Plenty of San Fernando Valley homes were built before central heating was standard. Many 1930s to 1950s houses in North Hollywood, Valley Village, Van Nuys and Valley Glen still rely on a wall heater, a floor furnace or a few space heaters. If your home has no central heat, here are the realistic options and how to choose between them.
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First, how is the house heated now?
- A gas wall heater or floor furnace: common in older Valley homes. They warm the room they sit in, but the back bedrooms often stay cold. Older units may lack modern safety controls. See wall heater or floor furnace not working.
- Electric baseboard or wall heaters: simple, but they can be expensive to run as your only heat.
- Space heaters: fine for a short time in one room, but they are a common cause of home fires when used as the main heat.
Option 1: Ductless mini-split heat pumps
A mini-split has an outdoor unit and one or more slim indoor heads mounted on the wall, connected by a small line through the wall. No ductwork is needed, which makes it a popular choice for older homes, additions and converted garages. It heats in winter and cools in summer, and each room with a head can be set to its own temperature. Learn more on our ductless mini-split page.
Option 2: A ducted heat pump or furnace with new ducts
If you want whole-house heat and air conditioning from one system, a contractor can add ductwork, usually through the attic or the crawl space, and install a central heat pump or a gas furnace with AC. It is a bigger project, but every room gets heat and cooling from vents. Our guide to heat pumps vs. furnaces in the Valley explains the trade-offs, and ductwork covers the duct side.
Option 3: Replace or upgrade the wall heater
If the house is small and the wall heater does most of the work, replacing an old unit with a new, properly vented one can be the simplest fix. It still heats mainly one area, so it works best in small, open floor plans. See wall heater and floor furnace repair.
How to choose
- Do you also want AC? Valley summers are hot. A heat pump (ductless or ducted) gives you both from one system.
- Is there room for ducts? Homes on a slab with a low attic can be hard to duct. Ductless often wins there.
- How many rooms need heat? One to three rooms often suit a mini-split. A whole house with many rooms may be better served by a ducted system.
- Electrical panel: older homes sometimes need a panel upgrade for a heat pump. Ask the contractor to check.
Permits and safety
Adding a heating system, new ducts or a new gas appliance generally requires a permit (in the City of Los Angeles, from LADBS; Burbank and San Fernando have their own building departments). A licensed contractor should pull it. Until the new system is in, keep space heaters at least three feet from anything that can burn, plug them straight into the wall (not an extension cord) and turn them off when you leave the room or go to sleep. Make sure you have working smoke and carbon monoxide alarms. If you ever smell gas, leave the house and call SoCalGas at 1-800-427-2200 or 911 from outside. See carbon monoxide and furnace safety.
Questions to ask the contractor
- Are you licensed with the CSLB (C-20 for HVAC) and insured? You can check at CSLB.ca.gov.
- Will you do a room-by-room load calculation to size the system?
- Where would the indoor heads, outdoor unit or ducts go?
- Does my electrical panel need an upgrade?
- Does the quote include the permit, removal of the old heater and the warranty?
Need a licensed pro?
Ready to get quotes for new heat? We will connect you with an independent, licensed local HVAC contractor. It is free for homeowners. See heating installation and heat pumps.
Near you: HVAC in North Hollywood · HVAC in Valley Village · HVAC in Van Nuys · HVAC in Valley Glen
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