HVAC Installation in San Rafael, CA
Tell us about the house, and a licensed contractor who covers Marin County will get in touch.
Tell us about the job
It takes about a minute.
San Rafael asks for heat far more than it asks for cooling
Winter nights here average 43°F from December through February, and homes need heat from October through June, nine months of the year. Summer afternoons average a mild 71°F, so cooling isn't something most homes here are built around. A new system has to be sized for that long, steady heating stretch more than for standing up to extreme heat.
Most homes in the area heat with gas, and whatever you install has to meet the federal minimum efficiency standard for new equipment. Power is worth planning around too. Across California, 17% of households lost power for at least 24 hours in 2024, and the region has logged 122 damaging wind events over the past ten years. If your heat depends on electricity to start or run, an outage means no heat until it's back.
- 9 months
- October through June, your system heats
- 43°F
- the average winter night it heats against
- 71°F
- the average summer afternoon it cools against
California requires HVAC contractors to hold a state license.
The Contractors State License Board tests contractors before issuing a license and keeps a record of who holds one. That license belongs to the contractor, not to this one job, so the same license covers whatever work they take on in your home.
For an installation like this, the local building office also has a part to play. Most cities and counties in California require a permit before a furnace, air conditioner or heat pump goes in, and an inspection once the work is done. That permit and inspection come from the city or county, not the state license.
Sources: California Legislative Counsel · Contractors State License Board
- When should I replace my HVAC system?
- Once your furnace or air conditioner needs frequent repairs, or a repair would cost close to what a new system runs, replacement usually makes more sense than another fix. Watch for uneven heating, rooms that never quite get comfortable, or bills that climb without a clear reason. Homes here need heat from October through June, so a furnace that struggles early in that stretch is only going to get worse as winter sets in. A contractor can look at the age and condition of your system and tell you whether it is worth repairing again.
- Should I replace my furnace and air conditioner at the same time?
- If both are original to the house and close in age, replacing them together often makes sense, since they were sized to work as a pair and tend to wear out around the same time. That said, it is not required. Some homeowners replace whichever one fails first and keep the other running until it needs attention too. A contractor can check whether your existing furnace or coil would work with a new unit before you decide what to replace now versus later.
- What happens during an HVAC installation?
- A contractor first sizes the new equipment to your house, since a furnace or air conditioner that's too big or too small will not heat or cool evenly. On the day of the work, the old equipment comes out and the new unit goes in, connected to your ductwork, wiring, and, for gas furnaces, the gas line and vent. Once it's hooked up, the contractor tests it, checks the airflow, and walks you through the thermostat and any settings specific to your system. The exact steps depend on what you are replacing and whether any ductwork or electrical work needs to change to match the new equipment.