Which call comes first
PG&E, SoCalGas and SDG&E all tell you to leave first and call from somewhere safe. PG&E and SDG&E name 911, and SoCalGas wants its own line, adding 911 when a leak may endanger life or property or you can't reach it. A carbon monoxide alarm is a 911 call. Ring a repair company only when there's no smell and no alarm.
What emergency HVAC labor costs in California
We estimate $140 to $335 per hour of labor, before any call-out fee for this job in California. That's a model, not a quote: one national published cost range, widened by 15 percent each side and adjusted by California's wage ratio to the US (1.16).
Emergency work is billed by the hour, estimated at $140 to $335 per hour of labor, before any call-out fee. The figure comes from a single national source widened 15 percent each side and adjusted by California's technician wage ratio of 1.16, so treat it as an estimate, not a quote. Ask for the call-out fee and the hourly rate before anyone is sent out.
| Item | Figure | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| Estimated range, not a quote | $140 to $335 per hour of labor, before any call-out fee | Built from one national published range, adjusted by the California HVAC technician wage ratio (1.16). California company prices are shown separately. Basis: no state company sample (no counted California company price for this job), national estimate only. |
| Technician wage, California mean | $36.24 an hour | A mechanic's pay per BLS for May 2025, which says nothing about the call-out charge. |
How we estimate costs: the Estimated range row is a model, not a quote. We have no counted California company price for this job, so the range is our national estimate alone. Our national estimate takes one published national range for this job (a cost guide from a third-party site that we have not verified and do not cite) and multiplies it by California's HVAC technician wage ratio to the US (1.16, BLS OEWS May 2025, heating, air conditioning and refrigeration mechanics and installers). The wage and permit rows below are what HVAC technicians are paid and what a city charges, and neither is a price. We have not collected quotes. Full method. Prices as of Oct 23, 2026.
Gas emergency numbers by utility
PG&E's gas line is 1-800-743-5000, SoCalGas's is 1-800-427-2200 and SDG&E's is 1-800-611-7343. Long Beach runs its own city gas utility, with an emergency number of (562) 570-2140. In Palo Alto, a gas smell goes to the city's dispatch center at (650) 329-2579.
PG&E's service area includes San Jose, San Francisco, Sacramento, Fresno and Oakland, and SoCalGas describes its territory as running from Visalia to the Mexican border. Your gas bill names yours.
A carbon monoxide alarm is going off
Carbon monoxide can build up when gas appliances aren't working properly or their exhaust isn't vented safely, SoCalGas says. Its advice is to evacuate, keep everyone out until it's safe, and call 911 and get medical help if anyone has sudden flu-like symptoms, headaches, nausea or drowsiness. SDG&E adds one rule for afterward: don't use the affected appliance until a qualified, licensed professional confirms it's safe.
No heat or no cooling, but no smell and no alarm
Run the checks below, then look for a company holding CSLB class C-20, the class for heating and air-conditioning systems, and check its number on CSLB's license page. For what each visit involves, see furnace repair or AC repair.
Signing a repair contract in the middle of an emergency
CSLB lets an emergency repair you ask for on short notice be written as a service and repair contract, as long as labor and materials total under $750. Your right to cancel ends once you sign and work begins. Customers 65 and older are the exception, with five days to cancel service and repair contracts since 2021.
Home improvement contracts over $500 must be in writing, and B&P 7159.5 caps the down payment at $1,000 or 10 percent of the price, whichever is less. CSLB takes complaints for up to four years from the date of the act. Contracting without a license is a misdemeanor under B&P 7028.
Which problems need 911 and which can wait
- You smell gas indoors: get out, then phone 911 and your utility from outside.
- A carbon monoxide alarm is sounding, or someone in the house has sudden flu-like symptoms.
- A gas line or meter has been damaged.
- The heat or cooling is out, but there's no smell and no alarm: check the thermostat and filter, then book the first visit available.
- The system runs noisily but still works.
Check these before anything else, because a yes to any of them changes what you do first.
- Smell gas, or is a carbon monoxide alarm going off? Leave the house and call 911 or the emergency number printed on your gas bill.
- Is the heat out while it's below freezing outside, or is an older person or a baby at home?
- Is the cooling out during a heat advisory?
- Is water leaking around the unit, or is there a breaker that won't stop tripping?
- Is there a burning or electrical smell coming from the vents or the unit?
Said yes to the first question? Leave the house and call 911, then your gas utility from outside. For a yes to any of questions 2 to 5, use the form with Emergency ticked, and switch the unit off if you smell burning.
Checks to run while a company is on its way
- Turn the thermostat to heat or cool as needed, a few degrees past the room temperature, and replace its batteries.
- Check the filter and replace it if it's clogged.
- Write down any error light or code and stop there; if you've smelled gas at all, leave the panels alone.
Permits when the emergency becomes a replacement
Whether a part swap needs a permit is for your city or county building department, since CSLB says code requirements vary. A replacement furnace, air handler, coil or condenser is on CSLB's list of change-outs that need a building permit. Any contractor who skips it violates B&P 7110 and 7090 and faces civil penalties of up to $5,000 per violation.
Before any work starts, get the license number and check it with your state's licensing board; our state pages link the lookup.
Questions people ask
Who do I call first if I smell gas?
Leave the building, then call 911 and your gas utility from outside. PG&E, SoCalGas and SDG&E all say to leave first. PG&E also says never to use a flashlight, match or candle to look for the leak, and never to turn an electric switch on or off. From outside, PG&E is 1-800-743-5000, SoCalGas 1-800-427-2200 and SDG&E 1-800-611-7343.
Can I cancel a contract I signed for an emergency repair?
Not once you've signed and work has begun on a service and repair contract under $750, unless you're 65 or older. CSLB calls this contract the main exception to the three-day right to cancel, and it must say it's a service and repair agreement. Since 2021, customers 65 and older have had five days to cancel one.
How much does emergency HVAC service cost?
Our estimate is $140 to $335 per hour of labor, before any call-out fee; it's a model, so treat it as an estimate, not a quote. It's built from one national source and California's wage ratio, with no counted California company price behind it. Get the call-out fee and the hourly rate before the company comes.
What if the company that showed up has no license?
Don't sign; unlicensed contracting is a misdemeanor in California and you can report it to CSLB. B&P 7028 makes contracting without a license a misdemeanor, with a fine of up to $5,000 on a first conviction. CSLB's Lead Referral form handles active unlicensed jobs, and its line is (800) 321-CSLB (2752).
Does an emergency repair need a permit?
A replacement does; a part swap is a question for your local building department. CSLB lists replacing the air handler, coil, furnace or condenser as permit work. It also says code requirements vary by city and county, so check locally.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025: Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers (SOC 49-9021), California, mean hourly wage Read Oct 23, 2026.
- Gas Safety | PG&E Read Oct 20, 2026.
- Emergency Information | SoCalGas Read Oct 20, 2026.
- Gas safety | San Diego Gas & Electric Read Oct 20, 2026.
- City of Long Beach Contact Phone Numbers Read Oct 20, 2026.
- City of Palo Alto Utilities: Safety (gas, electric, water) Read Oct 20, 2026.
- Carbon Monoxide | SoCalGas Read Oct 20, 2026.
- Carbon monoxide | San Diego Gas & Electric Read Oct 20, 2026.
- PG&E Service Area Read Oct 20, 2026.
- SoCalGas: Company Profile Read Oct 20, 2026.
- CSLB: Licensing Classifications Detail, C-20 Read Oct 20, 2026.
- CSLB: Check a License Read Oct 20, 2026.
- CSLB: Filing a Construction Complaint Read Oct 20, 2026.
- California Legislative Information: BPC 7028 Read Oct 20, 2026.
- CSLB: Learn About Home Improvement Contracts, Step 2 Warnings and Exceptions Read Oct 20, 2026.
- CSLB: What Should I Look for in a Contract and Binding Agreements? Read Oct 20, 2026.
- California Legislative Information: BPC 7159.5 Read Oct 20, 2026.
- CSLB: C-20 Permit Enforcement Letter (PDF, 2010) Read Oct 20, 2026.
- CSLB: Filing a Building Permit Violation Form Read Oct 20, 2026.
- CSLB: Do I need a building permit for my project? Read Oct 20, 2026.
- HVACMatch: how we estimate costs, California (editorial policy) Read Oct 23, 2026.