Heat pump design-build

Heat Pump Installation and All-Electric HVAC Conversions

3rdGen designs and installs heat pump systems for Bay Area homes — furnace-to-heat-pump conversions, gas-to-electric upgrades, ducted and ductless layouts, and full-system replacements where proper sizing, distribution, and long-term performance matter.

Approach

Designed for comfort, electrification, and performance

Heat pump projects fail when equipment is oversized, ducts are ignored, or electrical service is an afterthought. We plan Manual J-informed sizing, equipment placement, ductwork, zoning, and panel capacity before ordering equipment — so your all-electric system performs in Bay Area summers and coastal shoulder seasons.

What's included

Design-build scope

  • Furnace-to-heat-pump and gas-to-electric HVAC conversions
  • Ducted, ductless, and mixed distribution design
  • Manual J load calculations and Manual S equipment selection
  • Equipment placement and ductwork considerations
  • Zoning and electrical coordination with your electrician
  • Rebate and financing documentation support where applicable
  • Permit, Title 24, and inspection coordination

Manual J · S · D

Designed Before It's Installed: Manual J, S & D

Manual J/S/D helps ensure equipment sizing, system selection, duct design, and comfort decisions are based on the actual home rather than guesswork. Manual J determines load. Manual S matches equipment. Manual D supports duct and airflow design — for heat pumps, remodels, new construction, and full-system replacements.

Manual J: Heating & cooling loads

Manual J determines the heating and cooling load for each room and for the home as a whole.

  • Floor area
  • Room-by-room dimensions
  • Ceiling height
  • Orientation
  • Window area
  • Window U-factor / SHGC
  • Insulation levels
  • Infiltration / air leakage assumptions
  • Internal gains
  • Occupancy assumptions
  • Local design temperatures
  • Duct location and losses
  • Envelope conditions
  • Zoning strategy

Manual J helps determine what the home actually needs, instead of guessing based on square footage or existing equipment size.

Manual S: Equipment selection

Manual S matches HVAC equipment capacity to Manual J results — not nameplate tonnage alone.

  • Equipment capacity is not just nameplate tonnage
  • Heat pump capacity changes with outdoor temperature
  • Equipment must be matched against calculated heating and cooling loads
  • Oversizing can cause short cycling
  • Undersizing can fail to meet design load
  • Proper matching affects comfort, noise, efficiency, and lifespan

Manual S helps select equipment that can actually perform correctly in the home’s conditions.

Manual D: Duct & airflow design

Manual D supports duct sizing, layout, and airflow so conditioned air reaches each room.

  • Duct sizing
  • Static pressure
  • Supply airflow
  • Return airflow
  • Room-by-room CFM needs
  • Duct transitions
  • Register placement
  • Flex duct limitations
  • Return path issues
  • Air balancing
  • Noise and velocity considerations

Even the right equipment can perform poorly if the ductwork and airflow path are wrong.

Process

How a project moves

  1. 01

    Tell us about your home

    Share location, timeline, plans if you have them, and what is not working today — or what your builder has scoped.

  2. 02

    Size & design the system

    We use Manual J, S, and D where the project needs it to match equipment, ducts, and zoning to the actual house.

  3. 03

    Coordinate & install

    Principal-led field work with your GC or architect around access, finishes, sequencing, and clean rough-in.

  4. 04

    Startup & handoff

    System startup, basic orientation, and documentation so you know how the new system is meant to run.

Common Questions

Common questions

Heat Pumps

Can a heat pump replace my furnace?

Yes — whole-home gas-to-electric conversions are a core part of our work. We size heat pumps for calculated heating and cooling loads, plan electrical capacity, and coordinate distribution — not a same-size swap based on your old furnace label.

Do heat pumps work in Bay Area weather?

Modern cold-climate heat pumps perform well in Bay Area winters and summers when sized with Manual J and installed with proper distribution. Coastal microclimates and inland heat spikes are why we engineer each home — not assume one product fits all.

What brands do you install?

We are Mitsubishi Electric specialists and design around the best technology for your home — ducted, ductless, or mixed layouts sized with Manual J/S/D, not rule-of-thumb equipment swaps.

Cost, Rebates & Financing

Are rebates available for heat pump projects?

Many Bay Area projects qualify for federal tax credits, TECH Clean California, HEEHRA (income-qualified), and utility programs we support — including SJCE EcoHome Network, SVCE FutureFit, and Peninsula Clean Energy approved-contractor rebates — when equipment, sizing, and documentation meet current requirements. We design installs for program eligibility and provide documentation — we do not issue rebates or guarantee specific dollar amounts.

Is financing available?

We are not a lender. We provide scope clarity, invoices, and installation documentation that support financing applications. Homeowners often use Synchrony or their own bank or credit union — we help you understand what paperwork your lender typically needs.

Process

Do you help with permits?

Yes. Permit, Title 24, and inspection coordination are part of our design-build scope — not a surprise add-on at the end. We retain load calc and equipment documentation your jurisdiction and rebate programs commonly require.

Do you offer HVAC repair, maintenance, or emergency service?

No. We focus on project-based residential HVAC — heat pump installations, full-system replacements, remodels, retrofits, new construction, and ADUs. We do not provide emergency repair, routine maintenance, tune-ups, filter changes, or small service calls.

Ready to begin your project?

Tell us about your home — we’ll follow up with next steps and a design consultation.