AC repair
Furnace & heating
Heat pumps
Ductless mini splits
Carrier
Trane
GoodmanSeasonal tune-up and full diagnostic on your Carrier, Trane, or Goodman system - readings shown to you before any repair is proposed
Diagnosis first, numbers second - you approve the repair price before a single part goes in.
Get your free estimateHVAC Company in Berkeley, CA
Berkeley’s homes rarely need an HVAC company for extreme temperatures. They need one for old ductwork, steep hillside access, tight crawl spaces, and heating systems that predate most of the people living in the house. Brandt HVAC fixes and maintains AC and furnace systems across Berkeley with upfront written pricing and technicians you know by name and photo before they arrive. Call (559) 245-8807 any hour, any day, and a live person picks up.
Why Berkeley Homes Are Different
Walk through the flatlands south of University Avenue and you’ll pass 1920s Craftsman bungalows with little to no original ducting. Head up into the Berkeley Hills and the story changes again: mid-century homes on steep lots, older furnaces bolted to foundations that need seismic bracing, and narrow switchback streets that make truck access a real planning question. West Berkeley sits close enough to the bay that salty marine air eats at outdoor condenser coils faster than most homeowners expect, so a ten-year-old AC unit in West Berkeley can look worse than a fifteen-year-old unit in the hills.
What this means in practice is that Berkeley HVAC work is less about massive heating loads and more about careful diagnostics. Many homes still run original gravity furnaces from the 1920s. Others have hydronic systems in 1950s apartment buildings that were never designed for modern thermostats. Electrical panels in pre-war homes often need attention before a new system can go in. None of this is rare here. It’s just Berkeley.
Styles & brands we work with
Our Main Berkeley Services
Berkeley homeowners call us most often for two things: cooling that stopped working during a heat spike, and heating that failed on the first genuinely cold night of the wet season. The third call, AC maintenance, comes from people who know what salty bay air does to a condenser and would rather pay for prevention than replacement.
AC Repair in Berkeley
When a Berkeley home’s AC fails, the cause is usually electrical or corrosion-related, not a blown compressor. We trace the issue to the failed part, show you the written price before any work starts, and explain exactly what the repair covers and for how long. In West Berkeley, we inspect coils for salt corrosion as a matter of course. In the hills, we account for steep driveways and tight mechanical closets before we even schedule the truck. AC Repair in Berkeley runs $150 to $650 for most jobs, parts and labor included.
Furnace Repair in Berkeley
Berkeley’s furnace season is short but real, and the homes that need help are often the oldest ones. Gravity furnaces from the 1920s, wall heaters in Spanish-style stuccos, and hydronic boilers in postwar apartments all show up in our calls. Furnace repair means diagnosing the heat source, the ignition, or the blower, then writing down the exact fix and price before starting. Most Berkeley furnace repairs land between $150 and $700. Furnace Repair in Berkeley is guaranteed for 365 days: if it fails, we come back at no charge.
AC Maintenance in Berkeley
In a Mediterranean climate, AC runs on its own schedule. That’s exactly why maintenance matters. We clean condenser coils, check refrigerant levels, test capacitors and contactors, and report what we found in writing. Homes in the Berkeley Hills or West Berkeley, where salt air and marine moisture accelerate wear, benefit from a visit before the first real heat. AC Maintenance in Berkeley starts with a tune-up that typically runs $80 to $200, depending on system condition and location.
What happens when you call
- 1
A real person answersNo phone trees - you reach a local pro.
- 2
You get an upfront price rangeHonest numbers before anyone is dispatched.
- 3
A background-checked tech heads outLicensed & insured, dispatched right away.
- 4
You approve before work beginsNothing starts until you say go.
Brands We Service in Berkeley
We service all major residential brands, including Goodman, Rheem, York, and Daikin. Parts for common Berkeley systems are stocked locally and we can usually complete most repairs in one visit. See our brands for what we cover.
See the difference
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After
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AfterPricing for HVAC Company in Berkeley, CA
| Service | Typical range in Berkeley |
|---|---|
| AC repair | $150 – $650 |
| Furnace repair | $150 – $700 |
| AC installation | $3,500 – $7,500 |
| AC or furnace tune-up | $80 – $200 |
| Condenser coil cleaning (salt-corroded) | $150 – $350 |
| Capacitor replacement | $150 – $300 |
| Igniter replacement | $150 – $300 |
| Thermostat replacement (basic programmable) | $150 – $350 |
| Refrigerant recharge (minor leak repair included) | $250 – $500 |
| Blower motor replacement | $350 – $650 |
| Flame sensor cleaning/replacement | $150 – $250 |
Berkeley prices tend to go up when systems are buried in hillside closets, when panels need electrical upgrades, or when salt corrosion has spread past a single coil into the compressor. Whatever the job, you get a written price before any work starts. No exceptions.
Neighborhoods We Serve in Berkeley
We cover the entire city, from the flatlands to the ridgeline. Response time across Berkeley is typically same-day for repairs, and we schedule maintenance visits within the week. Neighborhoods we regularly work in include:
- West Berkeley
- Berkeley Hills
- North Berkeley
- Elmwood
- South Berkeley
Service Area – Cities Near Berkeley
Our Berkeley crews also cover several nearby cities. If you’re across the border, we can often reach you the same day. We serve Oakland, CA, Alameda, CA, Richmond, CA, and parts of San Francisco, CA. Scheduling is coordinated from the San Francisco Bay Area office, and crews assigned to Berkeley are local to the East Bay.
Serving Berkeley, CA - Our Local Coverage Area
We’re based in the Berkeley area and know this community well. Use the map below to see our service coverage - if you’re nearby, we can almost certainly help.
FAQs About HVAC Company in Berkeley
Most Berkeley repair calls get a same-day visit. If you call before noon, we can usually have a technician at your door that afternoon. Emergency calls and nights go through the same live line: (559) 245-8807.
Most repairs and replacements do not require a permit, but certain seismic bracing upgrades in the Berkeley Hills and equipment changes tied to energy-efficiency ordinances may. We’ll tell you if your job needs one before any work begins.
Spring or early fall both work. The goal is to catch corrosion from the wet, salty winter air before the first heat spike, and to avoid the fall rush when furnaces start cycling on again. Maintenance visits run $80 to $200.
What happens when you call
- 1A real person answersNo phone trees - talk to a local hvac pro.
- 2You get an upfront price rangeHonest numbers before anyone is dispatched. No surprises.
- 3We come out and measureLicensed & insured, at a time that suits you - the visit and the quote are both free.
- 4You get the price in writingLine-itemed, yours to keep, and nothing starts until you say go.
What Berkeley Customers Say
"Furnace short cycled all winter. He found a dirty flame sensor and cleaned it. Twenty minutes and a small bill."
- George Q."Replaced our 18-year-old AC with a new high efficiency one. Gave three options with real numbers and did not push the priciest."
- Elena V."Knowing a vetted tech was coming into my house made a difference. Name and photo texted ahead, shoe covers, polite, and thorough with explaining."
- Tina M.