Heat Pump Services in the East Bay
Proudly Serving Customers Throughout Alameda, Contra Costa & Marin Counties
Hassler Heating and Air Conditioning provides installation, repair, and maintenance services for heat pumps and ductless mini split heat pumps in Marin, Contra Costa, and Alameda counties. As one of the most efficient options to both heat and cool a home, heat pumps offer year-round comfort, energy savings, and more.
With their all-electric operation, heat pumps also play a crucial role in home electrification, which will soon be required for all of California. We pay close attention to the electrification and efficiency regulations for homes in the East Bay and can guide you through the process of meeting or exceeding them with heat pump installation. Our team specializes in gas-to-electric heat pump conversions, ensuring each unit we install is properly designed and sized to meet your home’s specific needs.
Schedule an appointment with our East Bay heat pump technicians by calling us at (510) 288-5563 or filling out our online contact form today.
What Is a Heat Pump?
A residential air-source heat pump system offers an energy-efficient alternative to other HVAC systems by moving heat in or out of your home instead of creating it. A heat pump consists of an outdoor unit that circulates refrigerant and an indoor air handler that pumps conditioned air directly into your living space or through your home’s ductwork.
During the summer, a heat pump works similarly to your refrigerator and extracts the heat found inside and pumps it outside to keep your living spaces comfortable. Heat pumps can efficiently bring heat inside after extracting it from the outside air during the heating season.
Because of the mild climate we see here in the East Bay area, heat pumps are a great match for heating and cooling with several whole-home benefits. Heat pumps can result in year-round comfort within the home, and the technology is quickly advancing. Recent studies have concluded that an increased usage of heat pumps can lead to markedly reduced CO2 emissions. Are you ready to do your part?
Benefits of a Heat Pump
While there is still a place for traditional heating and cooling systems, heat pumps are gaining in popularity among California homeowners for a number of reasons.
The benefits of installing heat pumps in your home are difficult to ignore, and include:
- Energy savings: Because they move heat rather than generate heat, heat pumps can provide up to 4 times the amount of energy they consume.
- Quiet operation: Heat pumps are so quiet in operation that many people don’t even notice they’re on.
- Year-round comfort: Since a heat pump can both heat and cool your home, you can use it throughout every season of the year.
- All-electric: Heat pumps can help improve your home’s indoor air quality because they don’t require fossil fuel combustion. They can also help you meet your home electrification goals.
- Eliminates greenhouse gases: Heat pumps are more environmentally friendly as they don't burn fossil fuels, reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
- Increased filtration: Whenever the indoor unit is moving air, it's actively filtering the air, which improves indoor air quality.
- Increased indoor equipment motor life: Fewer motor starts and stops prolong their lifespan.
- Lower electricity costs: Running longer may seem counterintuitive for energy efficiency, but most of the power drawn from a motor or compressor occurs at startup. A unit that runs for longer periods experiences fewer start-ups and draws less power overall.
- Cooling capabilities/reduced humidity: In addition to heating, heat pumps also provide cooling. During the summer, the room is automatically dehumidified during the cooling cycle. During winter, the heat pump prevents condensation from forming on cold surfaces like windows.
Heat pumps are perfect for homeowners aware of their environmental impact and those who simply want to reduce their energy bills each month. At Hassler Heating and Air Conditioning, our team deeply understands heat pump technology, and we’re here to help find the right solution for your home or offer our heat pump repair services.
The Role Heat Pumps Play in Electrification
Electrification, or the all-electric home, is the process of transitioning your home appliances and systems away from using fossil fuels like natural gas, oil, or propane. This is not always done all at once, and many homeowners elect to replace their combustion appliances as they near the end of their life expectancy. Heat pumps heat and cool your home using only electricity. This is done by moving heat instead of using combustion to create it.
Over half of the energy used in American homes goes to heating and cooling, so when it comes to finding the home upgrade that will have the greatest impact on your carbon emissions and energy costs, heat pumps are near the top!
Heat Pumps vs. Air Conditioners
What makes a heat pump different than an air conditioner? They operate similarly by taking heat from inside the home and sending it back outside, which cools your home. Heat pumps, however, often have a slight edge in efficiency.
Heat Pump vs. Furnace
Comparing a heat pump to a propane furnace or boiler is where the efficiency of heat pumps shines. Many heat pumps are rated to find heat in temperatures below zero, making them well-suited for the East Bay climate. Plus, when you upgrade from a furnace to a heat pump, you are gaining cooling power as well, which can even offer a slight increase in property value.
Things to Consider When Operating Your Heat Pump
Longer Run Times
Your new equipment will be correctly sized and will be designed to run for longer periods compared to your old gas furnace. The key difference is in how they work. Traditional furnaces create heat that's then distributed throughout your home. Heat pumps, on the other hand, have an outdoor condenser unit that serves both heating and cooling functions. In cooling mode, the heat pump removes warm air from your home and expels it outside. In heating mode, it reverses the flow of refrigerant, capturing heat from the outside and transferring it indoors. The heat pump also takes advantage of the normally occurring compressor heat, allowing for greater efficiency.
Defrost Cycle
In heating mode, under specific ambient conditions, the outdoor unit can develop frost on the outdoor coil. This is completely normal, and the unit will go into a defrost cycle on colder days. During this cycle, the system moves hot refrigerant to thaw out the outdoor unit, ensuring it maintains its efficiency. With this cycle, you will notice some water underneath and near the unit, which is entirely normal. You may want to consider this when choosing your outdoor unit location.
Heating Considerations
During cold weather, the heat pump may take longer to recover compared to your gas furnace. To adapt, it's important to change your usage habits. Eliminate old practices like letting the interior of the home drop into the low 60s, as it will take longer for the heat pump to restore the temperature. Set your thermostat to 64 degrees and above to avoid extended recovery times.
Cooling Considerations (Also for Standard AC Units)
During warmer weather, it's important to start your system earlier. Between 2-7 PM is the hardest time to cool. Allowing temperatures to rise inside the home before turning the system on during these times (especially in spaces with limited insulation or other inefficiencies or in upper levels of multi-level homes) can significantly extend the time it takes to achieve the desired temperature.
Heat Pumps Are Eligible for Incentives!
Several tax credits and rebate programs are available to homeowners to make heat pump installation in the East Bay area more affordable. Hassler Heating and Air Conditioning is also a participating contractor in many local rebate programs and has helped our customers get over $5 million in rebates and incentives!
East Bay heat pump incentives that can help you maximize your savings include:
- 25C Federal Tax Credits: As part of the Inflation Reduction Act, the 25C Tax Credit was expanded to cover 30% of the total cost for qualified home upgrades. Also referred to as the Energy Efficient Home Improvement Credit, this heat pump tax credit can reduce your federal tax liability by up to $2,000 for eligible heat pump systems.
- BayREN Heat Pump Rebates: As a BayREN Participating Contractor, the Hassler team can help you qualify for up to $500 in heat pump rebates when converting from fuel-powered heating systems.
- TECH Clean California Heat Pump Rebates: As a TECH-Enrolled Contractor, we can also help you qualify for $1,000 per unit in rebates for non-heat pump to heat pump installations. We can also help you qualify for $3,800+ for a heat pump water heater installation.
Your Whole-Home & Heat Pump Experts
When it comes to saving energy, heat pumps are a must in Marin, Contra Costa, and Alameda counties—and our team has the knowledge and experience necessary to install one properly in your home. As a whole-home contractor, we also understand the importance of insulation and air sealing for your heat pump’s performance and recommend starting your HVAC upgrade with an energy assessment. These valuable services can extend the lifespan of your heat pump system and reduce the heating and cooling load of your home.
Whether you’re looking to electrify your home or want a more modern and efficient HVAC system with zoning capabilities, Hassler Heating and Air Conditioning is here for you.
Get started with your heat pump services in the East Bay today. Call (510) 288-5563 or contact us online.
The Hassler Difference
Hassler knows that getting the job done right today will lead to customers being our biggest advocates tomorrow.
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Exceeding Expectations
Our philosophy on customer service is to not only meet expectations but to exceed them. Whether it is your home heating and cooling, improving your indoor air quality, or scheduling a home energy assessment, we are committed to over-delivering throughout your entire journey with Hassler.
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LeadershipFrom our newest team member on up to our leadership and ownership, we are committed to producing the highest level of workmanship - all in an efficient manner. We accomplish this through better training, education, planning, and leadership across all the products and services we provide.
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Accountability
We are committed to holding ourselves and each other accountable to integrity, customer satisfaction, and peak performance. We are unwavering in our commitment to not only talk about the solution, but to be a part of it.
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Lasting RelationshipsDeveloping long lasting relationships is at the core of our organization. When interacting with a customer or team member, we are committed to building mutual trust and respect. Our reputation is the foundation of the company, and at the end of the day, our word is all we have!
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Growth
Through a dedication to training, education and leadership, we will continue to grow to remain the leading HVAC and home performance company in Contra Costa, Alameda, and Marin counties. We are continually honing our craft and challenging ourselves to improve who we are as an organization for what we can become.
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Go GreenWe care deeply about the changing climate here in California, and want to help other Californians reduce their impact on the environment. Hassler places an emphasis on embracing “Green” technologies and processes whenever possible, and reducing energy use.
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"Professional, efficient and responsive."“We highly recommend Hassler Heating and AC. Three years ago, we updated our system with a heat pump. The installers were professional, efficient and responsive.”- Diane M.
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"The company provided great service."“He quickly identified the problem, took time to explain it, answered my questions and got everything in working order under 2 hours that even included a trip back to El Cerrito to get the right part. He was very courteous and respectful.”- Veronica A.
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"He had us up and running very quickly."“He had us up and running very quickly and also was able to make some other recommendations for service and maintenance. He was great, and I will continue to use him and his team for maintenance and repairs.”- Scott L.
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"I am so thankful."“Hassler Heating went above and beyond customer service! My AC unit started smoking and I called to make an appointment and they were able to fit me into their schedule that day!”- Emily V.
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"I also want to commend your work crew."“They were very efficient as well as pleasant in their interaction with me. They did such a good job that my next-door neighbor, after watching them at work, told me that he has decided to hire your firm to install a new heating system for his house.”- Marilyn B.
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"Very knowledgable."“Chris just came out and inspected a furnace and ducting for me at a property that clients of mine are purchasing in El Cerrito. He was very knowledgable and was sure to take the time to answer all of my questions thoroughly.”- Jeffery S.
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"We have full confidence."“We have full confidence that we now have a first class heating system that will serve us well in the years to come. We know in the future we will need to replace our roof mounted air conditioner, and we will confidently call on Hassler to do the job.”- Tom R.
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"Always professional."“They squeezed a whole lot of equipment into a tiny attic without a single complaint. They also helped with all of the energy-saving rebates . The estimator, installers, and service guys have been great.”- Sean M.