Tell us about the job
Takes about a minute. No obligation.
Sizing is the first decision a contractor has to get right before anything else on a heat pump install matters. Homes in Kern County, CA run heat about six months a year, from November through April. As outdoor temperatures drop through those winter months, a heat pump loses capacity at the low end, which is exactly when the house needs the most from it. A unit undersized for this heating load will lean on its backup resistance heat more than the homeowner expects, and the compressor logs more hours chasing a setpoint it cannot reach. The contractor has to establish the true heating load for this house before the equipment is ever specified.
Existing ductwork is what decides whether a heat pump installation is straightforward or involves additional work before the unit ever goes in. Half the homes in Kern County, California were built in 1984 or earlier (2020-2024 ACS 5-year). Houses built by that point were ducted and wired around the equipment of their era, and a contractor sizing a new heat pump has to open the system and check whether that ductwork handles the airflow the new unit requires. The electrical service gets the same look, since a heat pump draws differently than what those panels were originally sized for. Both of those answers come from what is actually in the house, not from the permit date.
What a Heat Pump Installation Puts in Your Home
The outdoor unit is the piece most homeowners notice first. It sits on a pad or wall bracket outside the house and holds the compressor and one set of coils. Inside, an air handler mounts in a utility closet, attic, or basement and moves conditioned air through the home.
A refrigerant line set runs between the two units, connecting them through a small penetration in the wall. A thermostat goes on an interior wall and gives the homeowner control over the whole system. Some installations also include a supplemental electric resistance element inside the air handler for the coldest days.
The drawing shows a typical layout, and a licensed contractor determines exactly how each piece fits the specifics of your house.
Get matched in Kern CountyKern County, by the numbers
777 severe weather events were recorded in Kern County, California between 2015 and 2024.
NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, bulk CSV export, events 2015-01-01 through 2024-12-31.Half the homes in Kern County, California were built in 1984 or earlier (2020-2024 ACS 5-year).
U.S. Census Bureau, 2020-2024 American Community Survey 5-Year EstimatesKern County, California holds 306,999 housing units (2020-2024 ACS 5-year).
U.S. Census Bureau, 2020-2024 American Community Survey 5-Year EstimatesOwners occupy 60.1% of the occupied homes in Kern County, California (2020-2024 ACS 5-year).
U.S. Census Bureau, 2020-2024 American Community Survey 5-Year EstimatesRules & Standards for Heat Pump Installation in Kern County, California1 codes, laws & standards
Licensing and Legal Requirements in Kern County, California
California requires a state contractor license: it is a misdemeanour to engage in the business of, or act in the capacity of, a contractor in California without one, unless the work is exempt.
Weather Events in Kern County
Kern County's climate puts real demands on heating and cooling equipment over the course of any given year. How hard a heat pump works, and how long it lasts, is shaped by what the local weather actually does.
777 severe weather events, 2015–2024. Source: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database.