A heat pump is an air conditioner that can run in reverse. The same outdoor unit that cools the house in August heats it in January, so it replaces the furnace and the AC with one system.
Sizing and ducts decide the result. In an older house the installation is more design than labor: where the air handler can go, how the lines run, where the condensate drains and whether the existing ducts are worth keeping.
Our winters are mild and the cooling side is where the equipment earns its keep, which is why the switch from a gas furnace is more practical here than it sounds. The questions that matter are the ducts and the electrical capacity for the air handler.
Why people call us for heat pump installation
- Replacing a gas furnace and AC together
- Electrification upgrade
- Efficiency upgrade
- ADU or addition
- Lowering gas use
$69 diagnostic, credited toward the work
- Load calculation and equipment options
- Written equipment options
- Panel capacity check
- Start-up and safety test
- Commissioning and controls setup
How a heat pump installation goes
It starts at the house. Rooms, insulation, windows and the existing ducts get measured, and the attic usually decides between a ducted heat pump and ductless heads.
You get a written quote before anything is ordered.
Most replacements are done in one day. The charge is set by measurement and the system is run in heating and cooling before we leave. If a $69 diagnostic led here, it is credited toward the installation. Our labor carries a one-year warranty on top of the manufacturer's.
We repair, maintain and install these brands. Logos identify the equipment we work on and do not imply endorsement by the manufacturer.
Before you call
What comes out, what goes in
Out: the gas furnace and usually the old AC condenser, since the heat pump replaces both. In: a heat pump outdoor unit where the condenser sat and an air handler with the blower and indoor coil where the furnace sat. No burner, no flue, no gas valve. Read more
Sizing and ducts decide the result
A heat pump is sized for the cooling load and checked against the heating load. It moves more air than a furnace did, so undersized or leaky ducts that were tolerable before become the limit. The ducts get looked at with every quote. Read more
Yes, it works in winter
There is heat in outdoor air well below freezing; the refrigerant just has to be colder than the air to absorb it. The stories about heat pumps failing in winter come from older equipment and from much colder places than this. Read more
Ducted or ductless starts with the attic
Sound existing ducts can be reused by a ducted heat pump. Leaky, undersized or missing ducts point at ductless heads, which avoid that work entirely and give each room its own control. Read more
Part of the same decision
Ductless mini split systems
Ductless heat pumps, for houses where the ducts are missing or not worth saving.
Duct repair, sealing and replacement
A heat pump moves more air than a furnace, so the ducts matter more.
Replacing an air conditioner that has run its course
If you only need cooling replaced, this is the simpler job.
Common questions
In cooling mode they are the same machine: same compressor, same coils, same cold air. The difference is a reversing valve. In winter a heat pump runs the cycle backwards and pulls heat from the outdoor air into the house, so it replaces the furnace too. Read more
Yes. A heat pump moves heat instead of making it, and there is heat in outdoor air even well below freezing. The stories about heat pumps failing in winter come from older equipment and from much colder places. Read more
The furnace comes out and an air handler goes in its place, with no burner, flue or gas valve. The outdoor unit replaces the AC condenser. Most air handlers also hold an electric heat strip as backup for the coldest nights. Read more
Start with the attic. If the existing ductwork is sound, a ducted heat pump can reuse it. If the ducts are leaky, undersized or missing, ductless heads avoid that work. Read more
Local utilities have had heat pump incentives. Programs change, so check the current one with your utility before you buy. We do not quote rebate amounts.
Yes, on new systems, through Wisetack: monthly plans on approved credit. Checking your options does not affect your credit score. Read more
Most air handlers hold an electric heat strip that comes on for the coldest nights or during defrost. It is a backup, not the main heater, and a thermostat set up correctly keeps it from running more than it needs to.
Schedule service
Fill in the form or call. We are on the phones 6am–10pm.
818-277-5056Licensed #1119892 · Veteran-owned · Pasadena & Reseda