# Florida HVAC AI Visibility Study

> 97% of HVAC companies appeared on just one AI platform. The worst fragmentation we've measured.

*April 2026* · *Florida* · *HVAC*

## Study scope

- **746 AI queries tested** — Across 5 HVAC specialties: HVAC contractor, AC repair, air conditioning installation, heating repair, duct cleaning
- **10 Florida metro areas** — Miami, Tampa, Orlando, Jacksonville, Ft. Lauderdale, West Palm Beach, Naples, Sarasota, Tallahassee, St. Pete
- **5 AI platforms tested** — Claude, ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity, Google AI Overviews
- **15 Queries per city/specialty** — 3 query types per specialty across 5 platforms: best in city, need a provider, top rated with reviews

## Headline numbers

- **2,123** Businesses Analyzed
- **5** AI Platforms Tested
- **10** Florida Metros
- **746** AI Queries Tested

## Key findings

- **73.6% — A-Response Rate.** AI platforms named specific local HVAC contractors 73.6% of the time when asked for recommendations.
- **96.9% — Single Platform.** Nearly every HVAC business appeared on just one AI platform. Cross-platform visibility is almost nonexistent.
- **0 — On All 5 Platforms.** Zero HVAC businesses appeared on all five AI platforms. There is no dominant player.
- **12% — Google AIO Trigger Rate.** Google AI Overviews only generates AI answers for 12% of HVAC queries. The biggest search engine barely uses AI for this category.
- **57% — Perplexity Gap.** Perplexity only names HVAC businesses 57% of the time, far below Claude, ChatGPT, and Gemini at near 100%.
- **4.7% — Franchise Share.** Only 4.7% of AI recommendations went to franchise brands. Independent HVAC companies dominate AI results.
- **82.2% — Miami Leads.** Miami leads at 82.2% A-Response Rate. St. Pete trails at 68%. Larger metros get better AI coverage.
- **181 — Angi Citations.** Angi was the #1 source cited by AI platforms, appearing in 181 queries. Yelp had 169, BBB had 144.

## What the data shows

- **AI names HVAC businesses 73.6% of the time.** Nearly three out of four queries returned specific local HVAC business names. AI is actively recommending HVAC contractors across Florida.
- **But 96.9% appear on just one platform.** Of the 2,123 HVAC businesses named across all queries, almost none appeared on more than one AI tool. Worse fragmentation than both plumbing (95.4%) and dental (94.7%).
- **Zero HVAC companies made all five platforms.** Not a single HVAC business appeared on Claude, ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity, and Google AI Overviews. There is no dominant player in AI HVAC recommendations.
- **Google AI Overviews barely triggers for HVAC.** Google AIO only generated AI responses for 12% of HVAC queries. When someone searches Google for an HVAC contractor, they almost never get an AI-generated answer.
- **Perplexity answers only half the time.** Perplexity named specific HVAC businesses in just 57% of queries, far below Claude (99.3%), ChatGPT (100%), and Gemini (100%).
- **Independents dominate at 95.3%.** Only 4.7% of AI recommendations went to franchise brands like Service Experts or One Hour Heating. Independent HVAC companies own the AI results.
- **Miami leads, St. Pete trails.** A-Response Rates range from 82.2% in Miami to 68% in St. Pete. Larger metros with more HVAC businesses get better AI coverage.
- **Angi is the #1 source AI cites for HVAC.** Angi was cited in 181 queries, followed by Yelp (169) and BBB (144). These directories are the primary data sources AI uses to recommend HVAC contractors.

## Platform comparison

| Platform | A-Response Rate | Queries |
| --- | --- | --- |
| ChatGPT | 100% | 149/149 |
| Gemini | 100% | 150/150 |
| Claude | 99.3% | 147/148 |
| Perplexity | 57% | 85/149 |
| Google AIO | 12% | 18/150 |

## Results by city

| City | A-Response Rate |
| --- | --- |
| Miami | 82.2% |
| Orlando | 78.7% |
| Tampa | 78.7% |
| Naples | 73.3% |
| Tallahassee | 73.3% |
| West Palm Beach | 72% |
| Sarasota | 71.2% |
| Jacksonville | 69.3% |
| Ft. Lauderdale | 69.3% |
| St. Pete | 68% |

## The bottom line

> Every AI platform recommends completely different HVAC contractors. 96.9% of businesses only appear on a single platform. If you optimize for one AI tool, you are invisible on the other four. And Google AI Overviews barely shows up for HVAC searches at all.

AI platforms already recommend HVAC contractors by name in nearly 3 out of 4 queries. But every platform recommends different businesses, and zero HVAC companies appear on all five. Google AI Overviews is almost absent for HVAC. The contractors who figure out multi-platform AI visibility first will have a significant competitive advantage, especially as Google AIO expands.

## Methodology

746 queries were run across Claude (with web search), ChatGPT (GPT-4o with search), Gemini, Perplexity, and Google AI Overviews during April 2026. Queries covered 10 Florida metro areas and 5 HVAC specialties. Every response was coded by type (local business named, general advice, franchise only, platform referral, or not triggered). No sponsored placements or paid tools were used. Full methodology is included in the report.

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Source: https://getlocalvitals.com/research/florida-hvac-ai-visibility
Published by Local Vitals · https://getlocalvitals.com