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Does your panel have room for a heat pump?
A two-minute conversation settles more than a form does. Call and describe the problem, and we will tell you honestly whether it is ours to fix. We work across Fullerton and its neighbours.
First read
Likely roomA 200 A panel with no other big electric loads usually has room for a heat pump. A load calculation confirms it.
- Variable-speed heat pumps often need smaller circuits.
- Load-management devices can share capacity with an EV charger or dryer.
- A panel upgrade is the last resort, not the first.
Why the panel matters
A gas furnace uses very little electricity. A heat pump does the heating with electricity instead — and if it has backup heat strips for cold mornings, those can draw as much as a range or an EV charger.
Replacing an existing central air conditioner helps: the heat pump can often use the same circuit. Adding heat strips, or adding a heat pump where there was no AC, is what fills a panel.
How it's scored
Each panel size gets a rough allowance and each big load uses some of it. The scoring is deliberately simple; the real answer comes from an NEC load calculation by a licensed electrician, and your utility if the service itself needs upgrading.