Residential HVAC · Novato, CA
Novato gets warm, dry summers and cold nights, and most homes already have ducts. We test what you have, fix what is wrong and install a heat pump sized to a real Manual J instead of the old unit’s tonnage.
Remodels · Retrofits · Heat Pumps · Multi-Zone Systems
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Project fit
Tract homes with attic ducts, two-story houses that never cool evenly and large lots with new buildings. Here is how we match services to them.
Furnace and AC
Replace the furnace and AC condenser with one heat pump system after testing and sealing the existing ducts.
Replacement & conversionAirflow
Static pressure and leakage tests, then repairs or new runs where the old duct work cannot carry a heat pump’s airflow.
Manual J, S and DComfort fix
Separate control or a second system so upstairs bedrooms stop running hotter than the kitchen.
Heat pump installationOutbuildings
Small heat pumps with their own thermostats for backyard units on larger lots.
ADU heating & coolingNew space
Load calculations and equipment plans for added square footage or a new house.
HVAC for new constructionAir quality
Higher-MERV filtration, return sizing and ERV options for North Bay smoke season.
Ventilation & IAQA published project for reference
High-end residential remodel
A Berkeley whole-home heat pump job we completed, shown for how we document scope, coordinate with a GC and handle permits. It is not a Novato address.
The six-zone Fujitsu ductless system was installed, permitted, inspected, and completed as part of the home’s remodel-for-sale scope — delivering zoned heating and cooling without a conventional ducted retrofit.
Representative example from a Berkeley, CA remodel, not a project in this city. Photos and full details on the project page.
View projectLocal projects
Recent installs by the 3rdGen crew that serves Novato: ducted and ductless heat pumps, air handlers and ductwork.
Marin’s inland city
ACCA design conditions for Novato are about 32°F in winter and 84°F in summer, with a 30°F daily swing. Nights are cold, afternoons are warm and dry, and both seasons matter.
Many Novato homes are 1960s to 1990s tract houses with attic ducts, a gas furnace and a separate AC. Those ducts are often leaky and tight on return air. We test them, then decide what to keep.
Sizing is where most replacements go wrong. We calculate the load room by room and match equipment to it, which often means a smaller system than the one coming out.
Ducts in a hot attic lose capacity. We seal, insulate or relocate them as the design requires.
At 32°F design, cold-climate heat pumps keep capacity. We verify output in Manual S.
Upper floors collect heat. Zoning, damper control or a second system can balance them.
Filtration and return sizing keep airflow healthy while using better filters.
Novato has an express permit option for qualifying like-for-like residential HVAC replacements where the equipment stays in the same location. If we move the outdoor unit or change the scope, the job goes through standard review. We tell you which path applies when we scope the work.
HVAC design in Novato
Novato is the northernmost and most inland of Marin’s cities, and it shows in the weather. Summers get warm enough that air conditioning is routine, and winter nights drop low enough to want real heat. Many homes already have ducts, so the question is usually how to reuse them well.
Novato’s design temperatures are about 32°F heating and 84°F cooling, with a 30°F daily range. That is colder at night than most of southern Marin. Modern cold-climate heat pumps handle 32°F easily, but we still check heating output at design temperature and size backup only when the numbers call for it.
ACCA Manual J design data · Novato (ACCA micro-climate)
Much of Novato is suburban tract housing from the 1960s through the 1990s: one- and two-story homes on slabs or raised foundations with central ducts in the attic or crawlspace, and a gas furnace with a separate AC condenser.
Neighborhoods in the hills and near open space have larger lots and more windows, which adds exposure and fire-smoke considerations. Hamilton and other newer developments tend to be tighter and better insulated.
Older duct systems from that era are often leaky and undersized for modern airflow. We test them before deciding whether they can serve a heat pump.
We measure static pressure and leakage on existing ducts. A heat pump moves more air at lower temperatures than a furnace, so undersized returns and crushed flex are the usual reasons an old system underperforms.
Two-story tract homes commonly have an upstairs that runs hot in summer and a downstairs that runs cool. A room-by-room Manual J exposes the difference and shows whether a second zone or damper control is worth adding.
With low humidity on hot days, sensible cooling capacity drives selection. We check performance at 84°F outdoor design and at the 32°F winter point, then pick the smallest unit that clears both.
Ducts in a Novato attic can reach very high temperatures in summer. Where we keep attic runs, we upsize insulation and seal every joint; sometimes moving ducts into conditioned space is the better fix.
Late-summer smoke is a real concern in the North Bay. We plan filter capacity and return sizing so a high-MERV filter does not starve the system.
Replace a gas furnace and AC condenser with a ducted heat pump, with the duct work tested and fixed first.
Replacement & conversion →Separate control or a second system for upper floors that never match the rest of the house.
Heat pump installation →Documented loads, equipment selection and duct design for your project.
Manual J load calculations →Compact heat pumps for detached units on larger Novato lots.
ADU heating & cooling →Filter housings, ERV options and controls for smoky summers.
Ventilation & IAQ →Help finding what is currently open and how the costs compare.
Rebates →The City of Novato Community Development Department handles building permits. Novato has an express path for qualifying like-for-like residential HVAC replacements that keep the equipment in the same place, while other scopes go through standard review. We tell you which path fits when we scope the project.
MCE is Novato’s default generation provider, and PG&E delivers the power. Programs such as TECH Clean California and BayREN, plus MCE and PG&E offers, are available at different times, so we confirm what applies before you decide.
Old Town Novato, Hamilton, Indian Valley, Ignacio, Bahia and the neighborhoods near San Marin, plus Petaluma, San Rafael and Fairfax.
Homeowner reviews
207 Google reviews
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Mitsubishi mini-split installed with outstanding care. Indoor and outdoor units done right. High efficiency meant a meaningful federal tax credit too.
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Devin and his crew did a fantastic job installing AC for our whole house. High quality Mitsubishi equipment and a clean installation throughout.
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Devin is meticulous, methodical, and knowledgeable. Professional crew and a heat pump install we trust completely.
Photos from the installs above
Read all 207 reviewsOur approach
The equipment is the easy part. The duct system, the load and the commissioning decide how the house feels afterward.
We check your current system, attic and duct runs, panel and the rooms that are never comfortable.
Room-by-room loads using actual insulation, windows and orientation, with upstairs and downstairs treated separately.
Equipment picked from the load and checked at 32°F and 84°F, with duct sizes and returns designed for the airflow.
Express permit if the project qualifies, standard City review if it does not.
Old furnace and condenser out, heat pump in, ducts repaired, electrical added.
Static pressure, airflow and charge measured, controls set and the inspection closed.
What changes in the house
The outdoor and indoor equipment are the visible parts. The real quality is in duct sealing, return capacity and commissioning.
We document the final airflow and charge so you know the system is running as designed.
Tell us about the projectLeakage and static pressure measured, then fixed.
Furnace and condenser removed; heat pump and air handler installed.
New circuit and disconnect, with panel capacity checked.
Airflow, charge and thermostat setup confirmed.
Cost
If your ducts are sound and the panel has room, a Novato replacement is straightforward. Leaky or undersized ducts, a second zone, an old panel, difficult access or an addition push the price up. We list each item so you can see what is driving it.
Prices as of November 2026. Complex whole-home and design-build projects can exceed these ranges. Rebates and incentives may reduce your net project cost.
Project inquiry
Send the house age, current heating and cooling, and what you want fixed. If you have a recent energy bill or inspection report, include it.
Project Inquiry
Thanks — your project details are on their way to 3rdGen. We’ll review them and follow up about the next step.
Project teams
Additions and new construction need loads recalculated and equipment located early. We work with the framer and designer so ducts and condensers are not an afterthought.
We work within existing project teams in Novato and across Marin — or directly with homeowners when that is the right path.
Equipment rooms, attic space and duct paths settled in the plans before construction documents are final.
Explore HVAC for architectsRough-in on schedule, clear scope and inspection coordination for additions and new homes.
Explore HVAC for builders & GCsA straightforward system plan for your house, with the numbers behind each choice.
Start a residential projectMitsubishi Electric
As a Mitsubishi Electric Diamond Contractor, we design and install ducted, ductless, and multi-zone systems for Bay Area homes, with factory-trained crews and longer warranty options on qualifying residential installs.
Mitsubishi is not automatically the answer to every home. We start with what the project requires and recommend the system that makes sense.
12 Year Parts &
Compressor Warranty
Extended parts & compressor coverage on qualifying Diamond installations.
Ongoing manufacturer training on the latest hyper-heat systems.
Direct factory escalation if anything ever needs attention.
FAQ
Novato questions on ducts, cold nights, permits and smoke.
Often not as they are. Older attic ducts tend to leak and have small returns. We test static pressure and leakage, then seal and resize them or relocate them into conditioned space if needed.
Yes. Novato’s ACCA heating design temperature is around 32°F, which modern cold-climate heat pumps handle with full capacity. We confirm output at that temperature when selecting equipment.
Usually. A Manual J shows how much more heat the upper floor carries. Zoning dampers, a second system or better returns can balance it. Insulation and window changes can help too.
Yes. Novato has an express path for qualifying like-for-like replacements in the same location. Moving the outdoor unit or changing scope uses standard review.
PG&E delivers power and bills you. MCE is the default generation provider. TECH Clean California, BayREN and utility programs may offer heat pump incentives, but they change, so we check when we quote.
We design for higher-MERV filters with enough return area to keep airflow up. We also talk through ventilation settings for smoky days.
Yes. We size a small system to the unit’s own load, give it separate controls and prepare the permit documents.
Nearby service areas
Project Inquiry
Thanks — your project details are on their way to 3rdGen. We’ll review them and follow up about the next step.
