24/7 Emergency HVAC Service in Houston: What to Expect When You Call

Published October 16, 2026 · Reviewed October 16, 2026

Part of our AC Repair & Service guides.

If you smell gas, see smoke or a carbon monoxide alarm is sounding, leave the house first and call 911 from outside. Then read the rest of this page.

What is 24/7 emergency HVAC service?

24/7 emergency HVAC service is a phone line you can call at any hour, including nights, weekends and holidays, when a heating or cooling problem cannot wait for a regular appointment. JHC Cooling & Heating runs a 24/7 emergency line at (832) 447-3233 serving Greater Houston.

Emergency service covers the urgent problem — getting a failed system diagnosed and, where possible, running again. It is not the same as routine maintenance or a planned replacement.

When should you call the emergency line?

Call the emergency line when a heating or cooling failure puts people, pets or the home at risk. In Greater Houston that usually means heat. Houston (IAH) averages July and August highs of about 94.5°F and 94.9°F and roughly 111 days a year at or above 90°F, so an AC failure in summer can quickly make a house unsafe for older adults, infants or anyone with a medical condition.

Situations that justify an emergency call:

• No cooling during hot weather, especially with vulnerable people at home.
• No heat during a freeze.
• Water leaking from the indoor unit onto ceilings or floors.
• A burning smell, buzzing or sparking from the equipment (after you have turned the system off).
• A system that keeps tripping its breaker.

Before you call, a few checks are safe to do yourself: confirm the thermostat is set to cool or heat and has power, check whether a breaker has tripped, and check whether the air filter is clogged. Our guide to an AC that won't turn on after a power outage covers those steps. If a breaker trips again after one reset, leave it off and call.

What should you have ready when you call?

Having a few details ready when you call helps the person on the phone understand the problem before anyone arrives.

• System type: central AC, heat pump, gas furnace, or a combination. The brand and age help if you know them.
• Symptoms: what the system is doing or not doing — blowing warm air, not turning on, short cycling, making a new noise.
• Breaker status: whether the AC or furnace breaker has tripped, and whether you have reset it.
• Water, ice or smells: any water around the indoor unit, ice on the refrigerant lines or coil, or a burning smell.
• Who is at home: mention anyone especially vulnerable to heat or cold.
• Address and access: gate codes, where the indoor unit is (attic, closet, garage), and pets that need to be secured.

What should you do first if you smell gas or see smoke?

If you smell natural gas, leave the house immediately and call 911 and CenterPoint Energy from a safe distance. CenterPoint Energy's safety guidance says not to use anything that could cause a spark — light switches, phones or a car — near the leak, not to try to find or fix the leak yourself, and not to assume someone else has reported it.

• Gas smell: leave, then call 911 and CenterPoint Energy from outside. An HVAC contractor is not the first call for a gas leak.
• Smoke or burning smell from equipment: turn the system off at the thermostat. If there is smoke or flame, get out and call 911.
• Carbon monoxide alarm: get everyone outside into fresh air and call 911.
• Water leaking near electrical parts: turn the system off at the thermostat and keep away from wet electrical equipment.

Safety calls come first; the HVAC call comes after everyone is out of danger.

How do you stay safe in the heat while you wait?

Staying safe in the heat means getting vulnerable people somewhere cooler before the house heats up. Hurricane Beryl showed how serious lost cooling can be in Greater Houston: when it made landfall on July 8, 2024, CenterPoint Energy reported more than 2.26 million customers without power at the peak, and by July 25 at least 36 deaths in Texas were linked to the storm, including people who lost power in the heat.

• Move to the coolest room, keep blinds closed, and use fans if the power is on.
• Drink water regularly and avoid heavy activity during the hottest hours.
• If the house stays hot, go to a friend's home, a store or a public cooling center.
• Check on older neighbors and anyone living alone.
• Call 911 for signs of heat stroke, such as confusion, a very high body temperature or loss of consciousness.

What happens after you call?

After you call, expect questions about the system, the symptoms and the safety checks above. When a technician arrives, ask for the diagnosis, the repair options and the price before any work starts. If the fix is a replacement rather than a repair, you can ask for a written estimate and take time to decide; financing through FTL Finance is available, subject to credit approval.

Every emergency is different, so ask on the phone what to expect for your situation.

How can you check who you are calling?

You can check any HVAC contractor's license on the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR) website before or after they arrive. JHC Cooling & Heating, LLC holds TDLR air conditioning and refrigeration contractor license TACLA75082C. The company is family owned and operated, has served Greater Houston since 2016, and installs and services Goodman equipment.

What should you do now?

If your system is down now and everyone is safe, call JHC Cooling & Heating's 24/7 line at (832) 447-3233. If it can wait for a scheduled visit, request service online.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is JHC Cooling & Heating available 24/7?

Yes. JHC Cooling & Heating offers 24/7 emergency service at (832) 447-3233. For non-urgent work, you can request service online at /contact.

How fast will a technician arrive?

It depends on the situation, including the time of day and how many calls come in during heat waves and storms. Ask on the phone what to expect for your call.

Is a broken AC an emergency?

A broken AC is an emergency when heat puts people at risk, especially older adults, infants, people with medical conditions or pets. In a Houston summer, indoor temperatures can climb quickly without cooling. If anyone shows signs of heat stroke, call 911.

What should I do if I smell gas near my furnace?

Leave the house right away and call 911 and CenterPoint Energy from a safe distance. Don't use switches, phones or anything that could spark near the leak, and don't try to find or fix it yourself.

What should I check before calling for emergency service?

Check that the thermostat is set correctly and has power, look for a tripped breaker, and check the air filter. If a breaker trips again after one reset, leave it off and call a technician.

Can I finance an emergency replacement?

Financing through FTL Finance is available, subject to credit approval. FTL Finance sets the rates and terms when you apply, and the application starts from the /financing page.

Sources

1. CenterPoint Energy — What Should You Do If You Smell Natural Gas? — leave, avoid sparks, call CenterPoint Energy and 911 from a safe place (as of October 16, 2026)
2. NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, Houston Intercontinental (USW00012960) — July/August normal highs 94.5°F/94.9°F, about 111 days at or above 90°F (as of October 16, 2026)
3. T&D World — CenterPoint Energy restores power after Hurricane Beryl — more than 2.26 million CenterPoint customers out at the peak (as of October 16, 2026)
4. ABC13 — Texas deaths from Hurricane Beryl climb to at least 36 (July 25, 2024) — Beryl deaths including people who lost power in the heat (as of October 16, 2026)
5. National Weather Service — Heat Safety — heat illness warning signs and cooling steps (as of October 16, 2026)
6. Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation — License Search — contractor license lookup (as of October 16, 2026)