Heat pump installation in San Mateo County
Thinking about a heat pump? Start here.
A heat pump heats and cools your home from one electric system. We install ducted, ductless and inverter heat pumps, and the page below covers the rebates, the rules that come with them and the cities that require one when the AC is replaced.
What kinds of heat pump can I get?
A heat pump moves heat instead of making it: in winter it draws heat from outdoor air into the house, and in summer it reverses and works like an AC. These terms come up:
Ducted: an outdoor unit with an indoor air handler that sends air through your existing ducts. Ductless: an outdoor unit that feeds wall-mounted or ceiling indoor units, with no ducts needed; one outdoor unit can feed several rooms. Inverter: a compressor that changes speed and not just on and off, which keeps temperatures steady and is what most modern heat pumps use.
Ducts matter even when the equipment is new. Replacing heat pump equipment on a ducted system means the existing ducts are tested for leaks, so an old, leaky duct system gets sealed on the same job.
Does a heat pump work as my only heat on the Peninsula?
For most homes here, yes. Winters on the Peninsula are mild, and a modern inverter heat pump is built to heat well through them. Whether it is right for your house depends on the home's insulation, its ducts and how the heat gets used.
The state energy code also shapes the answer. A replacement heating system can't use electric resistance as its main heat source, except in the narrow cases the Energy Code lists, so a heat pump is the way to go electric. If you want gas as a backup, that is a different system.
Are there still rebates for heat pumps?
Yes, though not from the state. California's own heat pump programs have run out of money for now, so the rebates worth checking are from your electricity provider, and each has an application step that must come first.
For San Mateo County homes that is Peninsula Clean Energy, which pays $1,500 per heat pump condensing unit that replaces a gas heater or furnace. Palo Alto, Los Altos and San Jose have their own programs. Below are the terms we've checked, with the date.
Source: Peninsula Clean Energy, Home Upgrade Rebates Terms and Conditions (updated May 18, 2026), checked 2026-10-17
Want to check your rebate first?
Call before you sign anything and we'll go through the steps, or book a visit online.
Which cities require a heat pump when the AC is replaced?
Some do. In Menlo Park, replacing an existing AC condenser means a heat pump goes in instead, under the city's local building code. Other Peninsula and South Bay cities have similar rules, which our AC installation page lists with each city's own wording.
If your AC is failing and you live in one of these cities, the question isn't whether to switch, it's which heat pump.
Tell us what it's doing. We'll take it from there.
Call and describe the problem: the noise, the smell, the room that never warms up. Or book a visit online.
