How Does the Aire Serv Franchise Work?

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How the model works

An Aire Serv franchise is a locally operated HVAC field-service business. Customer calls and online requests become scheduled jobs; trained service professionals diagnose, quote, install, maintain, or repair approved equipment; ServiceTitan records the work; and the franchisee remains responsible for staffing, service quality, billing, local compliance, and weekly system reporting.

Data basis: legal franchisor Aire Serv SPV LLC; direct parent Neighborly Assetco LLC; Neighborly Company administers support under a management agreement while the legal franchisor remains responsible; 2026 U.S. Franchise Disclosure Document issued April 1, 2026; start-up and conversion paths for the same Aire Serv operating system; Items 1, 6, 8, 11, 12, 15, 16, 19, and 20 plus the Franchise Agreement and manual tables of contents. Item 20 covers calendar years 2023–2025 and reports outlets through December 31, 2025. Official U.S. operating pages and the Aire Serv franchise site were checked July 26, 2026.

229 Operating U.S. outlets All were franchised at year-end 2025.

100k–300k Typical Territory population The FDD calls the protection limited, not exclusive.

6 months Temporary home-operation window Then a qualifying Franchise Location is required.

2 Minimum Performance Standards Gross Sales rank and customer-satisfaction score.

Offering and demand

What does an Aire Serv franchise sell, and who buys it?

The Business sells approved HVAC and indoor-air-quality installation, maintenance, repair, replacement, and related products to residential and commercial Customers. A start-up and a converted HVAC business use the same Aire Serv System, Marks, Manuals, reporting rules, and Territory restrictions.

Residential Customers

Home comfort work

Demand includes heating and air-conditioning repair or replacement, tune-ups, duct and thermostat work, indoor-air-quality services, and water-based heating services. The official Aire Serv service catalog shows public categories; the FDD controls the approved offer.

Commercial Customers

Facilities and account work

Businesses and property operators buy repair, replacement, maintenance, indoor-air-quality, refrigeration, or water-heater work where locally offered. The official commercial-services pages describe demand; local licensing and approved-service rules govern fulfillment.

Repeat and managed demand

Maintenance and Key Accounts

Maintenance plans create scheduled visits, priority service, and retained records. Key Accounts are centrally negotiated Customers. Participation is optional, but participating units must follow specified pricing, insurance, turnaround, software, and payment terms.

Sources: 2026 Aire Serv FDD, Item 1, p. 1; Item 12, pp. 59–60; Item 16, p. 66; Franchise Agreement §§5.M–O. See also the official residential maintenance-plan page.

Service cycle

How does work move through an Aire Serv unit?

The workflow connects call handling, local dispatch, a structured field-service process, invoicing, and reporting. The franchisee controls labor and execution; the Franchisor specifies the service method, Software System, approved offering, warranties, and records.

Inquiry and intake

Actor:: Customer, Client Service Representative, or Call Center Program.
Action:: Receive a phone or online request, capture Customer Information, identify the service need, and arrange the next contact.
Required system/asset:: Controlled telephone number, call-routing technology, and ServiceTitan.
Output:: A qualified request or booked appointment.

Scheduling and dispatch

Actor:: Local office team or Client Service Representative.
Action:: Confirm timing, assign the appropriate service professional, and route the job using customer history and availability.
Required system/asset:: ServiceTitan scheduling and dispatch, internet connection, and unit communications.
Output:: A dispatched technician with job details.

Diagnosis and agreement

Actor:: Qualified service professional.
Action:: Follow the Manual sequence for pre-call preparation, arrival, initial greeting, thermostat review, Up-Front Agreement, and Total Comfort Diagnosis.
Required system/asset:: Spec-compliant vehicle, current-model iPad, approved tools, and required local license.
Output:: Documented findings and an authorized scope decision.

Recommendation and proposal

Actor:: Service professional or Home Comfort Design sales professional.
Action:: Present approved repair, replacement, indoor-air-quality, or maintenance options and generate the proposal. The franchisee generally sets local prices, subject to lawful system limits and binding Key Account terms.
Required system/asset:: ServiceTitan proposal tools and the confidential menu-pricing guide.
Output:: Customer approval or a scheduled follow-up.

Perform and close the work

Actor:: Trained employee or approved subcontractor under franchisee supervision.
Action:: Complete the authorized installation, maintenance, or repair with approved techniques, equipment, parts, and suppliers; then perform the Manual’s wrap-up and departure steps.
Required system/asset:: Approved inputs, field equipment, vehicle, iPad, and required safety or licensing credentials.
Output:: Completed job, service history, and invoice.

Record, report, and follow up

Actor:: Franchisee office, accounting personnel, and unit management.
Action:: Record the transaction, maintain Customer and warranty history, report weekly Gross Sales, submit monthly financial statements, and respond to complaints or online reviews.
Required system/asset:: ServiceTitan, QuickBooks Online, Technology Package, and prescribed records.
Output:: Closed reporting cycle, follow-up task, or warranty resolution.

Sources: 2026 Aire Serv FDD, Items 6, 8, and 11, pp. 21–52; Franchise Agreement §§5.E, 5.M–O, 8.E, 8.H–J. See the official scheduling interface.

People and supervision

Who runs the unit, and who performs each function?

The Franchise Agreement requires the franchisee or Principal Owner to devote full-time attention and provide direct, active supervision. Item 15 permits an approved trained-manager structure in specified circumstances, but the franchisee remains the sole employer.

Franchisee or Principal Owner

Directs operations, hires and supervises workers, maintains licenses and insurance, controls wages and schedules, and remains accountable for results, warranties, records, and System compliance.

Designated Manager

May supervise where the Franchisor consents or the ownership structure permits. No equity is required, but regular management requires applicable Aire Serv training.

Client Service Representative

Handles calls, Customer communication, appointments, objections, performance indicators, and ServiceTitan Chat under the Client Service Representative Manual.

Service Professional

Diagnoses and fulfills field work, uses the iPad and approved process, records service history, and satisfies trade licensing. Anyone entering a Customer’s home must pass required background checks.

Owner participation

Business training does not replace HVAC trade training. The official franchise information says an owner without HVAC experience must hire qualified, licensed employees. Headcount, shifts, and labor ratios are not disclosed.

Sources: 2026 Aire Serv FDD, Item 11, pp. 50–57; Item 15, p. 65; Franchise Agreement §§6.A–D.

Mandatory infrastructure

Which suppliers, technology, and operating assets are required?

Aire Serv SPV LLC can specify approved products, designate a primary or single source, and reject alternatives. The franchisee supplies vehicles, hardware, internet, labor, licenses, parts, and the facility, connected to the designated Software System, call handling, purchasing, telephone, and reporting structure.

Required technology and data path

ServiceTitan: Customer tracking, scheduling, dispatch, proposals, inventory, service history, invoicing, analysis, and reporting.
Technology Package: Qvinci, Customer Engagement Platform, Neighborly Franchise Portal, FranConnect, Microsoft Office 365 E3, and Exchange.
QuickBooks Online: required accounting software, obtained from Intuit or through the designated affiliate arrangement.
Field access: a current-model iPad per technician, compliant computers, dedicated email, and business internet.

Required supplier and asset path

Approved inputs: specified techniques, parts, inventory, tools, equipment, uniforms, signs, and advertising.
ProTradeNet SPV LLC: required agreement; purchases are mandatory only when another System rule requires the item.
NCS Call Center Program: required for rollover, after-hours, and weekend calls; scope may expand to all calls.
Vehicles and location: spec-compliant vehicles from a dealer the franchisee selects, plus a qualifying Franchise Location after the temporary six-month home period.

Technology requirement

The Franchisor and affiliates have broad access to Software System data and may require upgrades or administrative access to ServiceTitan accounts. Confidential Information cannot enter an artificial-intelligence or machine-learning system without prior written consent.

Sources: 2026 Aire Serv FDD, Item 8, pp. 34–38; Item 11, pp. 45–49; Franchise Agreement §§5.E–F. ProTradeNet, NCS, ZorWare SPV LLC, ServiceTitan, and Intuit are operational dependencies, not the legal franchisor.

Decision rights

What does the Franchisor control, and what remains with the franchisee?

The Franchisor controls the approved offering, Manuals, technology, supplier qualifications, marketing standards, Customer Information, warranties, performance standards, and Territory rules. The franchisee controls employment and execution, chooses qualifying vehicles and a compliant site, generally sets prices, and bears responsibility for results and local compliance.

Operating responsibility map

Franchisee

Hire, train, schedule, and pay workers; maintain licenses; procure approved inputs; dispatch and deliver work; record transactions; handle warranties and complaints; maintain books; and report results.

Aire Serv SPV LLC

License the Marks and System; define approved services, Manuals, quality standards, Territory conditions, warranties, pricing constraints, data rights, audits, supplier criteria, and Minimum Performance Standards.

Named dependencies

NCS handles call-center functions; ServiceTitan holds the field-service record; ZorWare supports the Technology Package; ProTradeNet administers purchasing programs; approved vendors supply specified inputs.

PricingThe franchisee generally sets prices; lawful system minimums or maximums and Key Account pricing can bind a unit.

Quality and warrantiesThe franchisee owns the result, honors warranties, responds to a dissatisfied Customer within 24 hours, and seeks help if unresolved within three days.

MarketingLocal materials require approval and correct Marks. The MAP Fund, local marketing groups, digital properties, and centrally administered accounts feed demand.

Reporting and auditGross Sales are reported weekly; monthly statements are due within 15 days; annual statements within 90 days; records are generally retained five years.

Ongoing assistanceThe Franchisor or its designee maintains the MAP Fund, updates approved-supplier lists and Manuals, makes periodic consultation visits, and provides communications, refresher training, meetings, and conventions.

Sources: 2026 Aire Serv FDD, Items 6, 8, and 11, pp. 18–58; Franchise Agreement §§5.L–O, 6.D, 7, and 8.E–J. Neighborly Company administers support functions, but Aire Serv SPV LLC remains the contracting franchisor.

Territory and channels

How do customer and Territory rules affect local operations?

The Territory limits another Aire Serv franchise’s marketing rights in the defined area while the franchisee is compliant. It is not exclusive against different brands, alternative channels, internet activity, Key Accounts, or authorized providers under Item 12.

Inside the TerritoryThe franchisee may solicit local Customers from an approved Franchise Location. Home operation is permitted for the first six months when zoning allows.

Outside the TerritoryOutside internet, telemarketing, and direct solicitation are restricted. Service requires consent, TAFS rules, or the Preferred Lead Program.

Key AccountsThe Franchisor may market inside the Territory and assign another provider if the local unit refuses, is unavailable or unqualified, requests help, or the Customer requests it.

Performance conditionFrom the second full calendar year, each Business must meet the Gross Sales MPS and Customer Satisfaction MPS. A failed improvement plan can reduce the Territory or end the agreement.

Territory limit

Territory protection applies to Aire Serv marketing rights, not all HVAC demand. Separate local advertising, website, Key Accounts, Preferred Lead Program, referrals, and Call Center Program leads. The official location directory shows public coverage but not the contract map.

Source: 2026 Aire Serv FDD, Item 12, pp. 59–62; Franchise Agreement §§1.D–E and 5.N.

System footprint

What does Item 20 show about the operating network?

Item 20 reports an entirely franchised U.S. network at each year-end shown. Operating outlets ended 2023 at 197, 2024 at 208, and 2025 at 229, while company-owned outlets remained zero. The sequence shows the size of the reporting and support population, not unit economics or future performance.

U.S. Aire Serv outlets at year-end

Operating outlets reported in Item 20, calendar years 2023–2025

Interpretation: the reported network added 11 net outlets in 2024 and 21 in 2025 after a 10-outlet net decline in 2023; all ending outlets remained franchisee-operated.

Source: 2026 Aire Serv FDD, Item 20, Table 1, p. 74, reporting years 2023–2025 and outlet status through December 31, 2025.

Buyer verification

Which operating questions remain location-specific?

The FDD does not disclose standard headcount, shifts, service mix, vehicle count, inventory, response time, or channel mix. Those variables depend on Territory demand, licensing, vendor availability, staffing, and operating scale.

Confirm the Territory map. Compare population, boundaries, Key Account overlap, neighboring franchisees, TAFS areas, and Preferred Lead Program rules.

Confirm the license matrix. Identify which residential, commercial, refrigeration, geothermal, water-heating, and indoor-air-quality work each technician may perform.

Obtain approved-supplier lists. Separate single-source items, approved alternatives, ProTradeNet programs, local parts, and manufacturer requirements.

Map the technology configuration. Verify ServiceTitan users, Call Center Program coverage, telephone control, QuickBooks integration, data access, security, and upgrades.

Build a demand-based staffing plan. Validate Principal Owner or manager supervision, Client Service Representative coverage, licensed technicians, background checks, after-hours response, and subcontractors.

Review service records. Test proposals, warranties, 24-hour complaint response, three-day escalation, maintenance-plan obligations, and Customer review follow-up.

Operating-model synthesis

Aire Serv converts residential and commercial HVAC demand into installation, maintenance, repair, replacement, and related-product transactions; maintenance plans and Key Accounts add service cycles. The franchisee must staff, dispatch, and quality-control licensed field work. The strongest dependency is the Franchisor-controlled Software System, data, approved offering, suppliers, and Manuals. Limited Territory protection has centralized-channel exceptions. The largest undisclosed question is the local labor-and-demand plan for the awarded Territory.