Efficient cooling and heating without ductwork — ideal for older Bay Area homes, room additions, garages and whole-home retrofits. CA Lic. 1037982 · Carrier Authorized Dealer.
Air Conditioning › Ductless Mini-Split
A ductless mini-split is a heat pump system that delivers both cooling and heating to one room or many, without any ductwork. It pairs a quiet outdoor unit with slim indoor air handlers mounted high on a wall or recessed into a ceiling, connected by a small refrigerant line. Mini-splits are the right choice for older Bay Area homes built without ductwork, room additions and ADUs where extending ducts is impractical, garages and shops that need conditioning, sunrooms and bonus rooms that have always been hot or cold, and whole-home retrofits in craftsman, bungalow and Victorian housing across Oakland, Berkeley, and the inner East Bay. They are also a strong upgrade in Central Valley homes with rooms that the central system never reaches well. Each indoor zone runs independently, so you condition only the spaces you actually use, which lowers operating cost.
For ducted homes, compare a central heat pump or a traditional AC replacement. Already have ductwork that needs help? See ductwork installation.
Our mini-split installation process is clean, predictable and fully Title 24 compliant.
AC Services Elite is a Carrier Authorized Dealer, so the equipment we install is genuine Carrier — engineered for reliability and efficiency and backed by Carrier's full manufacturer warranty. Our technicians are factory-trained on Carrier systems, which means correct sizing, correct installation, and warranty protection you cannot get from a non-authorized installer.
Because mini-splits we install are heat pumps, they qualify for the same heat pump incentives as a central system:
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The Bay Area\'s older housing stock is one of the strongest fits for ductless heat pumps anywhere in California. Craftsman and bungalow homes in Oakland, Berkeley, Albany, El Cerrito and Alameda were built in the 1910s through 1940s and almost universally lack existing ductwork. Daly City, Pacifica and parts of the San Mateo coast share that profile alongside dense fog that moderates summer cooling demand and rewards efficient heat pump operation in winter. The Tri-Valley cities of Dublin, Pleasanton and Livermore are hotter inland but have plenty of additions and ADUs where running ductwork is impractical. In the Central Valley, mini-splits are also a strong fit for older Tracy and Stockton bungalows, agricultural-area homes with no central system, and second-floor bonus rooms that the existing ducted system never reaches. Every system we install is Title 24 compliant and properly permitted.
Get cooling and heating in one system — quietly, efficiently.
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Get a Free EstimateA ductless mini-split pairs one outdoor compressor unit with one or more indoor air handlers, connected by a small refrigerant line set running through a three-inch hole in the wall. Each indoor unit serves a single room or zone, and each is controlled independently with its own thermostat or remote. Modern mini-splits use inverter compressors that modulate output continuously, which makes them quiet and efficient compared to single-stage central systems. Because there is no duct work, there is no duct loss, and many systems achieve significantly higher real-world efficiency than ducted alternatives.
Much of the Bay Area's housing stock is craftsman, bungalow or Victorian from the 1910s through 1940s, and most of those homes were built without ductwork because they relied on radiant or hydronic heat. Retrofitting a duct system into plaster walls and small attics is invasive and expensive, while a ductless mini-split installs cleanly with a small wall penetration. The mild marine climate also favors heat pump mini-splits, which run efficiently year-round in Oakland, Berkeley, Daly City and the inner East Bay. Whole-home ductless retrofits have become the dominant installation pattern in these neighborhoods.
Yes. Almost every ductless mini-split we install is a heat pump, which means it both cools in summer and heats in winter using the same equipment. Modern cold-climate mini-splits handle Bay Area winters and Central Valley Tule fog seasons without any backup heat. This is one of the reasons mini-splits qualify for California heat pump rebates and the federal Section 25C tax credit.
A multi-zone outdoor unit can support anywhere from two to as many as eight indoor heads, depending on the model. A typical Bay Area whole-home retrofit uses one outdoor unit and three to five indoor heads to cover living spaces and bedrooms. We design the system based on a Manual J load calculation and the zoning that fits how your household actually uses the space.
A single-zone installation is the most affordable option. Multi-zone whole-home systems scale up from there. Many California incentives apply: federal Section 25C tax credit up to $2,000, PG&E rebates, and TECH Clean California rebates on heat pump mini-splits. We provide a written quote that includes the full installation, permits, and the rebate documentation we will prepare for you.
As a Carrier Authorized Dealer we install genuine Carrier ductless mini-split heat pumps. Carrier mini-splits are factory-warranted and our technicians are factory-trained on Carrier equipment, which preserves your warranty and ensures correct sizing, line set installation, and commissioning. We service mini-splits from other manufacturers as well.
We install and service ductless mini-split systems across all six counties we serve. Find your city for local details, or call (209) 268-2659.
Reach out and our team will help you stay comfortable all year round.
