain cedar pollen peaks from December through February, one of the strongest allergy seasons in the country.

Other Situations

Back to Homeowner Guides

Gold Eagle Services technician servicing an outdoor heat pump at an Austin home

Go Deeper: The Resource Center

For the building science behind the decision, like duct design, insulation, humidity and ventilation, the Resource Center has more than 100 guides in 15 categories.

Browse the Resource Center