Heating & Air Conditioning in Menlo Park, CA

Can I still replace my AC with another AC in Menlo Park?

Usually not. Menlo Park added its own section to the state green building code, and the city’s page on replacing an AC condenser with a heat pump explains it. When a project replaces or upgrades an existing air conditioning condenser, a heat pump is required in its place. The page lists two ways out:

• Cost hardship. If the price gap between a heat pump and an AC condenser is more than 20% of the construction cost, the city accepts a hardship form with the permit application.
• Duct and thermostat path. An AC condenser can stay if the system passes airflow and refrigerant checks, or if new ducts are insulated and pass a leakage test, and a compliant thermostat is installed.

For most homes, a heat pump is the simpler choice. It cools like an AC in summer and also heats in winter, so your furnace can become a backup or be retired.

How does an AC replacement work in Menlo Park?

1. Free estimate. We look at your current system, ducts and electrical panel, and give you a written quote for a heat pump and, if it applies, for the AC path.
2. Permit. The city’s Building Division runs a paperless permit process online. We file the application and any forms it needs, such as the electrical load calculation.
3. Installation. Our crew sets the new outdoor unit, connects the indoor coil or air handler and tests the system.
4. Testing and inspection. We arrange any required HERS testing and meet the city inspector.

Which services do Menlo Park homes use most?

• Cooling, including AC replacement under the city’s heat pump rule.
• Heating, with heat pumps, duct repair and replacement and ductless mini-splits for rooms without ducts.
• Water heaters of every type.
• Indoor air quality, such as duct and dryer vent cleaning.

What do Menlo Park homeowners ask us?

Are there rebates for the heat pump the city requires?

Possibly. Most Menlo Park homes buy their power from WestLight Energy, formerly Peninsula Clean Energy. As of November 2026, its appliance rebate page covers a heat pump that replaces a gas furnace, but the property owner must apply within 90 days of installation and include the city permit. You may qualify; call us and we’ll check what applies to your home before the work starts.

My ducts are old. Does that change anything?

It can. Leaky or undersized ducts affect both comfort and which code path works. Nearby in Palo Alto, we enlarged supply ducts when we swapped a furnace and AC for an Amana heat pump.

What if part of the house has no ducts?

A ductless mini-split can cool and heat an addition or a converted garage without new ductwork.

Why choose Upgrade Home Services in Menlo Park?

Upgrade Home Services has been a family-owned business since 2002, run from our shop at 743 Ames Ave in Milpitas. We are licensed by the CSLB under #1066776. Menlo Park sits in our San Mateo County area, one of the 22 cities we cover across three counties. We install heat pumps from Carrier, Daikin, Mitsubishi, Amana and other brands, and the brand is your call.