Heat pumps in Pasadena

About heat pumps in Pasadena

Short answer

Heat pumps in Pasadena start at $9,400 installed before rebates. PWP pays toward qualifying systems, and we file the paperwork. Permits come from City of Pasadena Permit Center.

What we see in Pasadena homes

Pasadena Water and Power pays a smaller heat pump rebate per ton than LADWP or Burbank, so the case here rests more on the system itself. A heat pump replaces both an aging furnace and a separate AC, which often matters more in Pasadena than the rebate. Many older houses need a new furnace anyway, and pairing it with new cooling would mean two machines. One heat pump does both jobs. It also takes a gas appliance out of a basement or crawl space.

The path depends on the house. Homes with crawl-space or basement ducts can take a ducted heat pump with an air handler in the same spot. Houses with floor furnaces and no ducts are better served by a ductless system with a head in each main room. Large Madison Heights houses may need two systems, one per floor. We check the panel, since some older homes still have small services. PWP requires the application within 180 days of installation, and we file it for you. Rebate amounts change with each program year, so we confirm the current figure before you sign.

Which Pasadena homes convert easily

• Bungalows with a basement furnace: a heat pump air handler takes the furnace's place.
• Houses with crawl-space ducts: a ducted heat pump, with the ducts sealed and insulated.
• Homes with a floor furnace and no ducts: a ductless system with heads in the main rooms.
• Large Madison Heights houses: two systems, one per floor.
• Hastings Ranch ranch homes: a standard attic heat pump replaces the furnace and AC.

The PWP rebate, step by step

PWP's rebate is modest per ton, so we show the heat pump's value with and without it. The application must reach PWP within 180 days of installation, and we file it well before that. Buying the equipment in Pasadena can add a small bonus, which we note in the quote. We include the invoice, model numbers and efficiency certificate. You get a copy of the submission.

Before the crew arrives

Clear a path to the basement, crawl-space hatch or attic. Note any plaster or woodwork you want us to protect. Plan for one day without heat or cooling, longer if ducts are added.

Pasadena Water and Power pays a smaller heat pump rebate than some nearby utilities, so the case for a heat pump here rests more on comfort and efficiency. In older homes with gas wall or floor furnaces, a ductless heat pump adds efficient heating and cooling without opening walls. For homes with ducts, a ducted heat pump replaces the furnace and AC together.

We file within PWP's application window and confirm eligibility first. In historic districts, we place outdoor units where they stay out of view from the street when possible.

The NOAA weather station in Pasadena, 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.

Pasadena is served by PWP. About $150 to $170 per ton for qualifying heat pumps, with a small bonus when equipment is bought in Pasadena. For a typical 3-ton system that is $450 to $570 back on a system that starts $9,400 before rebates.

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 Pasadena (ZIP codes 91101, 91103, 91104, 91105, 91106 and 91107), 51% of homes were built before 1960 and 73% before 1980; 67% of households heat with natural gas, and 45% of homes are detached single-family houses.

Pasadena's landmark districts, Bungalow Heaven among them, have design guidelines for exterior changes seen from the street. We plan condensers at the side or rear and check whether design review applies before the mechanical permit.