HVAC Business Funding for the Heating Season
Short answer: HVAC companies should line up funding before the heating season peaks, while recent statements show strong deposits. Use it for parts, equipment and payroll ahead of the rush, and keep the payment small enough for slow months.
Why does the HVAC heating season open a second funding window?
Cost, credit, speed and stacking
Cost
Credit
Speed
Stacking
Afterfirst MCA doesn't fund advances; it's a marketplace. An HVAC firm applies once, and we match your file to funders whose rules it meets.
How steady is HVAC work from summer into fall?
HVAC work barely dips in the fall.
Below, five years of BLS job counts are scaled so a score of 100 is a normal month, with landscaping beside them for contrast.
| Month | Plumbing and HVAC jobs (index) | Landscaping jobs (index) | Typical HVAC work that month |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 98.3 | 81.7 | Heating repairs; the year's low |
| February | 98.3 | 83.4 | Heating repairs |
| March | 98.7 | 88.1 | Shoulder season |
| April | 99.3 | 101.3 | Cooling tune-ups begin |
| May | 99.9 | 107.9 | Cooling installs pick up |
| June | 101.2 | 111.4 | Cooling season |
| July | 101.6 | 111.6 | Cooling season peak |
| August | 101.5 | 109.8 | Cooling season |
| September | 100.7 | 107.1 | Shoulder season |
| October | 100.5 | 105.8 | Heating tune-ups and installs |
| November | 100.3 | 101.1 | Heating season starts |
| December | 99.7 | 90.9 | Heating season |
In the latest full year of data, plumbing and HVAC contractors had 1,335.4 thousand jobs in July, 1,325.1 thousand in October and 1,293.7 thousand in January (BLS).
What the BLS series covers
The series counts jobs at plumbing, heating and air-conditioning contractors as one group. It can't separate HVAC from plumbing, and jobs are not the same as sales. It shows that crews stay on through the fall, which suggests steady work. BLS supplies the counts; the scaling is ours.
What does the fall window mean for HVAC funding?
The fall window is a timing point: the statements are strong and the HVAC heating season's costs are just ahead.
| Fall cost | Why it comes now | What statements may show |
|---|---|---|
| Furnace and heat pump stock | Bought before the HVAC heating season starts | Supplier debits in September and October |
| Service vans and tools | Ready for the heating call volume | Truck notes or equipment debits |
| Technician hiring and training | Crews set before winter calls | Payroll debits holding level |
| Service plan renewals | Tune-ups booked for the heating season | Small recurring deposits |
Strong statements in September and October
From practitioners, not data: one MCA firm holds that the most recent quarter of statements carries the most weight. An HVAC firm applying in October puts the cooling months in front of the funder, at 101.6, 101.5 and 100.7 on our index. A February request shows the winter low.
Big installs and service calls
HVAC deposits mix a few large install payments with many small service calls. Funders read both, and the HVAC and plumbing page explains how. A note on large jobs that paid late helps a funder read an uneven month.
Firms that also do plumbing
Plumbing work is less tied to the weather, so a firm that does both often shows smoother deposits. Say what share of your work is plumbing when you apply.
The holiday slowdown
Two practitioner sources say the funding pace drops after Thanksgiving and around major holidays. Treat that as opinion. A request made in September or October stays ahead of it.
What do funders read on an HVAC file?
Funders read the bank statements for steady deposits, large install payments and any open advances.
Equipment financing or supplier terms often fit a single large purchase better than an advance, and a team that shops more than one funder can tell you which fits. Offers can be set side by side on the Comparison sheet.
HVAC firms with an advance on the books
A current advance is not a stopper. A Second position or a consolidation may work. Name every open one in the application; the Stacking guide shows how funders count them.
FAQ
What does fall funding cost an HVAC firm?
Cost equals what you repay minus what you receive, fees included. Each funder prices its own offer, and we line the offers up so you can compare. Sending the application is free.
How do funders treat an HVAC owner's credit?
Ask each funder how any credit review works before you sign. Our team can put that question to the funders on your file for you.
Why is September or October the time to apply?
Those months keep the cooling season on your statements, come just before the HVAC heating season, and stay clear of the holiday slowdown practitioners describe. We can't promise a reply date, since each funder works to its own schedule.
Can an HVAC firm with an open advance apply?
Yes. Put every open advance in the application, because funders see those debits on the statements. A second position, a consolidation or holding off until spring may fit.
Next step
HVAC owners: One application is the whole first step, with each open advance named. Questions on fall timing can go to Our team first. For uses, see Equipment and Payroll.
Call 877-FUND-654What does a fall advance look like through the heating season?
Example: an HVAC company deposits $95,000 in October, $120,000 in January and $80,000 in April. A fall advance of $50,000 at a 1.32 factor pays back $66,000 over 147 business days, about $449 a day or $9,429 a month. That's 9.9% of October, 7.9% of January and 11.8% of April. The spring shoulder month, not winter, is the tight one.
Questions owners ask about this
When should an HVAC company apply for heating-season funding?
Before the season peaks, while recent deposits are strong.
What do HVAC businesses use it for?
Parts and equipment inventory, extra technicians, and vans.
Is a share-of-sales payment better for HVAC?
It follows seasonal swings. A fixed debit can be hard in shoulder months.
What will funders review?
Recent bank statements and any open advances.
Sources
- BLS payroll jobs data: plumbing and HVAC (CEU2023822001), landscaping (CEU6056173001): monthly jobs for the 12-month table and the July, October and January counts.
- Practitioner commentary: a firm's view on how underwriters weight recent statements.
- Total Merchant Resources, what slows brokers in winter: one firm's report of a post-Thanksgiving slowdown.
- DeBanked piece on deals near holidays: reports applications dipping around holidays.
Send one file.
See what fits.
Call 877-FUND-654 with questions.