An HVAC sales representative visits homeowners whose heating or cooling system is failing or old. The rep sizes a new system and presents options with prices and financing. Leads usually come from the company's own technicians, ads and past customers, so the job is running good visits, not cold calling.
By the HireBus team · Updated · Pay data: BLS, May 2025
Median pay, HVAC and plumbing contractors · BLS, May 2025
Serve as a key contributor to our HVAC sales team by recommending tailored systems, accurately estimating costs, and closing deals effectively. Leverage in-depth industry knowledge and relationship-building skills to drive revenue growth and enhance customer satisfaction. Act as a trusted advisor to homeowners and businesses, ensuring they receive optimal HVAC solutions to meet their needs.
2. Essential Duties and Responsibilities
Identify and engage prospective customers to generate new sales opportunities.
Recommend appropriate HVAC systems and course-correct solutions based on customer requirements.
Accurately prepare estimates and detailed proposals to assist customers in their decision-making process.
Close sales and negotiate contracts to meet and exceed monthly sales targets.
3. Key Tasks / Daily Activities
Conduct on-site evaluations and consultations to assess customer HVAC needs.
Deliver compelling product presentations and cost estimates in a clear and professional manner.
Respond to customer inquiries promptly and address concerns to foster long-term relationships.
Follow up on leads and schedule installation appointments to ensure a seamless sales-to-service transition.
4. Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
New Sales: Achieve a minimum of 15 new installations per month.
Revenue per Sale: Attain an average sale revenue of $2,000.
Customer Satisfaction Rating: Maintain a rating above 4.8 stars.
Conversion Rate: Secure deal closures on at least 30% of generated leads.
5. Required Qualifications and Skills
High school diploma or equivalent required; bachelor’s degree preferred.
Minimum of 2 years of sales experience, preferably in the HVAC or related home services industry.
Excellent communication, negotiation, and customer relationship management skills.
Proficient in using CRM software with a basic understanding of HVAC systems and technical details.
6. Preferred Experience
Experience in the HVAC or home services industry is highly desirable.
Demonstrated success in consultative and technical sales roles.
Familiarity with industry-specific sales tools, software, and estimating platforms.
Previous experience in managing long-term customer relationships and projects.
7. Physical Requirements
Ability to stand, walk, and move throughout various work sites during customer consultations.
Capability to lift up to 25 lbs occasionally during product demonstrations.
Comfort with working in varied climates, including outdoor environments during site visits.
Ability to handle and operate standard equipment and technology used in presentations.
8. Work Environment and Schedule
Standard working hours from 8 AM to 5 PM, Monday through Friday.
Flexibility required to attend evening or weekend customer meetings and industry events.
Frequent travel within the designated sales territory for on-site consultations and evaluations.
Occasional on-call responsibilities for emergency customer support during installations.
9. Compensation and Benefits
Salary range between $40,000 - $55,000 USD annually, based on experience and performance.
Commission structure with additional bonuses for exceeding sales targets.
Comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance packages.
401k plan with company matching contributions.
Additional benefits include paid time off, professional development opportunities, and more.
10. Company Culture and Overview
Our company thrives on innovation, collaboration, and a commitment to delivering exceptional customer experiences.
We foster a growth-oriented environment that values continuous learning and professional advancement.
Our supportive team culture embraces diversity and inclusivity, ensuring every employee can excel and contribute meaningfully.
We are driven by a passion for excellence and invest in our team to achieve collective success.
11. How to Apply
If you meet the above criteria and want to be part of a growth-oriented company focused on customer satisfaction, please send your resume to [INSERT EMAIL HERE] or apply online at [INSERT WEBSITE LINK HERE].
Need help filling this role? HireBus posts the ad, Iris interviews every applicant by phone before you do, and you decide who to hire. Start hiring now
Many sales jobs start with finding buyers. In residential HVAC, the company brings the leads, and the rep has to size, price and sell a system in one or two visits to the home.
Size the system with a load calculation
Matching the old unit's size, or guessing from square footage, misses the climate and how well the house holds heat. The U.S. Department of Energy tells homeowners their contractor should use ACCA Manual J to size new equipment. It warns that an oversized cooling system can cost too much, leave the home less comfortable and lead to mold. The rep measures the home or works with whoever runs the calculation. Source: U.S. Department of Energy: Consumer guide to home heating and cooling.
The company brings the leads
Sales visits usually start inside the company. A technician flags an old or failing system, a maintenance plan member asks about a new one, or an ad or a referral brings a call. Those leads cost the company money and technician time, so the rep's job is to run each visit well and follow up. How the rep treats a technician's customer also reflects on that technician.
The buyer can cancel for three days
A replacement sold at the kitchen table usually falls under the FTC's Cooling-Off Rule. The buyer can cancel for a full refund until midnight of the third business day after the sale. The rep has to tell the buyer about that right and leave the cancellation forms with a dated copy of the contract. A customer pushed into a same-day yes can still back out. Source: FTC: Buyer's remorse and the Cooling-Off Rule.
Don't promise the old tax credit
The federal tax credit for efficient heat pumps, central air conditioners and furnaces doesn't cover equipment put into service after December 31, 2025. Some homeowners still ask about it, and old sales sheets may still mention it, so make sure reps don't promise it. Utility and state rebates may still help, but they change often. The rep should check what's current before putting one in a quote. Source: IRS: FAQs on changes to energy credits under the One, Big, Beautiful Bill.
Heat waves bring rush sales
The first heat wave or cold snap brings urgent replacements, when a family wants a working system tomorrow and the rep still has to size and price it right. In spring and fall the rep works planned upgrades, older systems flagged on tune-ups, and open proposals. Commission swings with the seasons, so say in the ad how you handle the slow months.
Residential vs. commercial HVAC sales
Both jobs sell heating and cooling work. Who buys, and how they decide, changes almost everything else.
Topic
Residential
Commercial
Who buys
Homeowners, often two people deciding together
Building owners, property managers, and general contractors
What's sold
Replacement systems, add-ons, and maintenance plans
Equipment replacements, projects, and service agreements
How the sale happens
One or two visits to the home
Site walks, written bids, and meetings over weeks or months
How it's paid for
Cash, card, or consumer financing
Purchase orders, budgets, and contract terms
Paperwork
A home sale contract with a cancellation notice
Bid documents, scopes of work, and purchase orders
The closest BLS group for HVAC sales representatives is sales representatives of services. Sales representatives of services who work for plumbing, heating, and air-conditioning contractors earned a median of $38.24 an hour ($79,530 a year) in May 2025, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. That’s above the $69,990 median for sales representatives of services in all industries. About 24,510 of the 1,256,010 sales representatives of services in that survey work for HVAC and plumbing contractors.
Usually commission on each sold job, plus a base salary or a draw. Some companies pay a training salary only while a new rep ramps up, and some add bonuses for maintenance plans and add-ons sold with a system.
HVAC and plumbing contractors
$79,530$79,530 median Middle half $59,030–$104,420 10th–90th $42,710–$139,990
All industries
$69,990$69,990 median Middle half $47,670–$100,480 10th–90th $37,980–$148,840
$25k$50k$75k$100k$125k$150k$175k
10th–90th percentileMiddle halfMedianAnnual pay, May 2025. Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics.
Annual pay by percentile
Group
10th
25th
Median
75th
90th
HVAC and plumbing contractors
$42,710
$59,030
$79,530
$104,420
$139,990
All industries
$37,980
$47,670
$69,990
$100,480
$148,840
BLS reports HVAC and plumbing contractors together. Post a real range for your market in the ad.
The pay line in the template above is an example from our Role Blueprint. Set yours from these figures and what local companies pay.
Skills to hire for, and what you can teach
Hire for these
Listens first, then explains options in plain words
Asks for the sale and takes a no without pushing
Follows up on open proposals without being reminded
Shows up on time and treats the customer's home with care
Comfortable with the math of a proposal and a monthly payment
Teach these on the job
Load calculation software and your sizing process
Your equipment lines, warranties, and good-better-best options
Your financing partners and how to present them
Current utility rebates in your area
Your CRM and proposal software
Most reps work from a tablet with the company's field service software, such as ServiceTitan or Housecall Pro, plus proposal and load calculation tools. Name your software, your equipment brands and your financing partners in the ad so experienced reps know what they would be selling.
HVAC sales representative interview questions
They have their own page: 6 questions that test this job, what strong and weak answers sound like, and a work exercise to run with your finalists.
Pull these from your CRM each month, and compare each rep with their own past results and with the team. Split them by lead source, since a technician referral and a web lead close differently. The targets in the template are examples to adjust.
New Sales
Signed system sales each month, counted once the cancellation window has passed. Split them by lead source so a rep fed mostly web leads isn't judged against one fed by technician referrals.
Revenue per Sale
Total sold revenue divided by the number of sales each month, net of cancellations. Read it next to the close rate, since one can rise while the other falls.
Customer Satisfaction Rating
Average survey or review score on jobs the rep sold, checked monthly. Low scores often trace back to something promised at the kitchen table.
Conversion Rate
Sales divided by the leads the rep actually ran as appointments, from your CRM each month. Leave out cancellations the rep never saw.
Career path
HVAC technicianLearns the equipment and spots systems due for replacement.
Sales representativeRuns in-home appointments and closes replacement sales.
Senior comfort advisorTakes the larger jobs and helps train new reps.
Sales managerRuns the sales team, the appointment board, and pricing.
Does an HVAC sales rep need to be a former technician?
No. Many good comfort advisors come from other in-home sales, such as roofing, windows or solar, and learn the equipment in training. Former technicians know the systems and customers trust them, but some find it hard to ask for the sale. Hire for honesty and follow-up, then teach sizing and your product line with ride-alongs.
How much does an HVAC sales representative make?
Sales representatives of services who work for plumbing, heating, and air-conditioning contractors earned a median of $38.24 an hour ($79,530 a year) in May 2025, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The middle half earned between $59,030 and $104,420 a year. Pay also depends on your local market, experience and overtime.
Does an HVAC sales rep need a license?
It depends on the state. California requires anyone who sells or negotiates home improvement contracts for a contractor to register with the Contractors State License Board as a home improvement salesperson. State law counts heating and air conditioning equipment as home improvement goods. Check your own state's contractor board before a new rep runs an appointment, and put any rule that applies in the ad.
Is an HVAC comfort advisor exempt from overtime?
Often, but check. Under federal law, an employee whose main job is making sales away from your office, such as in customers' homes, can fall under the outside sales exemption from minimum wage and overtime. Sales made by phone or online from your office don't count. State laws can be stricter, so get advice before you set up a commission-only plan.
What is the difference between an HVAC sales rep and a rehash specialist?
The sales rep runs the first visit in the home and presents the proposal. A rehash specialist works the proposals that didn't close, mostly by phone, text and email, to learn what stopped the customer and win the job back. Some companies have reps do all their own follow-up. Others split the work so reps can keep running new appointments.
What should an HVAC sales rep job ad include?
Start with where leads come from and how many visits a week to expect. Explain how commission works and how long any training salary or draw lasts. Say whether you supply a vehicle and a tablet. Name your equipment brands, your financing partners, the territory, and your evening and weekend hours. Experienced reps compare these first, so be specific.
