What is covered in San Antonio
Facility First manages commercial HVAC in San Antonio for operators with one location or a full portfolio. Common requests include:
- Rooftop unit and split system repair, including compressors, fans, contactors and capacitors
- Pre-season cooling tune-ups and a lighter heating check before winter
- Filter, belt and coil service on a set schedule
- Condensate drain and pan clearing to stop ceiling leaks
- Refrigerant leak repair with service records
- Thermostat and building control troubleshooting
- Kitchen makeup air and exhaust fan service at restaurants
- Gas heating section and boiler service where installed
- Unit replacement, quoted and approved before work starts
Licensing and permits in San Antonio
Air conditioning and refrigeration work is licensed at the state level in Texas. Each provider’s TDLR license, technician registrations, EPA refrigerant certifications and insurance are checked before work is assigned.
| Requirement | Agency | Level | Official source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Contractor license; ACR companies must employ a licensed ACR contractor in each permanent location | Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation | State | TDLR ACR |
| ACR technician registration and certification for individuals doing the work | Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation | State | TDLR ACR |
| Section 608 technician certification for anyone handling refrigerant, and leak repair records for covered appliances | U.S. Environmental Protection Agency | Federal | EPA Section 608 |
| Mechanical permits for unit replacement and new installations | City of San Antonio Development Services Department | City | |
| Electrical work beyond the unit, such as new circuits or disconnects | Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (Electricians) | State | TDLR Electricians |
| Cooling tower registration; new towers registered before they start operating | San Antonio Water System (SAWS) | Utility | SAWS: Cooling tower registration |
Gas piping work on heating sections and kitchen equipment is assigned to a provider holding the Texas license that covers it.
Codes and local rules
HVAC work in San Antonio is permitted and inspected by the City of San Antonio Development Services Department under the mechanical and energy codes the City has adopted. Sites in Alamo Heights, Leon Valley, New Braunfels and other surrounding cities follow their own building departments.
Downtown offices, hotels and larger buildings with water-cooled systems face a local water rule. SAWS requires every existing cooling tower in its service area to be registered, and new towers to be registered before they start operating. Towers that do not use recycled water must run at a minimum of four cycles of concentration, and newly built towers must operate with conductivity controllers and make-up and blowdown meters. Water treatment and blowdown checks are therefore part of the HVAC scope at those sites.
Refrigerant rules are federal. EPA’s Section 608 rules require leak repair and records for appliances holding 50 pounds or more of ozone-depleting refrigerant, and the Emissions Reduction and Reclamation rule extends leak repair requirements to appliances with 15 pounds or more of HFCs and substitutes from January 1, 2026, with residential and light commercial air conditioning excluded. Larger supermarket and restaurant refrigeration and larger office systems can be covered.
Preventive maintenance schedule for commercial HVAC in San Antonio
Scheduled HVAC maintenance costs less than an emergency call on the hottest day of the year. In San Antonio, where units run long hours for much of the year, planned filter, coil and drain service keeps units running through peak demand, extends equipment life and builds the refrigerant and service records the EPA rules and equipment warranties require.
| Task | Recommended frequency | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Replace or clean air filters | Monthly during the cooling season, and at every scheduled visit | ENERGY STAR |
| Pre-season inspection and tune-up (cooling before summer, heating before winter) | Twice a year, under an annual maintenance agreement | ENERGY STAR |
| Clean evaporator and condenser coils | At least once a year before the cooling season, more often at sites with heavy dust or cooking exhaust | Task: ENERGY STAR. Frequency: Facility First program default, adjusted per site |
| Clear condensate drains, traps and pans | Quarterly, and monthly during the cooling season for units with a history of overflow | Facility First program default, adjusted per site |
| Check, adjust or replace belts and pulleys | Quarterly | Facility First program default, adjusted per site |
| Check thermostat calibration and seasonal set points | Twice a year, at seasonal changeover | Task: ENERGY STAR. Frequency: Facility First program default, adjusted per site |
| Inspect electrical connections, contactors and capacitors | Twice a year, at each tune-up | Facility First program default, adjusted per site |
| Inspect burners, heat exchangers and venting on gas-fired units | Once a year, before the heating season | Manufacturer instructions; Facility First program default, adjusted per site |
| Repair refrigerant leaks and keep leak inspection and service records on covered appliances | When a covered appliance exceeds its leak rate threshold, with follow-up inspections where the rules require them | U.S. EPA Section 608 rules and the Emissions Reduction and Reclamation rule |
The authority having jurisdiction, the manufacturer and the property’s insurer can require more frequent service, and each location’s schedule is set in its program and recorded on every visit.
Seasonal and local conditions
San Antonio’s cooling season is long and hot. National Weather Service normals for San Antonio International Airport show average highs of about 95 degrees in July and 96 degrees in August, and about 122 days a year at 90 degrees or above, so most HVAC work is weighted toward spring tune-ups and summer repairs. Coils and filters are serviced before the heat arrives, because a dirty coil reduces capacity when demand is highest. Condensate lines carry heavy flow in humid weather and are a common source of ceiling leaks over sales floors, so they are cleared on a tighter schedule in summer. Rooftop work is planned for early morning where building rules allow, both for the technician and so units are back on before the afternoon peak.
Winters are mild, with about 14 nights a year at or below freezing in the NWS normals, but cold snaps can be severe: during the February 2021 winter storm the airport stayed below freezing for 4 days and 12 hours. Heating sections that sat idle for months tend to fail on the first cold morning, and a heating check before winter avoids that. Spring hail and wind can bend condenser fins and damage rooftop units, so units are checked after storms along with the roof.
Where Facility First works in San Antonio
Facility First manages HVAC for stores and restaurants at The Shops at La Cantera, North Star Mall and Alamo Quarry Market, mixed-use and restaurant buildings at The Pearl, and hotels, offices and storefronts in Downtown San Antonio and along the River Walk. Freestanding restaurants and strip center stores mostly run packaged rooftop units; mall stores often depend on landlord-supplied systems with tenant-owned equipment; Downtown offices and hotels may have central plants. Industries served include retail, restaurants, offices, banks, hotels and distribution sites.
How HVAC requests are handled
- Request. Submitted through the platform or by phone, with the unit, space temperature and photos where available.
- Triage. Facility First confirms scope, priority, warranty and whether the unit or system belongs to the tenant or the landlord.
- Dispatch. A vetted HVAC provider in San Antonio holding the required TDLR license receives the work order.
- Photo close-out. The provider documents the diagnosis, repair, refrigerant added and readings.
- Verification and invoice. The work is checked against the request and invoiced in one format.
Repairs within the client’s approval limits proceed directly; compressor replacements and full unit replacements are quoted first, with repair or replace options. See what NTE means and the preventive maintenance checklist.
Security by McCray in San Antonio
Where an HVAC failure forces a location to close or leaves doors propped open, McCray can post an officer until the work is complete. Security services in San Antonio
Frequently asked questions
Who licenses commercial HVAC contractors in San Antonio?
Air conditioning and refrigeration contractors in Texas are licensed by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation, and ACR companies must employ a licensed ACR contractor in each permanent location. Technicians register or certify with TDLR, and refrigerant handling also requires EPA certification.
When should commercial HVAC in San Antonio be tuned up?
Cooling equipment is tuned up in spring before the hot season, and heating equipment is checked before winter, under an annual maintenance agreement.
How often should commercial HVAC in San Antonio be serviced?
At least twice a year for tune-ups, with monthly filter changes during the cooling season and quarterly belt and drain checks under the program default.
Do EPA refrigerant rules apply to San Antonio stores and restaurants?
They apply to appliances above the EPA charge thresholds, which can include supermarket and restaurant refrigeration and larger office systems. Facility First keeps the leak inspection and service records for covered appliances.
Do cooling towers in San Antonio need to be registered?
Yes. SAWS requires existing cooling towers to be registered and new towers to be registered before they start operating. Towers not using recycled water must run at least four cycles of concentration.
Sources
- Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation: Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Contractors
- Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation: Electricians
- ENERGY STAR: Checklists for saving energy in commercial buildings
- U.S. EPA: Regulatory updates, Section 608 refrigerant management regulations
- U.S. EPA: Emissions Reduction and Reclamation rule fact sheet
- San Antonio Water System: Cooling tower registration
- National Weather Service Austin/San Antonio: San Antonio monthly and annual normals
- National Weather Service Austin/San Antonio: February 2021 historical winter storm
All sources opened November 2026. Recheck before publishing. The City of San Antonio permit page and mechanical and energy code editions are still marked.