HVAC in Seattle, WA
As an HVAC contractor in Seattle, WA, we cross from Bremerton by ferry for planned work: oil and gas conversions to heat pumps, ductless systems for older homes, replacements and maintenance. We book around sailings, so urgent Seattle repairs usually belong with a local shop.
Seattle is across the water from our Bremerton shop, and that’s how we get there. As an HVAC contractor serving Seattle, WA from the Kitsap side, we either take the Bremerton–Seattle ferry into Colman Dock, about an hour on the water plus loading, or run down to Southworth for the short Fauntleroy crossing when the job is in West Seattle.
Given that, Seattle is scheduled work for us: oil and gas furnace conversions to heat pumps, ductless systems for older homes, full replacements and planned maintenance. We take repair calls when the ferry schedule and our workload allow, but Seattle has plenty of local shops better positioned for urgent calls, and we’ll tell you so.
Reviewed · travel, permit and utility details are rechecked at each update.
Seattle’s Oil-Heat Legacy and the Push to Retire It
Seattle’s older neighborhoods were built on oil heat. Craftsman bungalows and foursquares in Wallingford, Ballard and West Seattle went up in the early decades of the 1900s, and many were heated by oil furnaces fed from tanks in the yard or basement. Plenty have since moved to gas, but oil systems and abandoned tanks are still common.
The city has made its direction clear. Seattle taxes heating oil and has run incentive programs to help homeowners convert from oil to heat pumps, with added support for income-qualified households. Electricity comes from Seattle City Light, which has its own efficiency programs. Terms change, so verify current details with the city and City Light before you plan around a specific incentive.
Technically, the challenges are the ones any century-old house brings: missing or undersized returns, basement ducts sized for gravity heat, limited panel capacity, tight lots where outdoor unit placement must respect neighbors and code, and permits through the Seattle Department of Construction and Inspections.
Seattle HVAC Routing: West Seattle by Fauntleroy, Ballard by Colman Dock
Geography decides our route. For West Seattle, including Fauntleroy, Morgan Junction, Admiral and the streets above Alki Beach, the Southworth–Fauntleroy ferry lands us near Lincoln Park, minutes from the job. For Ballard, Wallingford and the north end, we cross on the Bremerton boat to Colman Dock and work north through downtown traffic toward the Ship Canal.
A typical Seattle conversion: a 1925 West Seattle bungalow with a 40-year-old oil furnace, a basement tank and a finished attic that never gets warm. We start with a Manual J load calculation, since these homes often need much less capacity than the old furnace suggests, then check the panel and duct layout. The usual plan is a cold-climate ducted heat pump using the existing basement trunk, a ductless head for the attic, and tank decommissioning by a licensed tank contractor, sequenced so the house isn’t without heat for long.
Seattle at a glance
From our Bremerton base
About an hour on the Bremerton–Seattle ferry plus loading, the Southworth–Fauntleroy ferry for West Seattle, or 90+ minutes by road through Tacoma
Neighborhoods & roads we cover
West Seattle · Fauntleroy · Alki · Ballard · Wallingford
Near
Colman Dock · Fauntleroy ferry terminal · Alki Beach · Lincoln Park · Ballard Locks
ZIP codes
98116, 98126, 98136, 98107, 98103
HVAC services we provide in Seattle
An oil-to-electric heat pump installation is the main reason Seattle homeowners call us, and it lines up with the city’s push away from heating oil.
Finished attics and bungalow upper floors that the old furnace never reached are a natural fit for a ductless mini-split.
A full HVAC replacement in Seattle includes the load calculation, duct corrections and permit coordination with the city.
Before reusing gravity-era basement ducts with a new heat pump, duct cleaning clears out decades of oil-burner soot and debris.
Why some Seattle homeowners bring in a crew from across the Sound
Seattle has no shortage of HVAC companies. The owners who call us usually want a conversion measured and documented carefully, and they don’t mind that we plan around a ferry to do it.
A load calculation that often shrinks the equipment
Oil furnaces in Wallingford and West Seattle bungalows were commonly oversized for houses that have since gained insulation and new windows. Our Manual J usually points to a smaller cold-climate heat pump than the old nameplate suggests.
Basement trunks tested before they are reused
Gravity-era ducts can work with a heat pump, or choke it. We measure static pressure and airflow before quoting an HVAC installation that keeps them, and price a ductless zone where they fall short.
Paperwork ready for Seattle City Light programs
Load calculations, equipment specifications and dated install photos are part of every conversion file. Program rules change, so our heat pump rebate guide lists the questions to confirm before you sign.
What a Seattle oil-to-heat-pump quote should show when the crew comes by ferry
A conversion quote for a Seattle bungalow should never be a single number. As regional planning figures, a standard heat pump runs about $9,500–$13,500 installed and a cold-climate model about $12,500–$16,500, before the extras century-old houses tend to need. Those are not our prices, and the final figure takes a site visit and a Manual J. Our heat pump installation cost guide breaks the pieces down further.
Ask to see each of these as its own line:
- Duct changes to gravity-era basement trunks and added returns, often budgeted at $1,000–$5,000
- Panel or service work if the existing panel can’t carry the heat pump plus heat strips, commonly $1,200–$3,000
- Removal of the oil furnace, with tank decommissioning priced separately by the licensed tank service
- The SDCI mechanical permit and a separate electrical permit for the outdoor unit’s circuit
- Ferry fares and travel time, written as a trip charge instead of buried in labor
- How many crossings the job needs: survey, install days and the inspection visit
FAQ
HVAC questions from Seattle homeowners
Why hire a Bremerton HVAC contractor for a Seattle home?
Usually for a planned project, not an emergency. Some homeowners want a particular approach to sizing, duct testing and ductless design, or they own property on both sides of the Sound. We schedule Seattle work around the ferries, so it suits conversions, replacements and maintenance. For urgent repairs, a Seattle-based shop will usually reach you faster.
Can you help with Seattle’s oil-to-heat-pump incentives?
We can supply the load calculation, equipment specifications and installation documentation that incentive programs typically require. Seattle and Seattle City Light programs change over time, and some depend on household income, so confirm current eligibility directly with the city or the utility before signing. We will build the quote around equipment that qualifies.
Do you remove the old oil tank?
Tank decommissioning is specialized work, so we coordinate with a licensed tank service rather than doing it ourselves. We schedule their visit around the heat pump install so the old furnace and tank come out in the right order. Keep the decommissioning paperwork, since buyers, lenders and insurers commonly ask for it later.
How can I vet an HVAC contractor who comes over from the Kitsap side?
Ask for the exact Washington L&I registration and check that it matches the name on the quote. Ask for dated photos of comparable oil-to-heat-pump conversions, permit numbers from past Seattle jobs, since SDCI permit records are public, and the EPA Section 608 status of whoever handles refrigerant. A contractor working across the water should also explain in writing how warranty visits get scheduled.
How loud will a heat pump be next to my neighbor’s window on a narrow Seattle lot?
Modern inverter outdoor units are much quieter than older condensers, but placement still matters on tight Seattle lots. We compare the model’s published sound rating, the distance to the property line and neighboring windows, and whether a fence or wall will reflect noise. Sometimes a rear corner or low wall bracket solves it; sometimes a quieter model is worth the extra cost.
Does the finished attic in a Seattle Craftsman need its own heating and cooling?
Often it does. Finished attics in Seattle Craftsman homes were usually added after the original heating, so they sit at the end of a long duct run under a hot roof. Extending ducts upstairs rarely fixes summer heat. A single ductless head sized for the attic room usually handles both seasons without resizing the basement system.
Nearby areas we serve
Call your Seattle HVAC contractor
HVAC Contractor in Bremerton, WA
Serving Bremerton, WA & Kitsap County