03heating
Fuel oil → heat pump
Full-electric heat pump systems, or a hybrid that keeps your existing furnace for the coldest days. A heat pump system may cost up to 75% less to heat a home than fuel oil.
Same-day service · 1-year parts warranty · Lic. #1055791
From an oil burner to a heat pump
A heat pump doesn’t make heat by burning fuel. It moves heat that is already there — out of the outdoor air in winter and out of the house in summer — using the same refrigeration cycle as an air conditioner, run in either direction. One outdoor unit and one indoor unit replace both the oil burner and a separate air conditioner.
For homes in Santa Clarita, Valencia, Simi Valley and the north San Fernando Valley, that suits the climate well: winters are mild, which is where heat pumps work most efficiently, and summers are hot, which is when you want the cooling anyway.
You can go fully electric, or choose a hybrid system that lets the heat pump carry most of the load and your existing furnace take over on the coldest nights. We look at the house and the equipment you have before recommending either, and financing is available for the project.
What we work on
- Full-electric heat pump systems
- Hybrid (dual-fuel) systems with your existing furnace
- Sizing the system to the house
- Replacing oil-fired heating equipment
- Thermostat and control set-up
- Ductwork changes where needed
01When to call
Signs it may be time to switch
Heating oil is a big part of your bills
When oil deliveries make up a large share of the year’s energy costs, it is worth comparing what the same heating would cost from a heat pump running on electricity.
The oil burner needs frequent repairs
Nozzles, filters, pumps and ignition parts on oil burners wear and need regular attention. When the repairs keep coming, the money may be better spent on replacing the system.
The tank or burner is near the end of its life
An ageing tank or boiler is a natural point to decide what comes next, before a failure forces a rushed decision in the middle of winter.
You also want central air conditioning
A heat pump heats and cools with the same equipment. If the house has no cooling, or the air conditioner is also old, one system can replace both.
Soot, smells or fuel odors indoors
An oil smell in the house or soot around registers and the burner means the system needs attention now — and is a good moment to consider an alternative.
You’d like to stop storing fuel on site
Tank space, deliveries and the risk of leaks all go away with an electric heat pump.
02Before you call
Safe checks you can do first.
- Recent energy bills. A year of oil deliveries and electricity bills helps compare running costs realistically.
- Equipment details. Photos of the burner, the tank and any existing air conditioner, with their data plates, show what we’re working with.
- Comfort notes. Rooms that run hot or cold, drafty areas and how you use each room all help with sizing.
- Ductwork. If you know where the ducts run — attic, crawl space, basement — note it. Their condition matters for any forced-air system.
03What we look at
What we look at before a conversion
- 01
Heating and cooling load
How much heat the house loses in winter and gains in summer, based on its size, insulation, windows and layout — the basis for sizing the heat pump, not just the square footage.
- 02
Existing ductwork
Whether the current ducts are big enough, sealed and in good condition to carry the airflow a heat pump needs, or whether some runs need to change.
- 03
Electrical capacity
Whether the electrical panel and circuits can supply a heat pump, and what may need upgrading.
- 04
Outdoor unit location
Where the outdoor unit can sit with good airflow, a short refrigerant line run and minimal noise near bedrooms or neighbors.
- 05
Hybrid or full electric
If you keep the furnace, how the two will share the load and how the thermostat decides when to switch from one to the other.
- 06
The oil equipment
What will be removed or disconnected, and how the old burner and tank will be dealt with.
04Local conditions
Heat pumps in the Santa Clarita Valley climate
Heat pumps work best when it is cool rather than bitterly cold, which describes most winter days here. Nights can drop into the 30s, but long freezing spells are rare — so a correctly sized heat pump can carry the heating on its own for most homes, with a hybrid set-up as an option for those who want back-up.
The same unit runs as an air conditioner through the long, hot summer. For a home that has been heating with oil and cooling with a separate system, or not cooling at all, that is a single piece of equipment doing both jobs.
Homes in Valencia, Newhall and Simi Valley are served by Southern California Edison for electricity, so a heat pump runs on the same utility you already use for everything else in the house.
05How it works
From call to comfort.
- 01
Request service
Call (323) 631-8683 or send a short request online — name, phone and what’s happening.
- 02
Diagnosis
We inspect the system on site and explain what we find before recommending any work.
- 03
Price in writing
Every home is priced individually. You get the agreed price in writing before any work begins — no surprises.
- 04
The work
Clean, precise work — and your system back to keeping the house comfortable.
★Customer reviews
What customers say
FAQQuestions
Questions,answered.
Still not sure what’s going on? Call and describe it — we’ll tell you what we’d check first.
(323) 631-8683Can a heat pump keep my home warm through a Southern California winter?
For most homes, yes. Heat pumps are most efficient in mild cold, and winter here is mostly cool days and chilly nights rather than long hard freezes. What matters is correct sizing for the house and ductwork that can carry the airflow. If you want extra security on the coldest nights, a hybrid system keeps your furnace as back-up and lets the heat pump do the rest.
What is a hybrid (dual-fuel) system?
It pairs a heat pump with a furnace. The heat pump heats the house most of the time; when it gets cold enough that the furnace would do the job better, the thermostat switches over automatically. In summer the heat pump does the cooling. It’s a way to move away from oil-heavy heating while keeping a furnace you already have, and it can be a good fit when the existing furnace still has life in it.
Can I keep my existing ductwork?
Often, but not always. A heat pump usually moves more air at lower temperatures than an oil furnace, so the ducts need to be large enough and well sealed. If they are undersized, leaky or damaged, some runs may need to be repaired or replaced to get the comfort and efficiency the system is capable of. We check the ducts as part of planning the conversion.
What size heat pump do I need?
It depends on how much heat the house loses and gains, not just its square footage. Insulation, windows, ceiling height, orientation and air leaks all play a part. A unit that is too big short-cycles and handles humidity poorly; one that is too small runs constantly on the hottest and coldest days. Sizing comes from a load calculation for your house.
Are heat pumps noisy?
Modern outdoor units are generally quiet — usually comparable to a central air conditioner. You may hear a whoosh during defrost cycles in cold, damp weather, which is normal. Placement makes a difference: keeping the outdoor unit away from bedroom windows and on a level, solid base reduces noise and vibration.
Does a heat pump work during a power outage?
No. A heat pump runs on electricity, so it stops when the power goes out — though so does an oil furnace, which needs power for its burner, controls and blower. If outages are a concern, ask about what a back-up power source would need to run the system.
RFSService request
Need it looked at?Call or send a request.
- Request
- Diagnosis
- Price in writing
- Repair
Same-day service · $20 off your first repair for new customers · Financing available