When are heat pump permits needed?

[JohnL]

Lots of folks seem to be self-installing heat pumps, including Will's most recent video.
Aren't permits needed for HVAC work? If not, when are heat pump permits needed?
I see conflicting answers online.
I'm sure it varies by state/county, just curious how you all are handling this.

I'm in California, and have an off-grid ground-array solar system (ie doesn't need permits), and was curious what on or off grid matters for adding a heat pump myself.

 

[Crowz]

In Alabama you can do anything you want HVAC wise to your own stuff just not others. No permits required.

 

[Madcodger]

No way for any of us to know about requirements where you live. Just call your local code enforcement office at the town or county.

 

[timselectric]

The sayings are
Don't ask, don't tell.
What they don't know, won't hurt me.
I'd rather ask for forgiveness, than permission.

If your neighbors aren't assholes, inspectors, or HVAC technicians. And you are comfortable doing it yourself. Then, I would say go for it.

 

[OffGridForGood]

If your neighbors aren't assholes

The only time I ever had to deal with 'unpermitted' work on a house, it was the neighour that ratted me out - expanded a backyard deck a bit wider without permits, inspector showed up a few days later.
One of the reasons I left the City life for Rural.

 

[timselectric]

I've only pulled one permit at my current property.
A building permit for a garage, because it was easily seen being built from the street. Just for the shell of the building. "It's just for parking cars in" is what the inspector was told.
Afterwards, no permits for the electrical, water, gas, or interior finishes.

 

[Shimmy]

In California if the space was conditioned (part of the insulated area of the building) then permitting was limited. If you are adding a heat pump to unconditioned space like a garage then it would be needed. Replacing a residential furnace with heat pump would not require a permit in most cities. This is a few code cycles out of date though, not 100% on current requirements.

 

[OffGridForGood]

I accept the permitting process for safety, but I reject it when it is solely being used to generate revenue.

 

[Madcodger]

There's also the questions of insurance coverage and resale. If something goes wrong and there was no permit (in an area where required), that's a great excuse to deny coverage, even if your work wasn't the fault (you'd likely have to prove it, which could be tough). Then for resale, you don't want issues during or after the sale.

I personally enjoy living in an area where permits aren't even possible for most work (the AHJ doesn't even issue them for most types of work). The only areas where that seems to be a problem are propane (stoves, furnaces, etc. - not barbecue grills) and chimney work. The former should always require an inspection, in my view, and the latter is usually because people aren't doing proper cleaning and maintenance.

 

[SparkyJJO]

At my old place I ripped out a fuel oil furnace with no AC and replaced it with a propane fired dual stage furnace with a dual stage heat pump. I relocated the furnace in the basement to centralize it for better efficiency, ran all new gas piping because none existed in the house, etc.

Did I pull a permit? No. Did I need one? Heck if I know, it was out in the country, and I didn't even think to check ?‍

 

[740GLE]

Easier option is just move out of California, seems like the thing to do these days.

I hear Texas is a good place to move too ?

 

[740GLE]

The only areas where that seems to be a problem are propane (stoves, furnaces, etc. - not barbecue grills) and chimney work. The former should always require an inspection, in my view, and the latter is usually because people aren't doing proper cleaning and maintenance.

By inspection of propane work you mean the soapy water test? Then routine monthly sniff test right?

Flaring copper is so straight forward and just add another quarter turn to stop the soapy bubbles. ?

 

[Madcodger]

If people would actually do a soapy water test, that would be great. Too often, they do not. The result can be catastrophic. Leaked propane in an enclosed space is a bomb ready to ignite, and if you've ever seen the aftermath, you become a fan of installation by a qualified person, or inspection of homeowner work, before an appliance is put into service, which is what I'd suggest.

 

[Zwy]

Lots of folks seem to be self-installing heat pumps, including Will's most recent video.
Aren't permits needed for HVAC work? If not, when are heat pump permits needed?
I see conflicting answers online.
I'm sure it varies by state/county, just curious how you all are handling this.

I'm in California, and have an off-grid ground-array solar system (ie doesn't need permits), and was curious what on or off grid matters for adding a heat pump myself.

In many parts of the country, you can work on your own HVAC, electrical, basically anything on your home. The only time a permit is needed is a building permit in a town to show where the building will be located inside the property lines to ensure proper setback from a street corner or adjoining property. No other restrictions apply.

If your buddy wants some help installing something like a mini split and you help without pay, then you won't need a license. The key is whether you receive compensation for the work. Even at the federal level under Sections 608 and 609 of the Clean Air Act, the exclusion is compensation for the work, if you are getting paid for the work, then you need the certification.

 

[schmism]

In many parts of the country, you can work on your own HVAC, electrical, basically anything on your home. The only time a permit is needed is a building permit in a town to show where the building will be located inside the property lines to ensure proper setback from a street corner or adjoining property. No other restrictions apply.

Most municipalities want permits pulled for "major work"... want to gut the inside of your house are redo all the bathrooms/kitchen etc. Going to need plumbing/electrical/HVAC etc permits.

Most locations will attempt to have some sort of defining metric. Some sort of "is this maintenance or upgrades" Typically this has to do with value of the work compared to the value of the property. So if your increasing the value of the structure by more than 25% then many/most are likely to want permits/inspections for that work as it is likely more than just "maintenance" .

I've heard some municipalities want electrical permit pulled for any work that requires work in the main electrical panel. This allows the typical homeowner to put in ceiling fans or swap out light fixtures etc. without a permit, however adding an extra circuit for something, likely needs an electrical permit/inspection.

 

[SparkyJJO]

And some places want a permit if you're simply changing a light switch. (I really wonder how many people actually do that...)

 

[agarg]

In California if the space was conditioned (part of the insulated area of the building) then permitting was limited. If you are adding a heat pump to unconditioned space like a garage then it would be needed. Replacing a residential furnace with heat pump would not require a permit in most cities. This is a few code cycles out of date though, not 100% on current requirements.

California does not allow air conditioner or heat pump in non insulated spaces (e.g Garage as the floor has no insulation). People just install a mini-split without permit and heard from someone nearby that no one cares.

I have replaced a whole house air condition and gas furnace with a heat pump. The permit was easy and simple. I placed all the refrigerant into the compressor and then ordered a large item pickup and it was very easy. They did want to note down if the R-22 has been placed into the compressor. The inspector did not allow liquid tight flex as the distance was over 6 ft to the outdoor unit, even though it was in a trench but had no trouble approving a schedule 40.

 

[agarg]

And some places want a permit if you're simply changing a light switch. (I really wonder how many people actually do that...)

In my locality(CA), they want to know when we are adding loads such as receptacles or breakers on the load center with new branch (even if it is split). But they are very friendly to work with. After inspection they do take picture of the load center to keep in the records.

 

[Farm Boy]

A license HVAC tech usually knows if a permit needs pulled in the area before he installs the unit.

 

[Oldphile]

A few years ago I had a heat pump installed in the garage loft without a permit. Last year I had a Sol-Ark installed in that space. The inspector said nothing about the unpermitted heat pump when he inspected the solar installation.