Heat pumps in Altadena

About heat pumps in Altadena

Short answer

Heat pumps in Altadena start at $9,400 installed before rebates. SCE-area incentives are reserved right now; we watch for new rounds. Permits come from LA County Public Works, Building and Safety (unincorporated area).

What we see in Altadena homes

In Altadena, heat pumps come up in two very different situations. For homes being rebuilt after the Eaton fire, the system is designed from the new plans. That means a room-by-room load calculation, duct routes planned before the framing closes and equipment locations agreed with the builder. A heat pump fits naturally into an all-electric rebuild, often next to a heat pump water heater on the same panel plan. New homes built to the current energy code are tighter, so they usually need smaller equipment than the house that stood there before. Mechanical ventilation in a tight new house also gets a filter, which helps on smoke days.

For homes that survived, a heat pump is often part of the cleanup. If smoke or ash contaminated the furnace and ducts, replacing the furnace with a heat pump and sealing or replacing the ducts deals with both at once. Insurance claims sometimes cover smoke-damaged equipment, and we can document its condition with photos for your adjuster. Winter nights here can be cool, so we choose models that hold their capacity at lower temperatures. Outdoor units go away from the property line and from corners where ash collects. We coordinate inspections with LA County as the work proceeds.

Which Altadena homes this fits

• Fire rebuilds: a heat pump designed into the plans, with ducts routed before framing closes.
• Surviving homes with smoke-damaged furnaces and ducts: a heat pump with new or cleaned ducts.
• Older houses with floor furnaces or wall heaters: ductless heat pumps room by room.
• Larger lots: the outdoor unit placed away from corners where ash and leaves collect.
• Homes adding a heat pump water heater: one panel plan for both.

Incentives and paperwork

Altadena is on SCE, and the statewide heat pump funds are reserved for now. We watch for new rounds, including South Coast AQMD's GO ZERO pilot, and tell you when one opens. Insurance claims for smoke-damaged equipment may cover part of a replacement. We document the old system's condition with photos for your adjuster. Rebuild permits go through the county's recovery permitting center.

Before the crew arrives

For rebuilds, we coordinate with your builder on the schedule. For surviving homes, we need access to the attic, crawl space or closet. Plan for one to two days, depending on duct work.

Rebuilt Altadena homes are often designed all-electric, so the heat pump is part of the plan from the start. We size it from the new floor plan and coordinate with the builder on duct routes and the electrical panel. Unincorporated addresses are permitted through LA County, and we plan the install around its inspection schedule.

For homes that survived the fire, smoke damage often shows up in ducts and air handlers. Replacing an older furnace and AC with a heat pump can be combined with duct cleaning or replacement and better filtration. We check what can be saved before recommending new equipment.

The NOAA weather station 3 miles from Altadena, Pasadena, averaged 42 days a year at 95°F or hotter and 12 days at 100°F or hotter in 2016-2025. Its hottest reading was 115°F on September 6, 2020.

Altadena is served by SCE, and statewide heat pump funds are fully reserved right now. A heat pump can still make sense on its own here, and we watch for the GO ZERO pilot and new rounds and tell you when one opens.

Heat pumps are efficient in this climate. The nearest station, Pasadena, averaged winter lows of 47.2°F and about 8 nights a year at 40°F or colder, well within the range where a modern heat pump heats at full efficiency.

In Altadena (ZIP code 91001), 78% of homes were built before 1960 and 90% before 1980; 75% of households heat with natural gas, and 91% of homes are detached single-family houses.

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.