Top 7 HVAC companies in Essex, Massachusetts

Essex County, Massachusetts lists a population of 789034. Listing data collected on 2026-08-16 supplies the seven companies ranked here by Bayesian-adjusted rating. The national mean rating used for adjustment stands at 4.764. A 5.0 earned from only four reviews cannot outrank a 4.9 earned from two hundred. Public websites and published 24/7 availability supply the listed tie-breakers. The resulting shortlist rests solely on those published numbers and signals.

HVAC system costs in Essex County

Installed costs for a full system replacement average $12,550 according to one data set, with a documented range of $11,300 to $13,800. A second source drawn from 2025 invoices reports an average of $23,586 and an upper quartile of $33,537. Labor is billed at $160 per hour. Permit fees fall between $200 and $650. Both sources place Essex County costs above the national tier. The spread between the two sources supplies budgeting information rather than contradiction. Homeowners should obtain multiple written quotes that itemize equipment, labor and the local permit charge separately.

The shortlist

Morris Plumbing, Heating & Air Conditioning

Morris Plumbing, Heating & Air Conditioning operates from 11 Old Right Rd Unit A2, Ipswich, MA 01938 and lists the phone number (978) 961-0338. Its 659 reviews produce a raw rating of 5 that the Bayesian adjustment lifts to 5.05 after tie-breakers. The national mean of 4.764 lies 0.236 below the raw score; the review volume of 659 keeps the final adjusted score only modestly above the mean. The firm appears as a general contractor that publishes 24/7 availability and maintains a public website. These signals cannot reveal whether the crew that answers the phone at 3 a.m. holds the correct gas-fitter license for the job.

Ecco Air Solutions

Ecco Air Solutions lists 132 reviews at a raw 5, adjusted to 5.016 after tie-breakers for its website and 24/7 listing. The address is 600 Grove St, Braintree, MA 02184 and the phone number is (857) 287-7136. Its raw score sits 0.236 above the national mean of 4.764; the moderate review count allows only a small upward Bayesian pull before the tie-breakers add the rest. The general-contractor category and round-the-clock availability suggest the firm fields both service and replacement calls. Review volume alone cannot confirm whether every technician carries a current sheet-metal license.

Diamond Pro HVAC Services Inc

Diamond Pro HVAC Services Inc records 55 reviews at raw 5, adjusted to 4.977. The address is 33 Topsfield Rd, Ipswich, MA 01938 and the phone number is (617) 335-9264. Its raw rating exceeds the national mean of 4.764 by 0.236; the smaller review count permits a noticeable Bayesian retreat toward that mean before tie-breakers raise the score again. The firm appears as a general contractor offering 24/7 service through a public website. Those numbers supply no information on recent complaint resolution or actual equipment brand experience.

128 Plumbing, Heating, Cooling & Electric

128 Plumbing, Heating, Cooling & Electric posts 3967 reviews at a raw 4.9, adjusted to 4.959. The address is 78 Foundry St, Wakefield, MA 01880 and the phone number is (781) 245-9200. Its raw rating lies 0.136 above the national mean of 4.764; the very large review count keeps the Bayesian adjustment tiny and the final score within 0.06 of the raw figure even before tie-breakers. The general-contractor listing and 24/7 availability indicate broad service coverage. High review volume still cannot disclose how many of those reviews concern only plumbing or electrical work.

Dynatemp HVAC Services

Dynatemp HVAC Services shows 16 reviews at raw 4.8, adjusted to 4.817. The address is 245 Western Ave, Essex, MA 01929 and the phone number is (978) 282-4658. Its raw rating exceeds the national mean of 4.764 by only 0.036; the low review count allows the Bayesian pull to move the score noticeably closer to the mean. The firm lists as a general contractor with a public website but no published 24/7 coverage. These figures give no indication of how the company handles after-hours emergencies.

Fox Hill Heating

Fox Hill Heating records 13 reviews at raw 4.7, adjusted to 4.745. The address is 239 Western Ave Ste 2D, Essex, MA 01929 and the phone number is (978) 768-6619. Its raw rating sits 0.064 below the national mean of 4.764; the small review count permits only a modest Bayesian movement toward the mean. The firm appears solely as a general contractor without a listed website or 24/7 availability. Review depth this shallow cannot reveal whether the business maintains inventory for common winter repairs.

Essex County Craftsmen Inc

Essex County Craftsmen Inc lists 51 reviews at raw 4.5, adjusted to 4.658. The address is 60 Ward St, Salem, MA 01970 and the phone number is (978) 745-8028. Its raw rating falls 0.264 below the national mean of 4.764; the moderate review count produces a clear Bayesian lift toward the mean before tie-breakers add the final increment. The firm operates as a general contractor with both a public website and published 24/7 availability. Those signals still leave open the question of whether its technicians hold every required state trade license for the work performed.

Licensing and permits in Massachusetts

Massachusetts issues no single HVAC contractor license. The Division of Occupational Licensure oversees three separate boards that license gas fitters, sheet metal workers and refrigeration technicians for systems of 10 tons or greater. Smaller residential air-conditioning work needs no state refrigeration license, yet any gas line requires a licensed gas fitter and any wiring requires a licensed electrician. General liability insurance carries no statewide minimum but is frequently required by towns before a permit is issued. Workers compensation insurance remains mandatory for any employer with employees. Permits themselves are local; each city or town issues mechanical permits under the state building code 780 CMR. Homeowners must confirm the required trade licenses and the local permit process directly with the municipality before work begins.

Climate and equipment sizing in Essex County

Essex County falls in IECC zones 5A-6A with a dominant moist zone 5A classification. Heating degree days reach 5700 while cooling degree days total only 700, producing a heating-leaning mixed load profile. Boston winter design temperature is 9 °F and summer design temperature is 90 °F, accompanied by humid summers and dry winters. Primary heating fuels remain natural gas and fuel oil. Cold-climate heat pumps are suitable with backup, yet the heating-dominant profile and aggressive electrification incentives increase demand for properly sized equipment. Oversized units short-cycle in shoulder seasons; undersized units cannot maintain 70 °F on a 9 °F design day. Load calculations must therefore incorporate the county’s actual degree-day data rather than national averages.

Available incentives in 2026

Mass Save delivers the approved Home Energy Rebates with heat-pump incentives up to $8,000 that stack with utility rebates ranging from $1,250 to more than $10,000. The state income-tax credit covers only solar and wind, not heat pumps. Federal 25C and 25D credits expired at the end of 2025, leaving no residential federal HVAC tax credit in 2026. Commercial or third-party-owned systems may still qualify for the 48E ITC if construction begins by 7 July 2026. Mass Save requires participation in its Heat Pump Installer Network and a pre-install home energy assessment for the largest rebates. Customers served by municipal light plants, roughly 40 communities, pay no Mass Save surcharge and receive no Mass Save rebates. Homeowners must verify their utility before any rebate arithmetic is accepted.

How to choose an HVAC contractor

Confirm that the contractor holds every required state trade license for the work and belongs to the Mass Save network when rebates are claimed. Request written confirmation of the local permit fee and the exact model numbers sized to the county’s 5700 heating degree days. Compare the two published cost ranges and insist on itemized labor at the $160 hourly rate. Verify 24/7 availability only if the job may require after-hours response. These steps reduce the risk that incentive paperwork or licensing shortfalls will delay the project.