HVAC questions, honest answers

We serve 25 Bay Area cities across Tri-Valley (Danville, San Ramon, Alamo, Blackhawk, Dublin, Pleasanton, Lafayette, Walnut Creek, Livermore, Moraga, Orinda), Diablo Valley (Concord, Martinez), Inner East Bay (Berkeley, Oakland, Richmond, San Leandro, Hayward, Castro Valley, Fremont, Union City, Newark), and parts of South Bay (Milpitas). Our shop is in San Ramon.

Same-day or next-day for most calls. We prioritize cooling failures in summer and heating failures in winter. Call (925) 999-4095 and we'll give you a realistic ETA in 30 seconds based on current schedule. We do not promise blanket same-day service; we tell you what's actually achievable.

$75, credited toward any repair over $200. The diagnostic includes inspection, pressure or combustion readings, written estimate before any repair work begins. No mandatory work; you can take the estimate elsewhere if you choose.

Yes. California Contractor State License Board (CSLB) license #1136642 for Warm Air Heating, Ventilating and Air Conditioning. EPA 608 certification #1279674151528 for refrigerant handling. NATE certified. BBB A+ accredited. Fully insured and bonded. Andrew Kuznetsov passed the CSLB exam personally; no license transfer.

No. Our hours are 7AM to 7PM, 7 days a week, with no overtime charges. After-hours emergency calls are billed at our standard rate.

If the repair is under $3,000 and the system holds the right refrigerant, repair. If you're on R-22 and have a leak, replacement is usually the better long-term call because reclaimed R-22 runs $100 to $200 per pound and the system will leak again. On heat pump replacements we work with BayREN, MCE, PG&E, EBCE/Ava, and manufacturer instant rebates. We run the math at the estimate.

Almost always one of five causes: restricted airflow (dirty filter, closed registers, dirty coil), low refrigerant from a leak, low outdoor temperature with no thermostat lockout, or a failing blower motor. First step: turn cooling off, fan on, let the coil thaw fully (1 to 4 hours). Then call for diagnostic. Running a frozen system damages the compressor.

Usually one of three things: an overheating limit switch (airflow restriction, often a dirty filter), a failing flame sensor (carbon buildup), or a thermostat miscalibration. Easy to diagnose in one visit.

R-22 was the standard AC refrigerant until production was phased out under the Montreal Protocol. It is no longer manufactured in the U.S. If your system runs R-22 and has a leak, the only refill option is reclaimed refrigerant at $100+ per pound on a system that will leak again. Modern systems use R-410A or R-454B.

Whole-home ducted heat pump: $14,000 to $18,000 before rebates for a typical 3 to 4 ton system in a 1,800 to 2,500 square foot home. Single-zone ductless mini-split: $5,500 to $9,000 installed. Three factors drive price the most: tonnage, ductwork condition, and electrical scope.

Standard like-for-like replacement: 1 to 2 days on site. Whole-home heat pump conversion: 2 to 4 days. New construction or major remodel: 3 to 5 days. Permits add 1 to 3 weeks of lead time depending on city and inspector backlog.

About a third of older Bay Area homes (1950s-70s) need electrical work to support heat pump conversion. Sub-panels run $1,800 to $4,500 depending on existing capacity. Full main panel upgrades to 200A run $3,500 to $7,500. We include an electrical capacity check at the estimate and coordinate with a licensed electrician.

Often yes. We test ductwork leakage on every install estimate. If existing ducts pass (under 15 percent leakage, no major damage), we keep them. Heavy damage or 25+ year old ducts may need replacement or sealing. Aeroseal sealing can recover 15 to 25 percent of conditioned air.

Manual J load calculation, equipment selection across major brands, outdoor condenser and indoor air handler, refrigerant line set, removal and disposal of old equipment, permit pull and inspection coordination, electrical work within scope, commissioning and system balancing, 10-year manufacturer parts warranty plus 10-year labor warranty, and rebate paperwork submission.

We work with BayREN, MCE Heat Pump HVAC (for MCE customers), PG&E (thermostat and ENERGY STAR), EBCE/Ava (Alameda County), and manufacturer instant rebates. Eligibility, dollar amounts, and program funding vary by territory and program cycle. We confirm what's currently paying when we write your estimate.

No. Section 25C of the Energy Efficient Home Improvement Credit expired December 31, 2025 under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. Air-source heat pumps installed in 2026 receive no federal tax credit. Geothermal still has a separate credit under Section 25D.

Tech Clean California hit its funding cap and stopped accepting new applications on November 14, 2025. The program may reopen if the legislature reauthorizes it, but as of May 2026 it remains closed. We don't quote Tech Clean as available on 2026 installs.

MCE pays a per-ton rebate on installed heat pump capacity. To qualify, your home must be on MCE service (Marin County, Napa County, parts of Contra Costa including San Ramon, parts of Solano County), and the installing contractor must be MCE-participating. We are. We submit the application with permits during install. Rebate check arrives directly from MCE several weeks after install closes.

1-inch fiberglass filters: 30 to 60 days. 1-inch pleated: 60 to 90 days. 4-inch media filters: 6 to 12 months. Pets, construction dust, wildfire smoke season, and rural homes shorten the interval. Visual test: hold the filter to a bright light. If less than 50 percent lets light through, replace it.

Most heat pump and high-efficiency AC manufacturer warranties require documented annual professional maintenance to remain valid. Without records, a compressor failure in year 7 can be denied — out-of-warranty compressor replacement runs $2,500 to $4,500. Our plan costs less than one denied claim.

$289/year or $29/month. Includes spring AC tune-up (60-90 min with full pressure and electrical readings), fall heating tune-up (combustion analysis, safety checks), 15 percent off all repairs, priority scheduling, and filter replacement at each visit. Transferable if you sell the home.

If your system is under 4 years old and we installed it; the install commissioning gives a strong baseline and manufacturer warranty is in its early years. We tell you that at the estimate. We don't push the plan on customers who don't yet need it.