Heating & Air Conditioning in San Carlos, CA

Where can an outdoor AC unit go in San Carlos?

In the back half of the lot, in most cases. The city’s building permits page sets out these rules for residential air conditioners:

City rule	What it means
Rear half of the lot	The Planning Division requires residential AC units to sit in the back half of the property.
Noise standard	The equipment must meet the city’s noise control standards. A spot at least 25 feet from every property line in the rear yard generally complies.
Working space	Every unit needs at least three feet of clear working space.
Side yards	A unit placed in a side yard must still leave a clear three-foot path to walk past.

A heat pump’s outdoor unit looks and sounds a lot like an AC condenser, so we plan its spot with these same rules in mind. On narrow lots that can take some thought. A ductless mini-split, with a smaller outdoor unit, is sometimes the easier fit.

Which permits does San Carlos need for HVAC and water heaters?

The same page answers two common questions. A water heater replacement needs a permit, whether a plumber does it or the homeowner does. Furnace replacements are usually done by mechanical contractors, who get the permit for you. That is how we work: we submit everything through the city’s online Building Division portal, which accepts only digital plans, along with the one-page permit application form the city still requires. Permit cards come back by email. We also handle any HERS testing a new system needs.

What services fit San Carlos homes?

• Cooling: AC replacement with the unit placed to city rules.
• Heating: heat pumps and ductless mini-splits.
• Water heaters: permitted water heater replacement, gas or heat pump.
• Indoor air quality: Rotobrush duct cleaning and dryer vent cleaning.

What do San Carlos homeowners ask us?

Can I still choose gas?

Yes. The city’s permit page says San Carlos is not currently enforcing its rules that prohibited gas lines in new buildings, after recent court decisions. For an existing home, a new gas furnace or water heater remains an option, and so does a heat pump.

Who provides my electricity?

WestLight Energy, formerly Peninsula Clean Energy, which serves nearly every San Mateo County resident. San Carlos itself used WestLight’s Solar for Public Buildings program to put solar panels on its youth center. As of November 2026, WestLight’s rebate page covers heat pump water heaters and heat pump HVAC, with bonus rebates for panel upgrades. You may qualify; call us, and we’ll check what applies to your home.

Have you moved an outdoor unit to the back of a house before?

Yes. In Palo Alto, we replaced a furnace and AC with an Amana heat pump and moved the outdoor unit to the back of the home with a new lineset and cover.

A little about us

Since 2002, our family-owned company has installed and repaired heating and cooling systems around the Bay Area. Home base is 743 Ames Ave in Milpitas, and our contractor license is CSLB #1066776. We cover 22 cities in three counties, with San Carlos on the San Mateo County list. Mitsubishi and Daikin ductless systems and Carrier, Payne and Amana ducted systems are among the brands we install.