You can get ready for our heat pump survey in under an hour without opening anything: photograph the equipment nameplates, gather twelve months of Pepco and Washington Gas bills, note the main breaker size, list the rooms that are uncomfortable, and write down any approval or access limits you know about. At Perennial DC Heat Pumps we install ducted systems across Washington, DC, and a short brief like that lets us spend the visit measuring.
What should you photograph before we come?
Photograph every nameplate you can read from a normal standing position: the outdoor unit, the furnace or air handler label visible on the cabinet, and the thermostat. The outdoor label shows the model, the refrigerant type and the electrical requirements. Add past service invoices and the original installation paperwork if you have them.
Who owns what matters as much as model numbers. In a condo, find out whether your unit has its own outdoor equipment or a share of a building system, and who approves changes to exterior walls, roofs and electrical feeders. Our condo guide explains the difference. Share any earlier diagnosis as background; we check it ourselves on the visit.
Which rooms bother you, and when?
Describe problems by room, season and time. “Third-floor rear bedroom is 5°F warmer than downstairs on July afternoons” tells us far more than “upstairs is bad.” Note whether closed doors, occupancy or schedules change it, and leave the settings alone in the days before the visit.
List building changes, done or firmly planned: an addition, insulation, new windows, a finished basement. Each changes the heat loss at ENERGY STAR’s 14°F DC design temperature, which our sizing guide explains. The ductwork page covers why one room can lag while the system as a whole has enough capacity.
Outdoor photos, bills and your breaker size
Photograph where the outdoor unit sits, the route between it and the indoor equipment, and anything that limits it, such as a narrow side passage, a roof-only location or a front yard. Take the photos from the ground and from inside; don’t climb or remove guards.
Twelve months of bills show your heating and cooling use by season. Our running-cost guide shows how to price kWh and therms with the OPC calculator components, about $15.40 per 100 kWh and $149 per 100 therms before riders and taxes. Share the usage pages, not account logins or payment details.
Note the main breaker size printed on the panel door or main breaker handle, without opening the panel. Our electrical guide explains why we still run a load calculation before saying whether your service has room.
Tight stairs, condo rules or a historic district?
Tell us what you already know: narrow stairs, locked common areas, elevator rules, roof access, a parking or loading problem. Note whether the property is in a historic district or a landmark, since exterior equipment changes there go through Historic Preservation Office review, and in Georgetown also the Commission of Fine Arts. Our historic-property guide explains how we check the address.
Many DC front yards between the property line and the sidewalk are public space, and equipment there needs a DDOT public space permit. If you’re not sure where your property line runs, say so. In a shared building, get the management’s alteration rules in writing.
Questions worth asking us on the visit
Bring your questions: What is the heat loss at 14°F? What output does the proposed system have at 14°F? Can the existing ducts and returns carry the airflow? Does the service need a heavy-up? Which DCSEU tier applies? Our written estimate answers each one, and the quote checklist turns the answers into a comparison.
If you heat with gas, ask whether the project removes the furnace, since the current $4,000 and $5,000 DCSEU conversion tiers require proof the fuel system was removed; our rebate guide has the details. Use the project assessment tool to organize everything, then request an estimate. You don’t need to choose a capacity first; that’s our job.
Questions before you decide
What if I cannot find an equipment model safely?
Leave it blank. Don't remove panels, climb onto a roof or reach near a fan for a label. We read it on the visit with the right access, and the survey doesn't depend on it.
Should I reset the thermostat before a survey?
No. Keep your normal schedule and settings so we see the system as it usually runs. Note any recent changes instead, such as a new setback or a register you closed.
Do I need to know the required capacity before requesting an estimate?
No. Capacity comes from a room-by-room heat loss calculation at DC's 14°F design temperature, which we run. Your part is the property facts, bills and goals.