A heat pump looks like an air conditioner from the outside, and in summer it does the same job. The difference is that it can run the other way in winter and heat the house.
For San Diego homes that need cooling in late summer and some heat on cool evenings, heat pump installation can replace both an AC and a furnace with one system. This page covers when a heat pump makes sense, the choices to make, and the permits and testing the job needs.
Air Conditioning Repair San Diego is an independent referral service, not an air conditioning or HVAC company. Calls and form requests are passed to an independent local AC and HVAC contractor, who can contact you about your system; that contractor gives any quote and does any work.
Call the number on this page or send the form, and an independent local HVAC contractor can contact you about a heat pump.
Why heat pumps come up in San Diego
NOAA’s 1991 to 2020 normals for San Diego Lindbergh Field put the average high at 77.3 F in August and 66.4 F in January. Winters are mild at the coast, and the cooling season peaks in August and September. Inland neighborhoods and East County often run warmer than the coast in summer. A climate with a real cooling season and a mild heating season is one where people often ask whether one system can do both.
Heat pumps usually come up at one of three moments: when the AC needs replacing, when the furnace does, or when a home that never had cooling is adding it. If both the AC and the furnace are old, replacing them together with one heat pump is worth pricing.
Ducted or ductless
| Type | How it works | Often a fit for |
|---|---|---|
| Ducted heat pump | Outdoor unit plus an indoor air handler, using the home’s ducts like a central AC and furnace | Homes with ducts in good shape |
| Packaged heat pump | All the parts in one outdoor cabinet connected to the ducts | Homes where indoor equipment space is tight |
| Ductless heat pump (mini split) | Outdoor unit feeding indoor heads on walls or ceilings | Homes without ducts, additions, single rooms; see mini split installation |
Questions to ask before you choose
- How did you size it? Ask for a load calculation, for both cooling and heating.
- Can the existing ducts be used, or do they need work?
- Will the electrical panel carry it, or does it need changes?
- What happens to the old furnace and AC?
- Which refrigerant does it use? Under federal rules that began in 2025, newer systems use newer refrigerants.
- Who pulls the permit, and who arranges the ECC testing?
- Are there current rebates or incentives I should ask SDG&E about?
Permits and Energy Code testing
The City of San Diego’s Development Services Department says heating, ventilating, air conditioning and refrigeration systems may not be installed, altered, replaced or repaired unless a mechanical permit has been obtained. Its Simple No-plan Mechanical Permit covers forced-air unit or A/C installations and furnace replacements on properties that are not historically designated; historically designated properties need plans. Once the permit is issued, an inspection can be scheduled.
CHEERS, a California Energy Code registry, says HVAC replacements must be permitted at the local building department and tested and verified by an independent ECC rater, and the Energy Commission says systems must comply with the Energy Code when installed. Outside the City of San Diego, your city’s building department handles the permit.
Who installs it, and how to pay
Because a heat pump installation needs a permit, anyone you hire for it needs a contractor’s license in the right class. CSLB’s license class for this work is C-20, Warm-Air Heating, Ventilating and Air-Conditioning; look up any license number on cslb.ca.gov. Refrigerant work must be done by technicians certified under EPA Section 608. CSLB cautions that a down payment should not exceed 10 percent of the contract price, and later payments should not run ahead of the work done or materials delivered.
Looking after a heat pump
A heat pump works in both seasons, so it benefits from both of ENERGY STAR’s pre-season check-ups: cooling in the spring and heating in the fall. ENERGY STAR’s advice to inspect, clean or change the filter once a month names heat pumps directly. The AC maintenance guide covers what a check-up includes, and the AC replacement guide covers the decision to replace. This site is about home air conditioning. For a car’s AC, an auto repair shop is the place to ask.
Call the number on this page or send the form, and an independent local HVAC contractor can contact you about heat pump installation.
Questions people ask
Can a heat pump replace both my AC and my furnace?
Yes, a heat pump cools and heats with one system. Ask the contractor to size it for both jobs.
Does a heat pump installation need a permit in San Diego?
In the City of San Diego, yes: the city requires a mechanical permit for HVAC installs and replacements, and CHEERS says replacements need independent ECC testing.
Are there rebates for heat pumps?
Ask the contractor and SDG&E about current rebates or incentives. This site lists no amounts because programs change.
How often should a heat pump be serviced?
ENERGY STAR suggests a contractor check-up before each season, cooling in the spring and heating in the fall, and a filter check every month.
Talk to an AC pro
Get AC help
Too hot to wait?
Send the short form and an independent local AC pro can contact you about your system.
