What Is a Good ROAS for HVAC Google Ads? (2025 Benchmarks)

Based on the SearchLight HVAC & Plumbing Advertising Benchmarks, tracking over $15M in observed monthly Google Ads spend, the median ROAS for HVAC advertisers is 4.37x, with top-quartile advertisers exceeding 10.24x. These figures reflect blended performance across both branded and non-branded campaigns and are weighted by spend for accuracy.

While Google Ads captures explicit, high-intent demand from users actively searching for HVAC services, many contractors also invest in Google Local Services Ads (LSAs), which operate differently and often produce distinct ROAS profiles. For a breakdown of HVAC Local Services Ads ROAS benchmarks, including spend-weighted medians and quartile performance, see our dedicated analysis here:
What Is a Good ROAS for HVAC Google LSA 

This page summarizes spend-weighted ROAS benchmarks based on ~$40M in recent HVAC & plumbing Google Ads spend.

Key HVAC Google Ads ROAS Benchmarks (2025)

• • Median ROAS: 4.37x

• • Top Quartile ROAS: 10.24x

• • Bottom Quartile ROAS: 2.77x

The median monthly Google Ads spend among HVAC & plumbing contractors in our dataset was $8,480.25. 

HVAC Google Ads Blended ROAS Benchmarks Table (Q4 2025)

Metric	ROAS (x)	Notes
Median ROAS	4.37x	Spend-weighted; overall benchmark
Top Quartile ROAS	10.24x	High-performing advertisers
Bottom Quartile ROAS	2.77x	Underperforming advertisers
Median Monthly Spend	$8,480.25	Typical budget across 1,041 advertisers

Non-Branded Campaign Benchmarks Table (Q4 2025) 

Metric	ROAS (x)	Notes
Median Non-Brand ROAS	0.99x	True competitive acquisition
Top-Quartile Non-Brand ROAS	7.13x	Best-in-class non-brand performance
Spend-Weighted ROAS	2.95x	Reflects revenue contribution
% of Total Spend	82.5%	Majority of HVAC Google Ads budgets

Branded Campaign Benchmarks Table (Q4 2025) 

Metric	ROAS (x)	Notes
Median Branded ROAS	13.89x	Captures existing brand demand
Top-Quartile Branded ROAS	45.77x	High-intent, best-performing branded campaigns
Spend-Weighted ROAS	17.49x	Reflects impact of high-spend brand campaigns
% of Total Spend	17.5%	Branded volume is limited by market size

Branded vs. Non-Branded ROAS Benchmarks

Branded search consistently generates much higher ROAS because it captures users explicitly searching for a contractor by name. Non-branded campaigns reflect real customer acquisition and are therefore more competitive and more expensive.

Across all campaigns analyzed:

Non-Branded Campaigns

• • Median ROAS: 0.99x

• • Top-Quartile ROAS: 7.13x

• • Spend-Weighted ROAS: 2.95x

Branded Campaigns

• • Median ROAS: 13.89x

• • Top-Quartile ROAS: 45.77x

• • Spend-Weighted ROAS: 17.49x

Despite their strong performance, branded campaigns accounted for only 17.5% of total Google Ads spend, while 82.5% went to non-branded campaigns. As a result, non-brand performance is the primary driver of blended ROAS for HVAC and plumbing advertisers.

Why we use blended ROAS as our top-level benchmarks

Blended ROAS mirrors how contractors actually allocate budget. Both branded and non-branded campaigns contribute to revenue, and nearly every HVAC advertiser runs a mix of both.

What Drives ROAS Variation in HVAC Google Ads?

The following factors explain most of the performance differences between top-quartile and bottom-quartile advertisers:

Market Dynamics

• • Population density

• • Competitor spend

• • Auction pressure

• • Seasonality (especially cooling and heating peaks)

Campaign Structure

• • Branded vs. non-branded allocation

• • Search term quality & match type discipline

• • Landing page relevancy and page speed

• • Service-line segmentation (AC repair vs. install vs. plumbing)

Operational Performance

• • CSR speed-to-answer

• • Call handling & raw booking rate

• • Weekend / after-hours coverage

• • Conversion tracking accuracy

Attribution & Reporting Quality

• • Offline conversion tracking

• • Lead de-duplication

• • Install jobs delaying revenue recognition

• • Accurate mapping of calls, forms, and chats to campaigns

Top-performing HVAC advertisers tend to excel operationally just as much as they do in advertising.

How to Interpret These Benchmarks

A benchmark is not a target, it is a reference point.

Use it this way:

• • Below 2.77x (bottom quartile)
    Typically indicates a structural issue: tracking gaps, poor call handling, or low-intent keywords.

• • Between ~2.8x and ~10x (middle quartiles)
    Common range for mid-maturity advertisers with stable operations.

• • Above 10x (top quartile)
    Usually reflects strong brand presence, efficient market dynamics, tight campaign structure, or superior CSR performance.

Context Matters

Some businesses can profitably operate at lower ROAS, including:

• • Install-heavy markets

• • High ticket averages

• • Strong maintenance membership bases

• • Multi-trade contractors with blended margins

ROAS should always be evaluated relative to CAC, gross margin, and average job value.

Data Source

Source: SearchLight HVAC & Plumbing Advertising Benchmark
Sample Size: 1,041 HVAC & plumbing contractors
Total Spend Analyzed: $40M (past 3 months)
Time Window: Q4 2025
Methodology:

• • Spend-weighted medians

• • SearchLight tracked and platform-reported conversions (Google Ads + offline conversions where available)

• • Normalized across markets

• • Outlier filtering applied

SearchLight HVAC & Plumbing Advertising Benchmark (based on $15M in monthly observed Google Ads spend).

FAQs

What is considered a ‘bad’ ROAS for HVAC Google Ads?

Anything below 2.77x (the bottom quartile) is underperforming compared to the broader market and often indicates issues with search term quality, lead handling, or attribution.

However, from a financial standpoint, most HVAC and plumbing businesses operate around 25% EBITDA margins, which means they generally need a 4.0x ROAS just to break even on Google Ads.

This is why the recommended benchmark ROAS for HVAC advertisers is 4.37x, which aligns with both the operational reality and the performance distribution in our dataset.

Is HVAC Google Ads ROAS seasonal?

Yes. ROAS tends to spike during peak seasons (summer cooling and winter heating) and soften during shoulder months.

Does branded ROAS count?

Yes. Blended ROAS is the industry standard because it reflects real budget allocation and actual return on total marketing investment.