Heating and air conditioning repair in Knoxville
Our guide to heating and air conditioning repair covers how the job works. Below: the Knoxville numbers a HVAC contractor looks at, with sources.
Homes in Knoxville
Census figures put the median year built for Knoxville homes at 1974. By median year built, homes here are older than in 28 of the 56 other cities we cover. Older homes here often have ducts and venting that were sized for a different system.
Source: Census ACS
Source: Census ACS
About 47% of occupied homes in Knoxville are lived in by their owners. That is 40,240 of 86,263 households. Of the 56 other cities in this network, 23 have a lower share of owner-occupied homes. If you rent, your lease likely puts heating and cooling repairs on the owner.
Source: Census ACS
Source: Census ACS
Electricity is the leading heating fuel in Knoxville, covering about 75% of occupied homes. Other fuels: utility gas 24%, bottled or tank gas under 1%, fuel oil or kerosene under 1%. The fuel decides which contractor skills matter: gas lines and venting, or heat pump and electrical work.
Source: Census ACS
Source: Census ACS
Knoxville climate, by the numbers
By the NOAA 1991-2020 normals, summers in Knoxville add up to about 1,364 cooling degree days. Measured at the Knoxville Exp Stn (TN) station. Of the 56 other cities in this network, 25 have a lower cooling load. More cooling degree days means more run hours, which is where worn capacitors and dirty coils show up first.
Source: NOAA normals
Source: NOAA normals
Homes near Knoxville face about 3,911 heating degree days in a typical year, per NOAA's 1991-2020 normals. Measured at the Knoxville Exp Stn (TN) station. Of the 56 other cities in this network, 28 have a lower heating load. That is the number a contractor's load calculation starts from when sizing heat for a house here.
Source: NOAA normals
Source: NOAA normals
Knoxville logs roughly 87 freezing nights in an average year. The number of freezing days here is higher than in 32 of the 52 other cities we cover.
Source: NOAA normals
Source: NOAA normals
Near Knoxville the high reaches 90 F or more on about 36 days in a normal year. The number of 90 F days here is higher than in 22 of the 54 other cities we cover.
Source: NOAA normals
Source: NOAA normals
Seasons and risk in Knoxville
Knox County, TN carries a relatively low heat wave risk rating in FEMA's National Risk Index. 2 of the 55 other cities we cover sit in counties with the same heat wave rating. Heat waves are when an older air conditioner is most likely to fail, so a pre-season check pays off.
Source: FEMA risk index
Source: FEMA risk index
Knox County, TN carries a relatively high cold wave risk rating in FEMA's National Risk Index. 19 of the 53 other cities we cover sit in counties with the same cold wave rating. Cold snaps are the hardest test for a heat pump; ask about backup heat.
Source: FEMA risk index
Source: FEMA risk index
In Tennessee, HVAC contractors are licensed by the Tennessee Board for Licensing Contractors (Dept of Commerce & Insurance); status can be checked on the agency's official lookup page.
Source: Tennessee Board for Licensing Contractors (Dept of Commerce & Insurance) (Tennessee) · Tennessee Board for Licensing Contractors (Dept of Commerce & Insurance) license information
Source: Tennessee Board for Licensing Contractors (Dept of Commerce & Insurance) (Tennessee) · Tennessee Board for Licensing Contractors (Dept of Commerce & Insurance) license information
Sources, checked October 2026
- U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2024 5-year, profile 16000US4740000
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020, station USC00404946
- FEMA National Risk Index (December 2025), Knox County, TN
- Tennessee Board for Licensing Contractors (Dept of Commerce & Insurance) (Tennessee)
- Tennessee Board for Licensing Contractors (Dept of Commerce & Insurance) license information
Local offices and rules in Knoxville
KUB and TVA's Home Uplift weatherization program gives qualifying income-eligible KUB customers free upgrades that may include new or repaired HVAC units, insulation and water heaters; KUB's page states the weatherization application period is open.
Source: www.kub.org. Checked October 2026.
Source: www.kub.org. Checked October 2026.
KUB customers can claim TVA EnergyRight heat pump rebates, with a higher rebate for 17 SEER2 or higher than for 15 SEER2 or higher; the Quality Contractor Network installer submits the claim.
Source: energyright.com. Checked October 2026.
Source: energyright.com. Checked October 2026.
Knoxville Utilities Board (KUB) is the city's electric distributor, part of a utility that serves nearly 520,000 customers in Knoxville and parts of seven surrounding counties.
Source: www.kub.org. Checked October 2026.
Source: www.kub.org. Checked October 2026.
Natural gas in Knoxville is supplied by KUB as well, which runs gas service alongside its electric, water, wastewater and fiber divisions.
Source: www.kub.org. Checked October 2026.
Source: www.kub.org. Checked October 2026.
If you smell gas, leave the house and call your gas utility from outside. Keep a working carbon monoxide alarm near the bedrooms, and do not open a furnace cabinet that is running.
Common jobs
