Vilchez Heating & Air Conditioning has been the go-to HVAC contractor for East Palo Alto homeowners, renters, property managers, and business owners since 2010. For 16 years, we have handled the full range of residential and commercial heating and cooling work across San Mateo County, from a quick AC repair on a warm afternoon to a complete system replacement that brings a decades-old home into the modern era. The technician who works on your home lives right here too. We answer the phone. We dispatch the technician. We keep it simple.
If you've never hired an HVAC company before, it can feel like a gamble. You want someone who shows up on time, explains what is wrong, and does the work right without padding the bill. That is exactly what we set out to build when we started this company in 2010.
We began with a simple idea: show up, do good work, and let the results speak. Our first customers were neighbors in East Palo Alto who needed reliable heating and cooling help and wanted to call someone they could trust. Word spread through the community, and over the next 16 years we grew to serve homeowners, renters, property managers, and commercial operators all across the Peninsula. We take pride in the HVAC work we leave behind, and that standard has not changed since day one.
Today we handle everything from a single-room ductless installation to a full commercial system overhaul. Homeowners call us when their AC stops working on a hot July afternoon. Property managers call us when a tenant has no heat. Small business owners call us when a rooftop unit goes down and the workday cannot wait. We serve all of them with the same straightforward approach: qualified technicians, honest communication, and work done right.
Noticing uneven temperatures or a spike in energy bills? Those are two of the most common signs that something is off with your cooling system. We diagnose AC units that are not cooling, blowing warm air, making unusual noises, leaking water, or simply refusing to turn on. Our technicians handle refrigerant leak diagnosis, evaporator coil and condenser service, airflow problems, and full central air replacement when a system has reached the end of its useful life.
The Bay Area has mild winters, but Peninsula summers can push temperatures well into the uncomfortable range. When that happens, a working AC is not a luxury. We keep your home comfortable in every season.
Gas and electric furnaces still serve a large share of existing homes in San Mateo County, and we repair them all. A furnace not heating, blowing cold air, or making a grinding or banging sound is a job we handle regularly. We also service and install heat pumps, which have become increasingly common across the Peninsula as homeowners look for an efficient all-in-one heating and cooling solution.
We give honest recommendations on repair versus replacement, never an upsell. If your furnace has years of reliable service left in it, we will tell you that. If the repair cost no longer makes sense against the age and condition of the system, we will tell you that too, and walk you through your options clearly.
Older Peninsula homes and additions often have no existing ductwork, and running new ducts through finished walls is not always practical. Ductless mini-split systems solve that problem cleanly. We install single-zone and multi-zone mini-splits for individual rooms, home additions, garages, and whole homes without central duct infrastructure. We also repair and service existing mini-split systems that are not heating or cooling properly, making noise, or showing error codes.
Leaking or poorly connected ductwork is one of the most common reasons a home feels uncomfortable even when the HVAC system itself is running fine. We locate leaks, seal connections, repair damaged sections, and install new ductwork from scratch when a system requires it. Properly sealed ducts improve both comfort and energy efficiency, and the difference is often noticeable right away. Call us and we'll handle the rest.
A thermostat that is not reading temperatures accurately or failing to communicate with the system can make a perfectly good HVAC unit behave badly. We replace faulty thermostats, upgrade older models to programmable units, and install and configure smart thermostats that integrate with home automation systems. Setup and testing are included so the system is working correctly before we leave.
Wildfire smoke seasons have made indoor air quality a real and recurring concern for East Palo Alto residents. We install whole-home air filtration systems, including high-efficiency MERV-13 and above filters that capture fine particles and smoke, as well as air purifiers that integrate directly with your existing HVAC system. If the air inside your home has been bothering you during smoke events or allergy season, this is a practical upgrade worth discussing. Call us and we'll walk you through your options.
A spring AC tune-up before the warm months and a fall furnace or heat pump check before temperatures drop are the two most straightforward things you can do to avoid a breakdown at the worst possible time. A maintenance visit covers system inspection, cleaning, filter service, refrigerant check, airflow testing, and a full operational check so we catch small problems before they become expensive ones. We offer annual HVAC inspections for homeowners and maintenance scheduling for property managers and commercial accounts.
At some point, repair is no longer the right answer. When a system is old, inefficient, or failing repeatedly, a full replacement is the smarter investment. We handle complete HVAC system replacement and new installation for homes and commercial properties, including sizing the right equipment for the space, removing the old system, and commissioning the new one properly. Work is performed by qualified HVAC technicians from start to finish.
Property managers and business owners across San Mateo County rely on us for commercial heating and cooling work that gets done on schedule and with minimal disruption. We service offices, retail spaces, multi-unit residential properties, and managed commercial buildings. Whether the need is a routine maintenance visit, an urgent repair, or a full system replacement, we show up ready to work and communicate clearly throughout the job.
No heat in the middle of the night. No cool during a heat event. A system that simply stopped working with no warning. These are the calls we take seriously, and we are available around the clock because HVAC emergencies do not follow business hours.
Right diagnosis. Right repair. Right on the first visit.
When you call us with an emergency, we move quickly. We ask the right questions, dispatch a technician, and arrive ready to diagnose and resolve the problem the same day wherever possible. We do not put you on hold and hope for the best.
Here's what most people get wrong about their HVAC system: they wait until something breaks completely before calling, and then they worry the repair bill will be a surprise. We work to take that anxiety off the table. Before any work begins, we explain what we found, what the repair involves, and what it will cost. No hidden fees, no charges that appear after the fact.
Call for a quote before you commit to anything. We will give you a clear picture of what the work involves and what it will cost, and we will let you decide from there. Doing HVAC work right matters, and we'll help you get it right, whether that means a straightforward repair, a system tune-up, or a full replacement conversation.
We are based in East Palo Alto and serve communities throughout San Mateo County and the surrounding Peninsula. Our regular service area includes:
If you are nearby and need HVAC service, give us a call. We cover the area and we are ready to help.
We are not satisfied until the job is done right and you are comfortable in your home. If something is not right after we leave, we want to know about it and we will come back to make it right. That is not a policy written on paper somewhere. It is how we have operated since 2010, and it is how we intend to keep operating.
Scheduling a service call is straightforward:
That is the whole process. No complicated intake forms, no waiting on hold, no surprises.
We have been doing this work since 2010, which puts us at 16 years serving homeowners, landlords, and businesses in East Palo Alto and across San Mateo County. We started with neighbors in the community and grew from there through the quality of the work we left behind.
Our technicians are qualified HVAC professionals who live and work in this area. When someone shows up at your door, it is not a stranger dispatched from a distant office. It is someone who knows the local housing stock and is personally accountable for the work they do.
We work with a wide range of customers: homeowners, renters, landlords, property managers, small business owners, and commercial facility operators. Each type of customer comes to us with different priorities, and we adjust our approach accordingly, whether that means fast turnaround for a rental unit or a thorough replacement consultation for a homeowner.
Yes. This is a locally owned business where the people running it are directly involved in the work and personally accountable for every job. When you call, you are reaching the operation, not a layer of management removed from the actual service.
We treat your home with care. That means protecting floors and finishes around the work area, cleaning up when the job is done, and leaving the space in the same condition we found it. The work we leave behind reflects on us, and we take that seriously.
We have been in this community for 16 years, and every job we take on is a direct reflection of our reputation here. We give honest assessments, do not push unnecessary work, and stand behind what we install and repair. The technician who works on your home lives right here too, and that accountability shows in how the work gets done.
We are part of this community, and that shapes how we operate. We source locally where we can and work alongside other local trades when a job calls for it. Being a local business means being invested in the health of the area, not just the work order in front of us.
Ready to get the comfort back? Vilchez Heating & Air Conditioning is ready to help. Call (650) 899-6391 to schedule a service call or request an estimate for any heating or cooling work at your home or property. One number. One call. One HVAC tech at your door.
We have been serving East Palo Alto and the surrounding San Mateo County communities for 16 years, and every job we take on gets the same honest, qualified, locally accountable service that built this company from the ground up.
We handle the full range of heating and cooling work for East Palo Alto homeowners, landlords, and businesses. Whether you need a quick repair, a seasonal tune-up, or a full system replacement, our qualified HVAC technicians are ready to help. Use this table to find the service that fits your situation, then call us for a clear estimate before any work begins.
| System Service | What's Included | Best Suited For | Things to Know |
|---|---|---|---|
| First-Time AC & Ductless Cooling Installation |
| East Palo Alto homes built before central air was standard that are adding cooling for the first time | Recent heat events have pushed demand for first-time cooling installations; a ductless mini-split is often the cleanest solution for homes without existing ductwork. |
| AC Repair & Service |
| Homeowners or tenants with an AC that is not cooling properly | Catching a small refrigerant leak early prevents compressor failure and a much larger repair bill later. |
| Emergency HVAC Service |
| Any situation where the system is completely down and waiting is not an option | We prioritize urgent calls and work to get a technician out the same day whenever possible. |
| Full System Installation & ReplacementMost Popular |
| Homeowners or property managers replacing aging or failed equipment | A proper load calculation prevents oversizing, which causes short-cycling and higher energy bills over the life of the system. |
| Indoor Air Quality & Air Filtration |
| Households concerned about allergens, dust, or wildfire smoke indoors | Bay Area wildfire seasons make high-efficiency filtration a practical upgrade, not just a comfort one. |
| Seasonal Maintenance & Tune-Ups |
| Homeowners and property managers who want to prevent breakdowns before peak season | Scheduling a tune-up before summer or before the first cold stretch is the most cost-effective way to avoid emergency calls. |
| Heating & Furnace Repair |
| Households or buildings with a gas furnace that will not fire or is heating unevenly | Even in mild Bay Area winters, a furnace that short-cycles or runs cold should be addressed before temperatures drop further. |
| Thermostat & Smart-Control Installation |
| Homeowners looking to improve comfort and reduce energy waste | A smart thermostat paired to the right system can meaningfully reduce runtime and monthly energy costs. |
| Ductwork Repair & Sealing |
| Buildings with uneven temperatures or higher-than-expected energy bills | Leaky ducts can waste 20 to 30 percent of conditioned air before it reaches the living space. |
| Heat Pump Electrification |
| Homeowners ready to replace aging gas furnace equipment with an all-season heat pump | Bay Area mild winters fall squarely in the operating range where heat pumps perform most efficiently; any electrical circuit work required is handled by a licensed electrician on your project. |
| Wildfire-Smoke Air Filtration (MERV-13+) |
| Peninsula households that experience smoke infiltration during wildfire events | Standard one-inch filters do very little to stop fine particulate matter; upgrading to MERV-13 makes a measurable difference in air quality during smoke events. |
| Heat Pump Repair & Service |
| Homes already running a heat pump that is losing heating or cooling output | Heat pumps handle both seasons, so a problem in summer often signals the same fault will affect winter comfort. |
How do I know if my AC or furnace needs to be replaced rather than repaired?
Age and repair history are the two biggest factors. If the system is more than 15 years old and has needed multiple repairs in recent seasons, replacement often makes more financial sense than continuing to patch aging equipment. We give honest assessments on repair versus replacement based on what we actually find, and we will explain the reasoning either way.
How often should I schedule a maintenance tune-up?
Once a year is the standard recommendation for most systems. For homes running a heat pump year-round, a tune-up before summer and a check before winter is a reasonable approach. Regular maintenance catches small problems before they become expensive repairs and keeps the system running at its rated efficiency.
What does a seasonal tune-up actually cover?
A typical tune-up includes coil cleaning, a refrigerant level check, blower and electrical component testing, filter inspection or replacement, and an airflow check. The goal is to confirm the system is ready for peak demand and to flag anything that could turn into a breakdown mid-season.
Same-Day and Emergency Availability
When the system is down and waiting is not an option, we work to get a qualified technician to your door the same day. Urgent residential and commercial calls get the same priority response.
Why is one room in my home hotter or colder than the rest?
Uneven temperatures usually come from one of a few causes: duct leakage, a blocked or undersized supply register, an airflow imbalance in the distribution system, or equipment that is oversized for the space. We inspect the system and ductwork to find the actual cause rather than guessing.
What are the signs of a refrigerant or airflow problem?
Weak airflow from the vents, warm air coming out when the AC is running, ice forming on the refrigerant lines or coil, or a system that runs constantly without reaching the set temperature are all signs worth calling about. Refrigerant issues do not resolve on their own and tend to get worse the longer the system runs in that condition.
Can you get a technician out the same day?
Yes, for urgent calls we work to dispatch a technician the same day whenever our schedule allows. If your system is completely down, no heat on a cold night or no cooling during a heat event, call us and we will get you on the schedule as quickly as possible.
Transparent Upfront Pricing
We provide a clear estimate before any work begins and do not add charges after the fact. You know what the job costs before we pick up a tool.
Do I need to be home for the work?
For the initial inspection and estimate, yes, someone should be present so the technician can access the equipment and walk you through the findings. For follow-up work at commercial properties or rentals, we can coordinate with a property manager or on-site contact if the owner cannot be there.
What causes a system to short-cycle, and is it serious?
Short-cycling means the system turns on and off more frequently than it should, often without completing a full heating or cooling cycle. It can be caused by an oversized system, a refrigerant charge issue, a dirty filter restricting airflow, or a failing component like a pressure switch or thermostat. It puts extra wear on the equipment and should be diagnosed before it leads to a larger failure.
Work Performed by Qualified HVAC Technicians
Every job, from a routine tune-up to a full system replacement, is handled by technicians who know this equipment and this climate. We take pride in the work we leave behind.
How do ductwork leaks affect my energy bills?
Leaky ducts let conditioned air escape into unconditioned spaces like attics or wall cavities before it reaches the living area. Studies consistently show that leaky duct systems can waste a significant portion of the energy the equipment produces. Sealing the ductwork is one of the more cost-effective improvements available in homes with older duct runs.
What does a heat pump electrification project involve?
It starts with a load calculation to size the system correctly for your home. We then help you choose between a ducted and a ductless configuration based on your existing setup, remove or repurpose the old gas equipment, install the new heat pump, and commission the system. Any electrical circuit work the installation requires is handled by a licensed electrician on your project; we own the heating-and-cooling unit and its installation from start to finish.
How do estimates and pricing work?
We provide a clear estimate before any work begins. Pricing varies by job type, so a repair call, a seasonal tune-up, and a full system replacement are each quoted based on what the work actually involves. There are no surprise charges added after the fact, and work does not begin until you have approved the estimate.
Every home and building is a little different, and the right answer depends on your specific system and situation. Call us and we will walk you through your options.
(650) 899-6391