HVAC Installation in Los Angeles, CA
A new system here will heat from November through April and cool from June through September every year. Tell us about the house, and a licensed contractor who covers Los Angeles County will get in touch.
Tell us about the job
It takes about a minute.
Ten months a year, your system is working
Los Angeles County doesn't get brutal winters, but it doesn't let a system rest either. Winter nights average 41°F from December through February, and homes here need heat from November through April, six months a year. Summer afternoons average 87°F, with cooling running June through September, four months more. Add it up and a system here is working ten months out of the year.
Most homes in the county heat with gas, and that furnace has to be ready every one of those six winter months even though the cold is mild. The county has also seen 112 damaging wind events and 9 winter storms over the past ten years, and in 2024, 17 percent of California households lost power for at least 24 hours. A new system should be sized for how long it actually runs each season, and installed with what happens when the power goes out in mind, not just how it performs on an easy afternoon.
- 6 months
- November through April, your system heats
- 4 months
- June through September, it cools
- 41°F
- the average winter night it heats against
- 87°F
- the average summer afternoon it cools against
NOAA nClimDiv, 1991–2020 normals
California requires HVAC contractors to hold a state license.
The Contractors State License Board tests and records the contractor, not the job. So the license tells you this person or company met the state's standard to do this kind of work at all, but it does not mean the board looked at your install.
That's where the permit comes in. In most cities and counties here, putting in a new heating and cooling system needs a permit from the local building office, and an inspection once the work is done. The license says the contractor is qualified. The inspection is what checks this particular job, in your house, was done right.
Sources: California Legislative Counsel · Contractors State License Board
- When should I replace my HVAC system?
- Replace it when repairs stop making sense or the system can no longer keep up. An older furnace or air conditioner that needs a major repair, like a new compressor or heat exchanger, is usually a better candidate for replacement than repair. Rising energy bills, uneven temperatures room to room, and frequent repair calls are also signs the equipment is wearing out rather than having a bad month. If the system is fairly new and the repair is minor, fixing it is still the better choice.
- Should I replace my furnace and air conditioner at the same time?
- If both units are old, yes, it usually makes sense to do them together. A furnace and air conditioner installed at the same time are matched by the contractor to work as a pair, and pairing an old furnace with a new condenser can mean the system runs less efficiently and the newer unit wears out faster. Homes here need the furnace November through April and the air conditioner June through September, so both get real use every year. If one unit is much newer than the other, replacing just the failed one is reasonable, and a contractor can tell you whether the two will work well together.
- What happens during an HVAC installation?
- A contractor first sizes the new equipment to your house, checking the ductwork, insulation, and square footage rather than just matching what's being replaced. On installation day, the old furnace or air conditioner and any related parts, like the old coil or thermostat, come out, and the new equipment goes in and gets connected to the existing ducts, gas line, refrigerant lines, and electrical. The contractor then tests the system, checks refrigerant charge and airflow, and walks through the new thermostat with you. California requires the contractor doing this work to hold a license through the Contractors State License Board, so it is worth confirming that before work starts.