This is an illustrative walkthrough of a ducted heat pump installation day in DC. It isn’t a record of any real job, and it isn’t a promise of a one-day schedule. It follows the usual order: permit and access, removal, installation, refrigerant work, startup and handover. At Perennial DC Heat Pumps we install ducted systems across Washington, DC; use this sequence to settle your questions with us before work starts.
Is everything approved before the big day?
It should be. Before the date, the DC Department of Buildings mechanical or refrigeration permit should be issued; the listed fee for an instant mechanical permit up to 10 tons is $50.60. New circuits need an electrical permit, $22 for the instant general electrical permit, and a heavy-up needs its own $64.90 permit plus Pepco coordination, as our electrical guide explains.
Check the final equipment list against the quote checklist: exact models, the line-set decision, backup size and any duct work. In this illustrative case, the route runs through a front door, a hallway and basement stairs to the air handler. A condo would add elevator booking and management sign-off. We confirm with you which arrangements apply to your job.
How do you get the house ready?
Clear the path to the indoor unit, the outdoor location and the electrical panel, and move anything fragile off those routes. Ask us how floors and finishes will be protected and what restoration is included if a wall or ceiling has to be opened for a line set or return.
Plan pets and work-from-home space around the work areas, since doors may stay open and power may be off for stretches. If the air handler sits in a bedroom closet, empty that closet. Our air-handler page explains why service access matters after installation too, so stored items shouldn’t go back in front of the cabinet.
How long will you be without heat or power?
Heating or cooling is off from removal until startup, and power to the equipment circuits is off while connections are made. A heavy-up cuts power to the whole house until Pepco reconnects the service. We tell you how long each interruption is expected to last and what decides it.
In a shared building, anything that affects common systems, feeders or riser space needs management’s authorization in advance. Our condo guide and commercial scope page cover who controls what. If you need temporary heat or cooling, we agree it with you up front.
What happens between removal and startup?
An illustrative sequence: the old refrigerant is recovered under EPA Section 608 rules; the old outdoor unit, coil or air handler is disconnected and removed; the new pad or bracket and the new air handler are set; and the line set is reused or replaced. Then comes the refrigerant work that decides long-term reliability.
That work has three separate steps: brazed joints are pressure-tested with nitrogen to find leaks, the circuit is evacuated with a vacuum pump to the micron level the manufacturer specifies, and the system is charged by weight and verified by the method in the instructions. Our refrigerant guide explains the A2L safety provisions newer systems add. This page isn’t a work instruction.
If a hidden condition changes the scope, such as a line set that fails its pressure test, we show you the condition and the price, and you approve it before more work goes ahead. Our replacement page explains the common reuse decisions.
What should you have in hand before you sign off?
Before signing off, collect: model and serial numbers for both units, the AHRI certificate, the refrigerant type and total charge, the pressure-test and evacuation readings, measured airflow, thermostat configuration, the permit, the paid itemized invoice and the manuals. For a gas conversion, also keep whatever proof of fuel-system removal DCSEU accepts.
Those records feed the DCSEU application, which DCSEU asks to receive within 30 days of installation; our rebate guide lists the full set. The controls guide separates your settings from installer ones, and the first-week article covers what to log next. When you’re ready to plan a project, request an estimate and tell us your access limits and goals.
Questions before you decide
Does this walkthrough describe a completed Perennial installation?
No. It's an illustrative planning sequence. It doesn't describe any property, job, project history or fixed completion time.
Who decides whether an unexpected condition changes the work?
Your contract does. Ours names the condition, such as a line set that fails its pressure test, the price or how it will be priced, and that you sign off before the extra work starts.
Can startup checks depend on the season?
Yes. Heating performance is hard to verify on a hot day and cooling on a cold one. We note which modes were tested at startup and when the remaining mode will be checked.