HVAC companies in Columbus, OH
Compare up to three local Columbus HVAC contractors from Henry's vetted bench — AC repair, furnace and heat pump service, and full system replacement.
Columbus runs a genuine four-season workload on its HVAC equipment: humid, 85-plus-degree summers that push central AC and heat pumps hard from June through September, and cold winters where the gas furnace is the only thing standing between a family and a house in the 50s. That dual demand is what makes Columbus HVAC different from a milder Sun Belt market - a contractor here has to be equally competent on a 90-percent-efficient gas furnace and on a split AC system, and increasingly on a cold-climate heat pump as more Franklin County homeowners look to get off gas. The housing stock adds its own wrinkles. Century-old homes in German Village, Victorian Village, and Clintonville often still route ductwork through additions, dropped ceilings, or crawlspaces that were never designed for HVAC, and leaky attic and crawlspace duct runs are one of the most common efficiency problems a Columbus contractor will find during an inspection. Meanwhile, fast-growing suburbs like Dublin, Westerville, New Albany, and Grove City are full of newer builds with straightforward attic or basement duct systems, but yard setbacks and modern building codes still require a permit and inspection before a new condenser goes in the ground. Any legitimate Columbus HVAC contractor pulls a mechanical permit through the Columbus Department of Building and Zoning Services (or Franklin County for township work), holds an Ohio Construction Industry Licensing Board HVAC license, and can speak to current AEP Ohio and Columbia Gas of Ohio rebate programs. Henry cuts through the noise and connects you with up to three vetted, licensed Columbus HVAC contractors who put a written, permit-inclusive quote in front of you before any money changes hands.
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Every HVAC contractor in our network agrees to three things.
Show up
Call back. Keep appointments. And if something changes, communicate it.
Quote honestly
Equipment, scope, permit, and price in writing — so you know what you're agreeing to.
Finish the work
See the job through, pull the permit, and pass inspection before calling it finished.
Nothing revolutionary. Just the way we believe doing business should still be done.
How Henry matches you with Columbus HVAC contractors
- Step 1
Tell Henry what the system is doing
Your ZIP, whether it's a repair or a replacement, and how soon you need it handled. Two minutes, four questions.
- Step 2
Pros are already vetted
Only three Henry Standard HVAC contractors in your Columbus-area ZIP get your request — pros we've checked for responsiveness, references and written estimates.
- Step 3
Compare up to three quotes
You hear from three HVAC contractors at most — never a list of twenty — and every estimate comes in writing. You pick, or pick nobody.
What HVAC work costs in Columbus
| AC repair (minor: capacitor, contactor, fan motor) | $150 - $400 |
| AC repair (major: compressor failure) | $1,300 - $3,200 |
| Furnace repair (igniter, blower motor, control board) | $175 - $650 |
| Furnace replacement (90%+ AFUE gas furnace) | $3,800 - $7,500 |
| Split system AC replacement | $4,500 - $8,500 |
| Furnace + AC replacement (full system) | $8,000 - $14,500 |
| Heat pump system replacement (cold-climate) | $9,500 - $16,000 |
| Ductwork repair/sealing (attic, crawlspace, or century-home retrofit) | $1,800 - $6,500 |
| Seasonal tune-up / maintenance visit | $90 - $200 |
Ranges are general estimates gathered from homeowner-reported quotes in the Columbus area, not an offer or a quote for your project.
When to schedule HVAC work in Columbus
Columbus has a real humid continental climate, which means two demanding seasons rather than one. Summers run mid-June through early September with highs regularly in the mid-80s to low 90s and enough humidity that AC systems run long cycles most afternoons; that is when capacitors, contactors, and undersized systems in older German Village and Victorian Village homes fail. Winter is the bigger load overall - furnaces in Columbus often run daily from November through March, and a January cold snap with single-digit overnight lows is when aging furnaces with cracked heat exchangers or failed igniters get discovered, usually at the worst possible time. Spring and fall shoulder seasons (April-May and late September-October) are the best windows to schedule a non-emergency replacement, since Columbus HVAC companies have far more availability and you have time to actually compare quotes instead of taking whichever crew can show up first.
Permits and HOA rules
Inside Columbus city limits, HVAC changeouts and new installs require a mechanical permit through the Columbus Department of Building and Zoning Services at 111 N Front St, and the completed work needs a final inspection to close the permit. Many inner suburbs (Bexley, Upper Arlington, Worthington, Grandview Heights) run their own building departments and permit HVAC work independently of the city, so confirm which jurisdiction actually covers your address. Unincorporated Franklin County townships permit through the Franklin County Building Department instead. Ask your contractor for the permit number in writing before the deposit - unpermitted furnace and AC swaps are common in older Columbus neighborhoods and routinely surface as a problem during home sale inspections, at which point the seller ends up paying to correct them retroactively.
Licensing and insurance in Ohio
Ohio licenses HVAC contractors at the state level through the Ohio Construction Industry Licensing Board (OCILB), which issues the HVAC (Heating, Ventilating and Air Conditioning) contractor license required for most residential and commercial work statewide. Technicians who handle refrigerant also need EPA Section 608 certification. Before you sign anything, verify the contractor's OCILB license number and status through the Ohio Department of Commerce's license lookup, and confirm the classification actually covers HVAC rather than a general or electrical license. A licensed, insured contractor should be able to produce the license number without hesitation.
What Columbus homes and HVAC systems are up against
Columbus splits into two distinct HVAC housing profiles. Century-old homes in German Village, Victorian Village, and Clintonville were built long before central air was standard, and their duct systems were frequently retrofitted through additions, dropped ceilings, or unconditioned attics and crawlspaces - which means leaky, undersized, or poorly routed ductwork is one of the most common comfort complaints a contractor finds during an inspection in these neighborhoods.
By contrast, newer construction in Dublin, Westerville, New Albany, and Grove City generally has straightforward basement or attic duct systems designed alongside the HVAC equipment, but these homes are often larger, meaning system sizing and zoning matter more to keep upstairs bedrooms comfortable in summer.
The dominant setup across Franklin County is still a gas furnace paired with a split-system AC condenser, since natural gas heating stays cost-competitive through a Columbus winter. That said, heat pump adoption is rising quickly as AEP Ohio efficiency incentives and improving cold-climate heat pump technology make electric heating and cooling in one unit a realistic option even through Columbus's coldest months.
The refrigerant transition is also underway - new equipment sold in 2025 and 2026 is shifting from R-410A to the lower-GWP R-454B, which affects which refrigerant and parts a contractor can source for repairs on newer systems versus older R-410A equipment still under warranty.
How to vet and compare Columbus HVAC contractors
Verify the OCILB HVAC license number through the Ohio Department of Commerce license lookup before you get a quote, and confirm the license is active with no unresolved disciplinary actions. Then confirm the company routinely pulls Columbus Department of Building and Zoning Services mechanical permits, or Franklin County permits if your address is in an unincorporated township.
Ask for a Manual J load calculation, not a same-tonnage swap, especially in a German Village or Victorian Village home where additions and renovations have changed the actual heating and cooling load since the original system went in. Oversized equipment short-cycles and leaves upstairs rooms muggy in summer.
Get an itemized quote listing equipment make, model, tonnage or BTU rating, AFUE or SEER2 rating, refrigerant type, the permit fee, and whether AEP Ohio or Columbia Gas of Ohio rebate paperwork is included and who files it.
Ask directly about duct inspection. In older Columbus homes, sealing and insulating existing ductwork often delivers more real comfort improvement per dollar than upgrading to a higher efficiency furnace or AC alone, and a contractor who skips straight to equipment without looking at the ducts is worth a second opinion.
What HVAC work costs in Columbus
Columbus HVAC pricing tracks close to the national midwest average, with a meaningful spread between bids depending on ductwork condition and equipment brand. Minor AC repairs - capacitor, contactor, fan motor - run $150 to $400, while a compressor failure runs $1,300 to $3,200.
Furnace repairs for a failed igniter, blower motor, or control board run $175 to $650. A full furnace replacement with a 90%+ AFUE unit runs $3,800 to $7,500, and a matched furnace-plus-AC system replacement for a typical Columbus home runs $8,000 to $14,500.
Heat pump systems, increasingly chosen in both retrofits and new Dublin and New Albany builds, run $9,500 to $16,000 installed. Duct repair or sealing - common in German Village and Clintonville attic and crawlspace retrofits - runs $1,800 to $6,500 depending on how much of the run needs replacing.
Treat these as planning ranges built from typical Columbus-metro homeowner quotes, not a binding bid. Attic access, existing ductwork condition, electrical panel capacity, and equipment tier all move the final number, sometimes significantly.
Permits, rebates, and licensing before you sign
Confirm which jurisdiction covers your address - City of Columbus Department of Building and Zoning Services (111 N Front St) for city properties, the relevant suburban building department for cities like Bexley, Upper Arlington, or Worthington that self-permit, or Franklin County Building Department for unincorporated townships - and get the actual permit number in writing before work begins.
Check current AEP Ohio and Columbia Gas of Ohio rebate programs before committing to equipment. Both utilities periodically run rebates for high-efficiency furnaces, heat pumps, and smart thermostats, and the rebate amount can change which efficiency tier actually makes financial sense.
Ask about refrigerant. New AC and heat pump equipment is transitioning from R-410A to R-454B, and if you are repairing an older R-410A system, understanding shrinking parts availability is part of a clear-eyed repair-versus-replace decision.
Confirm the OCILB HVAC license number, the permit number, equipment specifications, rebate paperwork, and separate parts and labor warranty terms in writing before any deposit changes hands.
Getting matched with a Columbus HVAC company
Henry does not sell your information to every HVAC company running ads across central Ohio. Describe your job and ZIP code at /get-matched/hvac?zip=43214 and up to three vetted Columbus HVAC contractors holding active OCILB licensing and insurance follow up with written quotes.
Comparing three real quotes matters in Columbus because pricing varies widely by neighborhood duct condition, furnace brand, and whether a contractor bundles AEP Ohio or Columbia Gas of Ohio rebate paperwork into the job. Compare AFUE/SEER2 ratings, permit handling, rebate eligibility, and warranty terms - not just the bottom-line number - before you decide. See the full breakdown of local pricing, permitting, and licensing on this hub, or start with one of Henry's Columbus guides: AC repair costs, HVAC repair, how to hire an HVAC contractor, and vetting HVAC companies.
Areas Henry covers
German Village · Victorian Village · Clintonville · Upper Arlington · Worthington · Bexley · Hilliard · Westerville · Grove City · Dublin · New Albany
Common questions
Do I need a permit to replace a furnace or AC in Columbus?
Yes. Inside Columbus city limits, the Department of Building and Zoning Services at 111 N Front St requires a mechanical permit and final inspection for furnace and AC changeouts. Some suburbs like Bexley, Upper Arlington, and Worthington self-permit, and unincorporated Franklin County townships permit through the Franklin County Building Department.
How much does HVAC replacement cost in Columbus?
Most Columbus homeowners pay $3,800 to $7,500 for a furnace replacement alone, $4,500 to $8,500 for AC replacement alone, or $8,000 to $14,500 for a matched furnace-and-AC system. Heat pump systems typically run $9,500 to $16,000.
What license does an Ohio HVAC contractor need?
A state HVAC contractor license issued by the Ohio Construction Industry Licensing Board (OCILB). Verify the license number and status through the Ohio Department of Commerce license lookup before hiring, and confirm technicians handling refrigerant hold EPA Section 608 certification.
Are there rebates for a new furnace, AC, or heat pump in Columbus?
AEP Ohio and Columbia Gas of Ohio both periodically run rebate programs for high-efficiency furnaces, heat pumps, and smart thermostats. Ask your contractor which current rebates apply to your project and confirm whether they handle the paperwork.
Why do older Columbus neighborhoods have so many duct problems?
Homes in German Village, Victorian Village, and Clintonville predate central air and were retrofitted with ductwork through additions, dropped ceilings, attics, or crawlspaces never designed for HVAC. Leaky or undersized ducts in these homes are one of the most common issues a contractor finds during an inspection, and sealing them often improves comfort more than upgrading equipment alone.
What is R-454B and does it affect my current system?
R-454B is the lower-GWP refrigerant new AC and heat pump equipment is transitioning to, replacing R-410A. It does not affect a currently working system, but it does affect long-term parts and refrigerant availability for older R-410A equipment, which matters in a repair-versus-replace decision.
When is the best time to replace HVAC equipment in Columbus?
April-May or late September-October, before peak cooling and heating season. During a July heat wave or a January cold snap, Columbus HVAC companies are booked with emergency repair calls, and you are far more likely to get a rushed installation with less time to compare quotes.
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