Guide for commercial HVAC service contractors · checked 3 November 2026
Commercial HVAC service, priced per unit, audited per pound
A commercial HVAC contract is not one building visit. It is 40 rooftop units, each with its own filters, belts and refrigerant charge, a chiller whose every pound added has to be logged and turned into a leak rate, and work orders that arrive through ServiceChannel or Corrigo with a dollar cap you cannot cross. This guide covers the ASHRAE 180 task tables, the EPA leak rules that changed on 1 January 2026, NTE work orders, cooling tower rules in New York, and what public buyers actually paid.
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Short answer
Commercial HVAC service contractors use software that keeps every rooftop unit, air handler, chiller and tower as its own record with its own PM tasks and frequencies (ASHRAE 180 is the published minimum), logs every pound of refrigerant added and calculates the leak rate EPA requires on appliances of 15 lb or more of HFC or 50 lb or more of ozone-depleting refrigerant, and takes work orders from facility platforms like ServiceChannel and Corrigo with their not-to-exceed caps. BuildOps, ServiceTrade and ServiceTitan are common choices. Fieldproxy is set up around your own unit register, PM price per unit and refrigerant log.
15 lb
HFC appliances of 15 lb or more now owe a leak rate calculation every time refrigerant is added (since 1 Jan 2026)
10%
Annual leak rate that forces repair within 30 days on comfort cooling equipment, for both HFC and ozone-depleting rules
source: 40 CFR 82.157, Appliance maintenance and leak repair (ozone-depleting refrigerants, eCFR)
64%
Of rooftop units with economizers failed in the California PIER field study; PG&E found 80%
7.9x
Spread between the lowest and highest bid per quarterly PM visit on San Antonio's 2023 contract ($4,230 to $33,597)
How a job runs
One commercial hvac service job, from first call to paid
The order the work really happens in, and what has to be written down at each step so nothing is argued about later.
- 1
Inventory every unit on the site
The first visit builds the equipment list, because the contract is priced and audited per unit. Each rooftop unit, air handler, split system, VRF system, chiller, boiler, makeup air unit and cooling tower gets make, model, serial, tonnage, refrigerant type and full charge (and how that charge was found), filter sizes and counts, belt sizes, economizer yes or no, and roof access notes. ASHRAE 180-2018 tells you to start here: list each equipment type, then pull the matching task tables (5-1 to 5-25; rooftop units are Table 5-22).
- 2
Build the PM plan from the task tables
For each unit type, take the tasks and minimum frequencies from ASHRAE 180. Air handlers, for example: filters, UV lamps, P-traps and drain pans quarterly; belts, sheaves, VFDs and controls semiannually. Many buyers split the year into a heating PM and a cooling PM per unit (Maine DOT bid them as two separate lump sums on a Trane rooftop unit and air handler), and Chatham County priced a routine and a major inspection per site.
- 3
Price the agreement per unit and per visit
Public bids show the price lines a contract needs: price per PM visit or per unit, mechanic and helper hourly for repairs, after-hours and holiday rates, emergency response time, and a parts markup. Taney County's 2020 award used a sliding markup on materials: 50% up to $2,500, 40% up to $4,499, 30% above. The plan's filter and belt counts become the materials line.
- 4
Take reactive calls through the client's platform
National retail, restaurant and bank clients send work orders through ServiceChannel or Corrigo, each with a not-to-exceed (NTE) amount: the most you may charge for the work listed. The tech checks in on arrival (app, or IVR as a backup), which moves the order to In Progress/On Site, and checks out with a status: complete, needs authorization, or on a PM ticket, completed with additional work found.
- 5
Run the PM visit unit by unit
On the roof: change filters and record sizes used, check belts and tension, clean coils and drain pans, check the economizer actually opens and closes, read pressures, superheat, subcooling, amps and supply/return temperatures, and photograph the nameplate and anything wrong. ASHRAE 180 asks that each task be compared with agreed condition indicators, so the readings matter more than the checkmarks.
- 6
Log every pound of refrigerant
Each addition is a service record: appliance, date, part serviced, what was done, technician, refrigerant type and pounds added. On covered appliances the owner (in practice, the contractor's system) calculates the leak rate on every addition. Above the threshold (10% comfort cooling, 20% commercial refrigeration, 30% industrial process), the leak must be found and repaired within 30 days, with an initial and a follow-up verification test.
- 7
Turn findings into quotes
A seized economizer actuator, a cracked heat exchanger, a failed condenser fan motor or a leak that needs a coil all become a repair proposal with photos. On ServiceChannel work, anything over the NTE needs approval first; the standard provider agreement gives the provider 5 days to send a proposal after a customer asks for a change in scope.
- 8
Keep towers and water programs on their own clocks
In New York City, a cooling tower needs a bacteriological indicator every week, a Legionella culture at least monthly (no more than 31 days apart), a compliance inspection by a qualified person at least every 90 days, cleaning at least twice a year, and an annual certification. Missing a 90-day inspection is listed at $1,000 to $2,000 on the city's penalty schedule.
- 9
Invoice to the contract and the platform
PM visits bill against the agreement; reactive work bills against the NTE, often inside the client's platform. ServiceChannel's provider agreement pays undisputed invoices within 30 days and carries a 30-day workmanship warranty, with any manufacturer warranty assigned to the customer.
- 10
Report back per unit
The facility manager wants each unit's status, the deficiencies waiting on approval, and the refrigerant record they are legally required to keep. ASHRAE 180 says that after three successive inspections showing acceptable condition, the plan should be reviewed for lower frequencies, and any change documented: the per-unit history is what makes that conversation possible.
What to record
The fields every commercial hvac service job should capture
Each unit (one record per RTU, AHU, chiller, VRF system or tower)
- Site, roof or mechanical room location, tag number, area served; type and ASHRAE 180 table it falls under
- Make, model, serial, manufacture date, tonnage or MBH, heat type (gas, electric, heat pump, hydronic)
- Refrigerant type, full charge in lb and how it was determined (nameplate, calculation, established range); EPA rule it falls under: 40 CFR 82.157 (ODS, 50 lb+), 40 CFR 84.106 (HFC, 15 lb+, outside the residential and light commercial subsector) or neither
- Appliance category for leak thresholds: comfort cooling, commercial refrigeration, industrial process
- Filter sizes, quantities and MERV; belt part numbers; economizer type and controller
- Warranty end date and terms (ASHRAE 180 does not override manufacturer warranty terms)
Each PM visit, per unit
- Tasks done from that unit's list, with condition found against the agreed indicator: acceptable or not
- Filters changed (size x qty), belts replaced, coils cleaned, drain pan and P-trap checked
- Readings: suction and discharge pressure, superheat, subcooling, compressor and fan amps, supply and return air temperature, outdoor temperature
- Economizer: damper opens on call, closes on shutdown, sensor reading plausible, minimum position set
- Photos: nameplate, filters before and after, each deficiency
Refrigerant and compliance
- Every addition: date, technician name and EPA 608 certification type, part serviced, refrigerant type, lb added, cylinder used
- Leak rate and the method (annualizing or rolling average), calculated on each addition
- Leak case: date threshold exceeded, 30-day repair due date, leak locations found, initial and follow-up verification test results, annual leak inspection dates
- Retrofit or retirement plan date if chosen (30 days to write it, 1 year to finish); chronic leak flag at 125% of full charge in a calendar year
- Cooling towers: weekly HPC or dip slide, monthly Legionella result and level, 90-day inspection checklist, cleaning dates, annual certification
Rules and standards
The rules that shape the work, with their sources
| Rule | What it means on the job |
|---|---|
| ASHRAE 180-2018: minimum PM tasks per equipment type | Section 5 has task tables for each equipment type (rooftop units are Table 5-22), each with an inspection task, a maintenance task, a minimum frequency and a recommended corrective action. All tasks that apply to the equipment in the inventory are required to comply. The plan is approved by the responsible party. source: ANSI/ASHRAE/ACCA Standard 180-2018, preview: Sections 4 and 5, Tables 5-1 and 5-2 (ASHRAE bookstore) |
| ASHRAE 180 air handler table (5-2) | Quarterly: check filters, UV lamps, P-traps, and drain pan, drain line and coil for biological growth. Semiannually: steam traps and strainers, controls, fan belt tension and sheave alignment, and the VFD (clean housing, tighten connections, clean or replace its filter). source: ANSI/ASHRAE/ACCA Standard 180-2018, preview: Sections 4 and 5, Tables 5-1 and 5-2 (ASHRAE bookstore) |
| ASHRAE 180: changing frequencies | If unacceptable conditions are found, review whether frequency should go up. If acceptable condition is observed on three successive inspections, review the plan for lower frequencies. Every change is documented. Climate and operating conditions can justify changes too. The standard does not override manufacturer warranty terms. source: ANSI/ASHRAE/ACCA Standard 180-2018, preview: Sections 4 and 5, Tables 5-1 and 5-2 (ASHRAE bookstore) |
| HFC leak repair, 40 CFR 84.106 (from 1 Jan 2026) | Applies to appliances with 15 lb or more of refrigerant containing an HFC, or a substitute with GWP above 53. Equipment in the residential and light commercial AC and heat pump subsector is not covered; chillers and certain VRF systems are their own subsectors and are. A leak rate calculation is required each time refrigerant is added. source: US EPA fact sheet (Jan 2026): AIM Act leak repair requirements for appliances containing HFCs, 40 CFR 84.106 |
| Leak rate thresholds and repair clock | 30% industrial process refrigeration, 20% commercial refrigeration, 10% comfort cooling and other appliances. Leaks are identified and repaired within 30 days of the addition that showed the rate was exceeded (120 days if an industrial process shutdown is needed), with initial and follow-up verification tests on each repair. source: US EPA fact sheet (Jan 2026): AIM Act leak repair requirements for appliances containing HFCs, 40 CFR 84.106 |
| Leak inspections, retrofit plans and chronic leakers | Comfort cooling appliances over the threshold get a leak inspection once a year until a year passes under it. Choosing to retrofit or retire instead of repair means a written plan within 30 days and the work done within a year. Appliances leaking 125% or more of full charge in a calendar year are reported to EPA by 1 March. Records are kept 3 years. source: US EPA fact sheet (Jan 2026): AIM Act leak repair requirements for appliances containing HFCs, 40 CFR 84.106 |
| Ozone-depleting refrigerants, 40 CFR 82.157 | Since 10 April 2020 the leak repair rules apply to appliances with 50 lb or more of class I or class II refrigerant (for example R-22). Same 10%, 20% and 30% thresholds. The owner records full charge and how it was determined, kept until 3 years after the appliance is retired. source: 40 CFR 82.157, Appliance maintenance and leak repair (ozone-depleting refrigerants, eCFR) |
| What the contractor must hand the owner, 82.157(l)(2) | When someone other than the owner services an appliance of 50 lb or more, they must give the owner a record of: the appliance and location, date, the parts serviced, the type of service on each, the technician's name, and the amount and type of refrigerant added or removed. The owner adds full charge, leak rate and method. source: 40 CFR 82.157, Appliance maintenance and leak repair (ozone-depleting refrigerants, eCFR) |
| EPA Section 608 technician certification | Anyone who attaches gauges, adds or removes refrigerant, or opens the refrigerant circuit must be certified: Type I small appliances, Type II high and very high pressure appliances, Type III low pressure appliances (for example R-123 centrifugal chillers), or Universal. Credentials do not expire. source: US EPA, Section 608 technician certification requirements |
| R-410A installation deadlines (2026 final rule) | EPA's 2026 Technology Transitions final rule lifted the 1 January 2026 ban on installing residential and light commercial R-410A AC and heat pumps made or imported before 1 January 2025. VRF systems did not get the same relief: install by 1 January 2027, or 1 January 2028 for projects with building permits before 5 October 2023. New York's Part 494 keeps the 1 January 2026 deadline. source: ACCA, EPA lifts R-410A installation deadline, but refrigerant prices could rise (2026 Technology Transitions final rule) |
| NYC cooling towers: monitoring and inspections (24 RCNY 8-04, 8-05) | A bacteriological indicator (HPC or dip slide) at least weekly while operating; Legionella culture at least monthly with no more than 31 days between samples, from an ELAP-accredited lab; a qualified person's compliance inspection at least every 90 days covering biofilm, basin, fill, drift eliminators, makeup water, conductivity control and dosing equipment; cleaning at least twice a year. source: NYC Health Code rules, 24 RCNY Chapter 8: Cooling towers (weekly indicators, monthly Legionella, 90-day inspections, penalties) |
| NYC Legionella response levels (Table 8-1) | 10 to under 100 CFU/ml: disinfect within 24 hours and retest in 3 to 7 days. 100 to under 1,000: also inspect for cleaning. 1,000 or more: disinfect within 24 hours, fully remediate (hyperhalogenate, drain, clean, flush) within 48 hours, and notify the Health Department within 24 hours of the result. source: NYC Health Code rules, 24 RCNY Chapter 8: Cooling towers (weekly indicators, monthly Legionella, 90-day inspections, penalties) |
| New York State cooling towers (10 NYCRR Part 4) | Register each tower and update the state registry every 90 days while in operation; inspect before seasonal start-up and every 90 days in use; a maintenance program and plan written to ASHRAE 188-2018; disinfection only by a certified commercial pesticide applicator or technician; annual certification by 1 November. source: New York State Department of Health, Protection against Legionella: cooling tower requirements (10 NYCRR Part 4) |
| NTE work orders on facility platforms | On ServiceChannel the NTE is the maximum a provider may charge for the services on the work order; for contractor-initiated work orders it is calculated from the client's pricing matrix. Corrigo notifies the provider's system by webhook whenever the customer changes the NTE. source: ServiceChannel SC University: understanding work order NTEs |
| ServiceChannel provider agreement terms | A proposal with time and cost within 5 days of a scope change request; undisputed invoices paid within 30 days; services free from workmanship defects for 30 days, and manufacturer warranties on installed parts assigned to the customer. source: ServiceChannel, customer and provider standard services agreement (change proposals, payment, workmanship warranty) |
Rules vary by state, council and contract. Checked 3 November 2026; confirm against the source for your area before relying on it.
Numbers
What public buyers paid for commercial HVAC PM and repairs
Each row is one agency's bid tab, not a market rate; scopes differ (San Antonio's PM covers a whole downtown building portfolio, Chatham's two small offices). Use them to see which price lines a contract needs, and how far bids spread for the same scope.
| Line item | Bids received | Where |
|---|---|---|
| PM visit, priced each (4 per year) | $4,230 to $33,597 per visit | San Antonio CCDO, Jan 2023 |
| Chemical water treatment, quarterly | $550 to $2,332 per quarter | San Antonio CCDO, Jan 2023 |
| Parts markup over cost | 15% to 35% | San Antonio CCDO, Jan 2023 |
| Routine inspection, small office | $190 to $500 per visit | Chatham County GA, June 2025 |
| Major inspection, small office | $380 to $592 per visit | Chatham County GA, June 2025 |
| Mechanic, business hours | $95 to $123 per hour | Chatham County GA, June 2025 |
| Mechanic, weekends and holidays | $142.50 to $184.50 per hour | Chatham County GA, June 2025 |
| Parts markup over cost | 15% to 30% | Chatham County GA, June 2025 |
| PM, per estimated quarterly visit | $1,650 per visit (one bidder) | Taney County MO, 2020 |
| Materials markup, sliding | 50% to $2,500; 40% to $4,499; 30% above | Taney County MO, 2020 |
| Emergency call response | Within 3 hours | Taney County MO, 2020 |
source: City of San Antonio, bid tabulation: annual contract for preventative HVAC maintenance and repair services, CCDO (Jan 2023)source: Chatham County, GA, Bid 25-0071-3: annual HVAC preventative maintenance, Tag Office and Citizen Service Center (June 2025)source: Taney County, MO, RFB 202002-441 bid award: HVAC repair and services (March 2020)
Where it breaks
Where spreadsheets and generic software fall over
The site is the job. A store with 14 rooftop units gets one PM ticket, and nobody can say which unit had its belts done or which one is eating a filter every month.
Each unit is its own record with its own task list and history; the visit is a list of units, and the ticket only closes when every unit on it has a result.
A tech adds 6 lb to a chiller and writes '6 lb R-410A' in the notes. Nobody calculates the leak rate, the 30-day repair clock is never started, and the customer's refrigerant record has a hole in it.
Adding refrigerant is a required form: pounds, type, cylinder and part serviced. The system holds full charge and the last addition date, calculates the leak rate on save, and opens a leak case with its 30-day due date when the threshold is crossed.
The NTE on a ServiceChannel ticket is $500. The tech finds a failed compressor contactor and a burnt condenser fan motor, fixes both, and the invoice for $1,140 gets rejected.
The NTE is on the job in the tech's app. Parts and labor are totalled live, and a job about to cross the NTE stops at an approval step: send the increase request or proposal first, then continue.
PM agreements are priced on a guess. Two years later, half the sites take twice the hours the bid assumed and nobody knows which ones.
Every agreement carries bid hours per unit per visit; actual hours from the app are compared per site after each visit, so repricing at renewal uses real numbers.
Economizers are ticked 'OK' on every visit because nobody actually drives them. The study figures (64% failing in California's PIER sample) are what that looks like at scale.
The economizer task needs a result for each step: commanded open, damper moved, commanded closed, sensor reading, minimum position. A 'not tested' answer flags the unit for the next visit.
A Manhattan cooling tower's monthly Legionella sample slips to day 35 over a holiday week, and the 90-day inspection is in a binder at the water treatment company.
Each tower has weekly, 31-day, 90-day and twice-yearly clocks, the lab result is entered with its level, and level 4 starts 24-hour and 48-hour clocks for notice and remediation.
Checklist
The commercial hvac service operations checklist
Print it, or hand it to whoever runs the office side.
- Every unit on every site recorded with make, model, serial, tonnage and location tag
- Refrigerant type and full charge (and method) recorded for each unit; EPA rule applicability set
- PM task list per unit built from the ASHRAE 180 table for its type
- Filter sizes, counts and MERV, and belt part numbers, on each unit for picking
- Bid hours per unit per visit on the agreement, compared with actual after every visit
- Every refrigerant addition logged with technician, 608 type, lb, type and cylinder
- Leak rate calculated on each addition; 30-day repair and verification tests tracked
- Annual leak inspection booked for any appliance that went over its threshold
- Service record handed to the owner after work on 50 lb+ ODS appliances
- NTE visible to the tech; approval step before any work over it
- Economizer operation actually tested, not just inspected
- Cooling towers: weekly indicator, monthly Legionella, 90-day inspection, twice-yearly cleaning, annual certification
- Frequency changes after 3 acceptable inspections reviewed and documented
- Technician EPA 608 certification type on file before refrigerant work is assigned
Software options
What software commercial HVAC service contractors actually use
Judge each one on whether it fits the way your jobs run, not on the feature list. Bring a real job to every demo.
BuildOps
Commercial mechanical contractors doing service, PM and project work together
Built for commercial MEP contractors. Its HVAC page says techs log refrigerant type and amount at the asset level through digital forms, and that nameplate photos fill serial plate data. Ask how leak rate calculation and the 15 lb HFC rule are handled.
ServiceTrade
Commercial HVAC, mechanical, refrigeration and fire contractors running agreement-driven service
Commercial service platform for PM schedules, service agreements, deficiencies and quotes built from them, and a customer portal. Check how it models per-unit refrigerant records and NTE work orders from facility platforms.
ServiceTitan (commercial)
Larger HVAC contractors with both residential and commercial divisions
Has a ServiceChannel integration, run through WorkConnect: work orders arrive as bookings or jobs, statuses sync back, technician check-in and check-out are automated, and NTE values can be mapped to custom fields.
Simpro
Mechanical and multi-trade contractors that also quote and run projects
Job management, quoting, recurring maintenance and inventory for trade contractors. Ask for a demo with your own unit list and a ServiceChannel ticket.
Jobber or Housecall Pro
Small contractors where light commercial is a sideline to residential
Good for recurring visits, quotes and invoices. Neither publishes per-appliance leak rate tracking or facility-platform NTE handling, so those would be manual.
Questions to ask any vendor
- Is every rooftop unit, air handler and chiller its own record with its own task list, frequencies and history?
- When a tech adds refrigerant, does the system calculate the leak rate against full charge and start a 30-day repair case if it crosses 10%?
- Can it tell a 15 lb HFC appliance under 40 CFR 84 from a 50 lb R-22 appliance under 82.157, and from one covered by neither?
- Do ServiceChannel or Corrigo work orders come in with the NTE, and does the tech's app stop before work goes over it?
- Can I store bid hours per unit and see actual hours against them per site?
- Can cooling towers carry weekly, monthly, 90-day and annual clocks and a Legionella level that triggers its own deadlines?
Bring one real commercial hvac service job. We show it running in Fieldproxy.
Get DemoHow Fieldproxy is set up for this
Commercial HVAC service on Fieldproxy: built around how you already work
A Fieldproxy setup for a commercial HVAC contractor is built around the unit, not the site: every rooftop unit, air handler, chiller and tower has its own task list, readings, filters, belts and refrigerant record. PM visits are priced and measured per unit, refrigerant additions turn into leak rates and repair clocks automatically, and facility-platform tickets arrive with their NTE already on the tech's screen.
Module 1
Unit register
Contracts are priced per unit, EPA rules attach per appliance, and the facility manager asks about unit 7, not the building.
- Records: Customer > Site > Unit; unit types RTU, AHU, split, VRF, chiller, boiler, MAU, exhaust fan, cooling tower
- Fields: tag, location (roof grid or mechanical room), make, model, serial, manufacture date, tonnage or MBH, heat type, refrigerant, full charge lb and method, EPA rule (82.157 ODS 50 lb+, 84.106 HFC 15 lb+, not covered), leak category (comfort cooling, commercial refrigeration, IPR)
- Consumables: filter sizes x qty and MERV, belt part numbers, economizer controller
- Warranty end date and terms; QR label on the unit opens its history
Module 2
PM agreement builder
The plan has to match the equipment list, and the price has to match the hours.
- Task templates per unit type from the ASHRAE 180 tables, with frequency (quarterly, semiannual, annual) and a cooling or heating season tag
- Agreement lines: price per unit per visit or per site visit, routine vs major visits, filters and belts included yes/no, exclusions, response time (e.g. 4 hours), after-hours rate, parts markup
- Bid hours per unit per visit stored on the agreement
- Frequency change log: who approved, after which 3 acceptable inspections
- Status: Proposed, Signed, Active, Renewal due
Module 3
Visit planning and materials
A PM day on a roof with 20 units fails if the van has the wrong filters.
- Visit generator: next month's PM visits by site, with each unit's tasks due
- Pick list per visit: filters by size and MERV, belts by part number, coil cleaner, from the unit register
- Van stock and warehouse counts; shortfalls flagged before the visit is released
- Roof access, lift or ladder needs, and escort requirements per site
Module 4
Field app on the roof
Readings and photos decide whether a unit is healthy and whether a repair quote stands up.
- Scan the unit QR; checklist shows only that unit's tasks due today
- Required readings: suction and discharge psi, superheat, subcooling, compressor and fan amps, supply and return temp, outdoor temp
- Economizer test steps with a result for each; 'not tested' needs a reason
- Required photos: nameplate on first visit, filters before and after, each deficiency
- Offline on roofs and in plant rooms; syncs when back in signal
Module 5
Refrigerant log and leak cases
Every pound added is a federal record, and the 30-day repair clock starts with the addition, not when someone notices.
- Refrigerant addition form: unit, lb, type, cylinder ID, part serviced, technician and 608 type (blocked if the tech has no matching certification)
- Leak rate calculated on save from full charge and the last addition date; method stored
- Over threshold opens a Leak case: 30-day repair due, leak locations, initial and follow-up verification tests, annual leak inspection due, retrofit or retire plan (30 days to write, 1 year to finish)
- Calendar-year total per unit; flag at 125% of full charge for the 1 March report
- Owner record PDF per service on 50 lb+ appliances with the 82.157(l)(2) fields
Module 6
Facility platform work orders
National clients only pay through their platform, against their NTE.
- Work orders from ServiceChannel or Corrigo emails or PDFs become jobs with client WO number, priority, NTE, SLA and location mapping
- Running total of labor and parts against the NTE on the tech's screen; over-NTE blocked until an increase or proposal is approved
- Check-in and check-out reminders on arrival and departure; check-out status: complete, needs authorization, additional work found
- Proposal record with 5-day due date when the client asks for a scope change
Module 7
Deficiencies and repair quotes
PM visits find the repair work; unquoted deficiencies are lost revenue and a failed unit in July.
- Deficiency record: unit, component, severity (e.g. down, urgent, recommended), photos, readings
- Quote built from deficiencies with parts and labor from the price book, sent to the facility manager or the platform
- Status: Found, Quoted, Approved, Scheduled, Repaired, Declined (with reason)
Module 8
Cooling tower water program
In New York the tower has more clocks than any other unit on the site, and penalties start at $1,000.
- Tower record: NYC DOB registration number, state registry ID, maintenance program and plan date, qualified person, water treatment vendor
- Clocks: weekly HPC or dip slide, Legionella every 31 days max, 90-day compliance inspection, cleaning twice a year, state registry update every 90 days, certification by 1 November
- Legionella result entry with level 1 to 4; level 2 and 3 open a 24-hour disinfection task and a 3 to 7 day retest, level 4 adds 48-hour remediation and 24-hour notice
- Disinfection only assigned to staff with a pesticide applicator certification
Module 9
Client portal and margin reporting
The facility manager needs proof per unit; the contractor's margin is in hours per unit and repair conversion.
- Portal per client: units by site, last PM and readings, open deficiencies to approve, refrigerant records, tower logs
- Dashboards: PM visits due vs done, bid vs actual hours per site, deficiency-to-quote and quote-to-approval rates, open leak cases and days left, NTE rejections
- QuickBooks or Xero invoice sync
The AI agents, set up for commercial HVAC service contractors
| Agent | When | What it does | What you get |
|---|---|---|---|
| Document intelligence agent | A ServiceChannel or Corrigo dispatch email or work order PDF arrives | Reads client WO number, store number, problem description, priority, NTE and SLA, and matches the store to the site | A job on the right site with NTE and due-by time set, ready to dispatch |
| Vision agent | A tech photographs a unit nameplate on the first visit | Reads make, model, serial, refrigerant type and factory charge | Unit record filled, with the EPA rule and leak category suggested for the office to confirm |
| Watcher agent | A refrigerant addition pushes a unit over 10% (comfort cooling) or 20% (commercial refrigeration), a leak case passes day 20 without a verification test, a job reaches 90% of its NTE, or a tower's Legionella sample is at day 28 | Checks the reading or clock against the unit's history and the rule that applies | An alert to the service manager with the leak case, approval request or sampling task pre-filled |
| Dispatch agent | A reactive work order or PM visit is ready to assign | Matches techs by EPA 608 type (Type III for a low-pressure R-123 chiller), filters and parts on the van, distance and the work order's SLA | An assigned tech and a parts list for the visit |
| Autopilot | A repair quote from a PM deficiency sits unapproved for e.g. 5 days | Drafts a follow-up naming the unit tag, what was found, the photo and readings, and what happens if it fails | A draft email a person approves before it sends |
| Scheduler agent | The 20th of each month at 7 am | Totals next month's PM visits, filters and belts needed by size, open leak cases with days left, and sites running over bid hours | A monthly PM and purchasing briefing to the service manager |
Straight answers
Commercial HVAC service: FAQ
What software do commercial HVAC service contractors use?
Common choices are BuildOps, ServiceTrade and ServiceTitan's commercial setup, with Simpro for contractors who also run projects. What matters is a record per unit with its own PM tasks, a refrigerant log that calculates leak rates, and work orders from platforms like ServiceChannel with their NTE. Fieldproxy is set up around your own unit register, PM price per unit and refrigerant rules.
Is there a standard for commercial HVAC preventive maintenance?
Yes. ANSI/ASHRAE/ACCA Standard 180-2018 sets minimum inspection and maintenance tasks and frequencies for commercial building HVAC, in tables per equipment type; rooftop units are Table 5-22. For air handlers it calls for quarterly filter, drain pan and P-trap checks and semiannual belt, VFD and control checks.
How often should rooftop unit filters be changed?
ASHRAE 180 sets a quarterly minimum for checking filters and replacing them as needed, and says to evaluate the change frequency. Many contracts change them quarterly; dusty sites or high-MERV filters may need more. Recording pressure drop or condition per unit is what lets you justify the interval.
What is the EPA leak rate threshold for commercial air conditioning?
For comfort cooling it is 10% a year, for both HFC appliances of 15 lb or more (40 CFR 84.106, since 1 January 2026) and ozone-depleting refrigerant appliances of 50 lb or more (40 CFR 82.157). Commercial refrigeration is 20% and industrial process refrigeration 30%. Over the threshold, the leak must be repaired within 30 days and verified.
How do you calculate a refrigerant leak rate?
With the annualizing method: pounds added divided by full charge, multiplied by 365 divided by the days since the last addition (365 at most), times 100. Say 6 lb is added to an 80 lb chiller 120 days after the last addition: 6 / 80 x 365 / 120 x 100 is about 22.8%, over the 10% comfort cooling threshold, so the 30-day repair clock starts.
Do rooftop units fall under the new 15 lb HFC leak rule?
Not if they are in the residential and light commercial air conditioning and heat pump subsector, which EPA excludes. Chillers and certain VRF systems are their own subsectors and are covered at 15 lb or more. Check each unit's subsector and charge; the unit record should hold which rule applies.
Can contractors still install R-410A rooftop units in 2026?
EPA's 2026 final rule lifted the 1 January 2026 installation ban for residential and light commercial R-410A equipment made or imported before 1 January 2025. VRF systems still have to be installed by 1 January 2027 (2028 for projects permitted before 5 October 2023), and New York State keeps its own 1 January 2026 deadline.
What is an NTE on a commercial HVAC work order?
Not to exceed: the most the provider may charge for the work on the order. Platforms like ServiceChannel and Corrigo set it per order; going over needs an NTE increase or an approved proposal first, or the invoice is rejected. Under ServiceChannel's standard provider agreement, a proposal for a scope change is due within 5 days of the request.
What are the cooling tower inspection rules in New York City?
Under 24 RCNY Chapter 8: a bacteriological indicator weekly, Legionella culture at least monthly (no more than 31 days apart), a compliance inspection by a qualified person at least every 90 days, cleaning at least twice a year, and an annual certification. Legionella at 1,000 CFU/ml or more must be reported within 24 hours and the tower remediated within 48.
What do commercial HVAC PM contracts cost?
Public bid tabs show a wide range. Chatham County, Georgia received $190 to $500 per routine visit for a small office in 2025, with mechanics at $95 to $123 an hour and parts markups of 15% to 30%. San Antonio's 2023 bids for a building portfolio ran from $4,230 to $33,597 per quarterly PM visit.
Related guides
All sources on this page (22)
- source: US EPA fact sheet (Jan 2026): AIM Act leak repair requirements for appliances containing HFCs, 40 CFR 84.106
- source: 40 CFR 82.157, Appliance maintenance and leak repair (ozone-depleting refrigerants, eCFR)
- source: Jacobs, Higgins and Shwom (ACEEE 2004), Field performance of small commercial rooftop units (California PIER study, New Buildings Institute)
- source: City of San Antonio, bid tabulation: annual contract for preventative HVAC maintenance and repair services, CCDO (Jan 2023)
- source: ANSI/ASHRAE/ACCA Standard 180-2018, preview: Sections 4 and 5, Tables 5-1 and 5-2 (ASHRAE bookstore)
- source: US EPA, Section 608 technician certification requirements
- source: ACCA, EPA lifts R-410A installation deadline, but refrigerant prices could rise (2026 Technology Transitions final rule)
- source: NYC Health Code rules, 24 RCNY Chapter 8: Cooling towers (weekly indicators, monthly Legionella, 90-day inspections, penalties)
- source: New York State Department of Health, Protection against Legionella: cooling tower requirements (10 NYCRR Part 4)
- source: ServiceChannel SC University: understanding work order NTEs
- source: ServiceChannel, customer and provider standard services agreement (change proposals, payment, workmanship warranty)
- source: Chatham County, GA, Bid 25-0071-3: annual HVAC preventative maintenance, Tag Office and Citizen Service Center (June 2025)
- source: Taney County, MO, RFB 202002-441 bid award: HVAC repair and services (March 2020)
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