Two in Three HVAC Searches Now Show Google AI Answers, New Study Finds

Study of 512 US search terms finds AI Overviews on 63% of HVAC searches and every common homeowner question, while "near me" searches still favor the Map Pack

LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM, July 8, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Google's AI-generated answers now appear on almost two in three searches related to heating and air conditioning, according to a new study by specialist agency HVAC SEO. The study analyzed 512 US search terms across the HVAC sector in July 2026 and found 63% now display an AI Overview, the AI-written answer Google places above traditional results.

The shift is most complete where homeowners ask questions. Every one of the 30 most common question searches in the study, including "how much does a new HVAC system cost," "how long do HVAC systems last," and "is HVAC a good career," triggered an AI-generated answer. For these searches, the AI response now sits above every website, ad, and map listing on the page.

The study found a clear split in how the change affects heating and cooling businesses. Research-stage searches are now dominated by AI: 61% of product and service research terms, such as "heat pump vs furnace" and "heat pump installation cost," show AI Overviews. But hiring-stage searches remain largely untouched. Only 16% of local-intent searches, such as "furnace repair near me" or "furnace repair" paired with a city name, currently display an AI answer. Those searches still lead with Google's Map Pack, the block of three local businesses that industry research from BrightLocal shows captures a third or more of all clicks.

The pattern extends to the industry's own buying decisions. Among searches contractors use to find marketing help, such as "HVAC SEO services" and "HVAC marketing agency," 89% now show AI Overviews.

The study also found that AI assistants and Google increasingly recommend different businesses. In a test of a typical buyer search tracked across Google and nine AI platforms, including ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Gemini, more than half of the businesses cited by AI assistants did not appear in Google's results for the same search. The overlap held only at the top of Google's rankings, suggesting the two systems reward different signals below the first few positions.

"Homeowners now get their research answered by AI before they ever see a website. But when they are ready to hire, the Map Pack still wins," said Jacob, founder of HVAC SEO. "Contractors need to be visible in both places or they are invisible at one end of the customer journey."

The findings suggest homeowners increasingly get their research answered by AI before they ever visit a website, then switch to map listings when ready to call a contractor. For HVAC businesses, that makes two things matter at once: being cited in AI-generated answers during the research stage, and ranking in the Map Pack at the hiring stage. Businesses visible in neither are absent from both ends of the customer journey.

The terms analyzed in the study represent a combined 4.9 million monthly searches in the United States. The full findings and methodology are available in the agency's report on AI Overview visibility for HVAC contractors.

HVAC SEO is a specialist search marketing agency working exclusively with heating, ventilation, and air conditioning contractors in the United States and United Kingdom. The agency builds generative engine optimization (GEO), the practice of structuring content so businesses appear in AI-generated answers, into its local SEO campaigns alongside Google Business Profile and Map Pack work.

Contractors can request a free audit showing how their business currently appears across Google search, the Map Pack, and AI-generated answers.

About HVAC SEO: HVAC SEO works exclusively with heating and cooling contractors in the US and UK, focusing on Google Map Pack rankings, local SEO, and AI search visibility, with published pricing and month-to-month contracts. More at https://hvacseo.io

Methodology note: The study analyzed 516 HVAC-related keywords drawn from the Semrush US database in July 2026, covering marketing terms, consumer service and equipment terms, and question searches. 512 keywords returned SERP feature data; 4 were excluded. AI Overview presence was measured using Semrush SERP feature detection. The buyer search comparison tracked one representative query across Google and nine AI platforms in July 2026.

Jacob Milner
HVAC SEO
+ +44 7798 706547
email us here
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