A heat pump moves heat instead of making it: in summer it carries heat out of your house like an air conditioner, and in winter it runs in reverse and pulls heat in from outdoor air. In San Leandro, with mild winters and warm late-summer afternoons, one heat pump can replace both an old furnace and an old air conditioner, or add cooling to a home that never had it. What makes an installation work well is choosing the right type, sizing it for heating as well as cooling, and confirming the ducts and the electrical panel can support it.
Who a heat pump suits
- You need to replace an old system. If the furnace and air conditioner are both aging, one heat pump replaces the pair.
- You want air conditioning and heat. A home with only a furnace can add a heat pump and get cooling and efficient heating at the same time.
- You want an efficient solution. A heat pump delivers more heat than the electricity it uses, because most of that heat is moved from outside rather than generated.
- Your energy bills are high. Whether a heat pump lowers them depends on the system it replaces and your gas and electric rates, so we walk through it for your house rather than promise a number.
Ducted, dual-fuel or ductless
| Type | How it works | Usually fits |
|---|---|---|
| Ducted heat pump with air handler | Outdoor unit plus an indoor air handler; replaces furnace and AC | Homes with ducts in good condition |
| Dual fuel | Heat pump replaces the AC; the gas furnace stays as backup | Homes with a newer furnace |
| Ductless mini-split | Outdoor unit feeds one or more wall or ceiling heads | Additions, rooms the ducts never reached, homes without ducts |
More on the alternatives: mini-split installation, AC installation for cooling only, and furnace installation to stay with gas heat.
Size it for heating as well as cooling
An air conditioner is sized for the hottest afternoons. A heat pump also has to keep up on the coldest mornings, and a heat pump’s heating output drops as the outdoor temperature falls. The load calculation should cover both seasons and check the equipment’s heating capacity at local winter temperatures, not just its cooling size. Variable-speed heat pumps adjust their output to match the load, which keeps temperatures steadier and avoids constant on-off cycling.
What the installation involves
- Outdoor unit placement. A level pad or wall bracket, clearance for airflow and service, room for defrost water to drain, and a spot away from bedroom windows and the property line where possible.
- Indoor unit. A new air handler, or a matched coil on the existing furnace in a dual-fuel setup.
- Refrigerant lines and drain. Lines are reused only if they are the right size and pass a pressure test. New systems use newer refrigerants, so the indoor and outdoor parts should be a matched pair.
- Electrical. A dedicated circuit and outdoor disconnect, plus a check of panel capacity, especially if the system includes electric backup heat.
- Thermostat. A thermostat set up for a heat pump, with the correct backup-heat settings; a thermostat configured for a furnace will not run a heat pump properly.
- Ducts. Heat pumps deliver air at a lower temperature than a furnace, so leaky or undersized ducts show up more.
- Permit. Installing a heat pump normally needs a permit and an inspection, from the City of San Leandro or, in unincorporated areas such as San Lorenzo and Castro Valley, from Alameda County.
SEER2 and HSPF2
Two ratings matter. SEER2 measures cooling efficiency over a season and HSPF2 measures heating efficiency over a season; in both cases, higher means less electricity for the same comfort. Because a heat pump here may heat for more months than it cools, the heating rating deserves as much attention as the cooling one.
What affects the price
Most heat pump installations fall between $4,000 and $12,000, including equipment and installation. A single-zone ductless system or a straightforward swap where ducts and electrical are ready sits toward the lower end. Larger capacity, variable-speed equipment, a new air handler, multi-zone ductless systems, duct corrections, electrical upgrades and difficult outdoor unit placement move the price up. You see the full price before work begins, financing is available, seniors and military households get 10% off, and we will beat any written quote. For a broader look, see the HVAC installation cost guide.
Living with a heat pump
A heat pump runs longer, steadier cycles than a furnace and delivers warm rather than hot air, so rooms feel even rather than blasted with heat. On cool, damp mornings you may see steam rising from the outdoor unit; that is the normal defrost cycle. Set the thermostat and leave it; large setbacks make the backup heat work harder.
Local notes
San Leandro, San Lorenzo and Castro Valley rarely see hard freezes, so a well-sized heat pump handles most heating on its own. Many post-war homes here have a furnace in a hall closet or garage with ducts in the attic or crawlspace; those ducts should be checked before a heat pump goes in, since lower supply temperatures make leaks and crushed runs more noticeable. Outdoor units often go in narrow side yards, where clearance and noise toward the neighbors need to be planned.