HVAC and AC repair in Altadena

About HVAC service in Altadena

Short answer

Airwork serves Altadena with AC repair and replacement, furnaces, heat pumps, ductless mini-splits and maintenance, by technicians licensed under CSLB #1148919. Altadena is 10.2 miles from our Burbank base. We serve it with same-day two-hour arrival windows rather than drop-everything dispatch.

About Altadena homes

Altadena is rebuilding after the January 2025 Eaton fire, which destroyed thousands of homes. Many rebuilt houses are going all-electric, which means heat pumps sized from scratch, new ductwork and coordination with LA County inspectors. For the homes that survived, smoke damage often shows up in ducts and air handlers, and filtration upgrades are a common first call.

Before January 2025, Altadena was a neighborhood of single-family homes from the 1910s through the 1960s, from Craftsman bungalows to post-war ranch houses on large lots. The Eaton fire destroyed thousands of them, especially on the west side, and the rebuild now shapes almost every HVAC decision here. Homes being rebuilt start from bare lots, with new plans, current energy code requirements and new ductwork. Many owners are choosing all-electric designs with heat pumps for heating, cooling and hot water.

Homes that survived face a different set of problems. Smoke and ash got into attics, crawl spaces, ducts and air handlers, and systems that were running during the fire pulled smoke inside. Soot in ducts can keep releasing odor and fine particles for months. Outdoor units near burned lots collected ash that corrodes coils. Wind-driven ash also packed into return grilles and filter racks.

For rebuilds, we size heat pumps from the new plans and agree on duct routes and equipment locations with the builder. For surviving homes, we start with an inspection of filters, coils, blower and ducts. Then we recommend cleaning, sealing or replacement based on what we find, not a package.

Rebuilt and surviving homes now sit side by side on many blocks, and construction dust is part of daily life. Filters in surviving homes load quickly while neighboring lots are graded and framed. Checking them monthly during nearby construction keeps that dust out of the ducts. Outdoor units next to active sites also need their coils rinsed more often.

SCE rebates and Altadena permits

Statewide and SCE heat pump incentives (TECH Clean California, HEEHRA) are fully reserved right now. South Coast AQMD's GO ZERO pilot is expected to reopen in fall 2026.

Permits for Altadena addresses: LA County Public Works, Building and Safety (unincorporated area). California requires a permit for a new or replacement central system, and most replacements also need a HERS test. We handle both.

LA County Public Works issues permits through its EPIC-LA portal. Permits marked Repair/Replacement need no plan review, so a like-for-like change-out moves quickly, while a new or redesigned system needs plans.

Fire rebuilds in Altadena are permitted through LA County's Altadena One-Stop Recovery Permitting Center, where the county's planning, public works, fire and health staff review rebuild plans in one place.

SCE rebate details