Heat Pumps 101 — A California Homeowner's Guide

What Is a Heat Pump — and Why Does It Matter in California?

A heat pump is a single device that provides both heating and cooling — replacing both your furnace and your air conditioner. Instead of burning fuel to create heat, a heat pump moves heat energy from one place to another, making it 200–400% more efficient than combustion heating.

In cooling mode, a heat pump works like a conventional air conditioner — it moves heat from inside your home to outside. In heating mode, it reverses the process, extracting heat from outdoor air (even cold air contains heat energy) and moving it inside.

This efficiency advantage is why California's incentive programs — LADWP, TECH Clean California, the federal IRA — are focused so heavily on heat pump adoption. A heat pump system can cut your home's heating and cooling energy consumption by 30–50% compared to a conventional gas furnace + AC combination.

Why Heat Pumps Work Especially Well in LA

• San Fernando Valley winters rarely drop below 40°F — the ideal range for heat pump efficiency
• No need for backup gas heat in our climate (unlike northern states)
• LA's natural gas prices have risen significantly — electricity is now increasingly cost-competitive
• California's electrical grid is getting cleaner — making electric heating more sustainable each year
• California incentive programs for heat pumps are currently at historic highs