How we work

Where the answers come from

The answers in our Questions sections come from Energy.gov, ENERGY STAR, the EPA and the CDC. Gas and carbon monoxide advice comes from the Consumer Product Safety Commission. For a frozen AC, the answers come from the consumer help pages of the equipment makers Trane and Carrier, because the public agencies do not cover it. Every answer links to the page it comes from.

The “Check these first” steps are limited to checks that are safe to do at home: the thermostat, the air filter, the outdoor unit. Anything inside the unit is a job for a pro.

Where prices come from

Our cost pages collect published US price guides, such as Thumbtack, Fixr, HomeGuide, Today's Homeowner and This Old House. Each number sits next to its source and the date of the page it came from.

• We show the numbers side by side and don't average them. Guides disagree, and the gap is worth seeing.
• Some guides base their estimates on other sites, such as Angi and HomeAdvisor, and say so on their pages. We note it when they do.
• Prices are national. We don't quote a price for a single city.
• Before a number goes live, we check it against the text of the page it came from.

Where city information comes from

City pages use official sources: state contractor licensing laws and registers, city permit pages, city and utility help pages, and NOAA climate data. Each block shows its source and the date we checked it.

Cooling center lists change by season, so we link to the city's own page instead of copying the list.

What happens to your request

1. You answer a few questions about the problem and leave your ZIP code, name and phone number.
2. You choose how contractors reach you: a call, a text or WhatsApp.
3. We pass your request to HVAC contractors in your area. They may pay us for it, as explained in the Disclosure.

Sending a request doesn't hire anyone or book anything. You decide that when a contractor reaches you.

Last updated October 22, 2026.