RESIDENTIAL HVAC · PIEDMONT, CA
We design and install heat pump systems for Piedmont houses, with Manual J load calculations, quiet outdoor-unit placement and concealed routing for older, finished homes. If your lot is tight and your neighbors are close, we plan for that first.
Remodels · Retrofits · Heat Pumps · Multi-Zone Systems
Project Inquiry
Thanks — your project details are on their way to 3rdGen. We’ll review them and follow up about the next step.
Piedmont scopes
Piedmont jobs tend to be larger, multi-floor and design-sensitive. These are the scopes we handle most often for houses like these.
Full system
A new heat pump system for houses that are heated by older gas furnaces, with load calc, sound check and permit package prepared together.
Replacement & conversionZoned
Separate zones for each floor so the top level stops running hot while the lower level stays cool.
Heat pump installationLow sound
Model selection, location and sound data worked out against the 50 dB property-line limit before equipment is ordered.
Manual J load calculationsArchitect-led
Duct and line-set paths drawn into your architect’s plans so registers, returns and equipment are placed on purpose.
HVAC for remodelsSmall unit
Compact heat pumps for cottages, garage suites and in-law units, sized to the unit rather than the main house.
ADU heating & coolingIAQ
ERV and HRV ventilation plus higher-grade filtration for tight, well-insulated houses and hillside smoke days.
Ventilation & IAQRecent Piedmont project
Full-System Residential Retrofit
The upper level of this Piedmont home had duct boots and attic pipe insulation that tested positive for asbestos. We managed the abatement first, then fabricated 12 new sheet-metal boots and a new insulated duct system that ties into the existing wall chases. A Mitsubishi 3-ton ducted heat pump now heats and cools the floor.
The upper level has a clean, sealed duct system with no asbestos and a variable-speed heat pump for heating and cooling.
Completed 2026 in Piedmont. Photos and full details on the project page.
View projectLocal projects
Real jobs our own crew designed and installed. Street names only — we keep clients' addresses private.
Mitsubishi ductless heat pump system replacing gas heat, installed and finaled with the City of Piedmont. Homeowner left a 5-star review.
Mitsubishi Diamond Contractor →Removed the old gas furnace, crawlspace asbestos abatement, new 240V circuit and a 58-gallon LG heat pump water heater (3.93 UEF) under a Piedmont permit.
Heat pump installation →Full mechanical scope for a whole-house renovation: heat pump heating and cooling, new supply and return ducting, and dedicated ventilation ducting coordinated with the GC.
Full system replacement →Mitsubishi 60k multi-zone with branch box feeding a 12k slim ducted unit, an 18k vertical air handler and 9k one-way ceiling cassettes, with fabricated return plenums.
Mitsubishi Diamond Contractor →Piedmont specifics
Houses here sit close together, and many are on slopes. The place where a condenser fits is often within a few feet of a neighbor’s window. Placement, sound data and visibility from the street all have to line up before the equipment order goes in.
Inside, tall rooms, stairwells and large windows make load calculations different from a typical tract house. We work room by room and floor by floor to pick equipment and zoning that match.
Piedmont requires outdoor heat-pump sound calculations demonstrating no more than 50 dB at the nearest property line. Its planning exemption for qualifying units also addresses street visibility, setbacks, unit count, and concealment or finish treatment of exterior lines.
We choose equipment and a location that meet the City’s limit on paper before we commit to either one.
Units that qualify for the planning exemption cannot be visible from the street, so we look at side-yard, rear and screened locations first.
Stairwells and tall rooms move heat upward. Separate zones by floor fix what one thermostat cannot.
Plaster ceilings and original trim limit duct paths, so we favor attic and basement runs, small-duct systems and concealed fan coils.
Piedmont requires a mechanical permit for heat-pump work. Outdoor units require a site plan, equipment specifications, Title 24 documentation, and a property-line sound calculation; whole-system replacements involving AC and ducting can also require Manual J load calculations.
HVAC design in Piedmont
Piedmont is a small, hilly city of mostly single-family houses on compact lots, many of them large, older and architecturally detailed. Neighbors are close. That makes outdoor-unit noise, street visibility and refrigerant-line routing as important as tonnage. We plan placement and sound alongside the load calculation, not after it.
ACCA lists Piedmont at 36°F for winter design and 86°F for summer design, with a large daily swing of about 23°F. That is cooler nights and warmer afternoons than the bayside flats. It argues for variable-speed equipment that can run low most of the day and still handle an August afternoon.
ACCA Manual J design data · Piedmont (micro-climate)
Many Piedmont homes are large for the Bay Area: three levels, tall ceilings, stairwells that carry heat upward, and big window walls facing views. A single thermostat and one air handler often leave the top floor hot and the basement cold.
The architecture is worth protecting. Stucco, shingle and brick exteriors, wood-framed windows and finished plaster interiors mean there are few places to hide a line set or a wall cassette without thought.
Lots are tight and sloped. The flat spot that suits a condenser may be fifteen feet from a bedroom window next door.
Piedmont requires outdoor heat pump sound calculations that show 50 dB or less at the nearest property line. We choose the model, pick the location and check the calculation before ordering anything, and we look at quiet-mode settings and barrier options where it is close.
Large view windows, vaulted living rooms and stairwells drive Piedmont loads in ways a square-foot rule misses. We model glazing area and orientation room by room and give each floor its own number.
Where the loads differ strongly between floors, we select equipment by zone rather than one large unit. Multi-zone outdoor units or two matched systems often beat one big one for comfort and for noise.
Existing plaster ceilings and trim limit new duct paths. We look first at attic and basement runs and at small-duct or concealed fan-coil options that keep registers discreet.
Replace an aging furnace and cooling system with a heat pump designed from a Manual J, with sound and placement already checked for the permit.
Replacement & conversion →Separate zones for upstairs, main floor and lower level so no one floor drives the thermostat.
Heat pump installation →A Manual J report for whole-system replacements, additions and plan sets.
Manual J load calculations →Concealed duct and line-set routing planned with the architect before finishes are chosen.
HVAC for remodels →Small, quiet systems for detached units and garage-level suites.
ADU heating & cooling →ERV, HRV and upgraded filtration for tighter houses and hillside homes.
Ventilation & IAQ →Mitsubishi systems installed by a factory-recognized contractor, with extended coverage on qualifying installs.
Diamond Contractor →Heat pump work in Piedmont requires a mechanical permit. For outdoor units, the City expects a site plan, equipment specifications, Title 24 documentation and the property-line sound calculation. Whole-system replacements that include AC and ducting can also require a Manual J. We assemble that package.
The City has a planning exemption for qualifying units that addresses street visibility, setbacks, number of units and how exterior lines are concealed. A unit outside those conditions may need more planning review, so we confirm that before we design.
Piedmont gets generation service from Ava Community Energy, with PG&E delivering the power. Incentives from TECH Clean California, BayREN or utility programs come and go. We check what is open at the time of your project.
Throughout Piedmont, including the hillside streets and the flatter blocks near the Oakland border, plus Montclair, Rockridge and Piedmont Avenue in Oakland.
Homeowner reviews
207 Google reviews
Expand
Mitsubishi mini-split installed with outstanding care. Indoor and outdoor units done right. High efficiency meant a meaningful federal tax credit too.
Expand
Devin and his crew did a fantastic job installing AC for our whole house. High quality Mitsubishi equipment and a clean installation throughout.
Expand
Devin is meticulous, methodical, and knowledgeable. Professional crew and a heat pump install we trust completely.
Photos from the installs above
Read all 207 reviewsPiedmont project steps
The load calc, the sound calc and the permit package all come out of the same design work, so they agree with each other.
We look at the existing system, the floors and stairwells, the lot, the nearest property lines and where the street can see.
Heating and cooling loads for every room and each level, using Piedmont design conditions.
Equipment sized to the load, then checked against the 50 dB property-line requirement at the chosen location.
Duct or line-set routes drawn to avoid finished surfaces, with a site plan, specs and Title 24 documents for the City.
Equipment set, lines covered and finished, ducts sealed, electrical connected under permit.
Airflow, charge and zone controls verified, then final inspection and a walk-through.
Finish quality
Line sets are routed and covered, penetrations are sealed and patched, and the outdoor unit is placed where the sound calculation and the site plan say it should be.
You get the load report, the sound calculation and the commissioning record when we finish.
Tell us about the projectOutdoor location and model confirmed against the property-line limit.
Line sets and ducts routed behind finishes or in covered runs.
Mechanical permit documents prepared and inspections scheduled.
Airflow, charge and zone controls tested before handoff.
Cost
In Piedmont, price follows house size, number of zones, how hard the equipment is to place quietly, and how much routing is needed through finished spaces. A large three-level house with a hard-to-hide condenser is a different job from a one-story home with an easy side yard.
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.
Piedmont estimates
Tell us about the house, the floors that are hard to heat or cool, where you think a condenser could go and whether an architect is involved. Photos and plans help.
Project Inquiry
Thanks — your project details are on their way to 3rdGen. We’ll review them and follow up about the next step.
Design team
On a Piedmont remodel, equipment locations, soffits and register placement are usually decided with the architect. We join that conversation early and deliver drawings the rest of the team can use.
We work with project teams in Piedmont and nearby East Bay cities, or directly with homeowners.
Mechanical systems coordinated around architecture, ceiling conditions, equipment locations, routing, and finish requirements.
Explore HVAC for architectsClear scope, scheduling, rough-in coordination, submittals, inspections, startup, and project handoff.
Explore HVAC for builders & GCsField execution, equipment selection, controls coordination, submittals, installation, and commissioning aligned with the mechanical design.
Explore engineering coordinationAlready assembling your own project team? We can take ownership of the mechanical scope and coordinate directly with the other professionals involved.
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
Answers to the questions Piedmont homeowners ask about noise, permits, zoning and placement.
The City requires the outdoor unit to calculate to 50 dB or less at the nearest property line. We check the manufacturer’s sound data against the distance to your neighbor and adjust the model or location if needed.
A new unit that relies on Piedmont’s planning exemption must not be visible from the street and must meet the other conditions. If we cannot meet them, additional planning review may be required. We check this during design.
It can, if the system is zoned. We calculate loads for each floor and usually recommend separate zones or separate air handlers instead of one thermostat for the whole house.
Piedmont asks for Manual J in certain whole-system replacements, especially when AC and ducting are involved. We do the calculation for every full-system job anyway because it drives the equipment choice.
Often. We look at attic and basement paths, small-duct systems and concealed fan coils first, and cover exterior lines with finishes that match the house.
Ava Community Energy provides generation by default and PG&E delivers it. TECH Clean California, BayREN and utility programs change often, so we confirm what is open when we quote. We do not guarantee any amount.
It depends on the existing service and what else you plan to add, such as EV charging or an induction range. We calculate panel capacity before ordering a heat pump.
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.
