What Pasadena Water and Power pays
These amounts come from the heat pump rebate page of Pasadena Water and Power (PWP), which we read on October 2, 2026. Only residential PWP electric customers qualify, and the unit must be rated at least 15.3 SEER2 and 7.8 HSPF2.
Base rebate
For a ducted heat pump or a mini-split that meets the efficiency minimums. Tons are the size of the system, and your installer sets that number.
Bought in Pasadena
Added when you buy the unit from a seller in Pasadena.
Bill Payment Assistance
For customers enrolled in PWP's income-qualified Bill Payment Assistance program when they apply.
Limit
Units per 10 years. A home with several wall heaters can use the ductless allowance.
What that looks like in dollars
A 3-ton system earns 3 x $170 = $510. Buying it in Pasadena adds $60. A customer on Bill Payment Assistance gets another $510 on top of the base amount. PWP does not say whether the local $20 and the assistance bonus stack, so ask them before you count both.
How Pasadena compares with its neighbors
Glendale pays $1,000 per ton, up to $5,000, when a heat pump replaces a gas furnace (see Glendale heat pump rebates). Burbank pays $1,000 per ton up to $2,500 for the same swap (Burbank), and LADWP pays up to $2,500 per ton in Los Angeles. Pasadena's $170 is the lowest of the four.
That is not an error on our side. Each of these cities runs its own electric utility and sets its own amount. If PWP bills you, PWP's number applies, whatever a Glendale installer's flyer says.
Your utility: Pasadena Water and Power
PWP is the city's own electric utility. The rebate is only for PWP electric customers, and a Pasadena mailing address does not guarantee that, so check the name on your electric bill before you plan around it. Neighboring communities can have a different utility.
PWP is also who you call about service capacity if your installer says the panel needs work. We found no PWP rebate for a panel upgrade. Glendale pays $1,000 for one when it comes with a heat pump, so the gap matters if your home has an older, smaller panel. PWP's Bill Payment Assistance page explains who qualifies for the bonus.
Do you need a cold-climate model in Pasadena?
No. Over the winters of 2015 to 2024, Pasadena's average January low was 7.5°C (about 45°F), and the coldest day in that stretch reached -1°C (about 30°F). Any heat pump that meets PWP's efficiency minimums handles that without strain. The cold-climate listings that matter in places like Kitchener or Kelowna do not apply here.
It means your money should go to getting the size and the ducts right, not to a premium cold-weather model. A unit that is too big switches on and off all day and wears out sooner. Ask your installer to show how they chose the tonnage.
What the swap involves in an older Pasadena home
Many Pasadena houses were built long before central air was common. Some have a gas furnace and old ducts, others have wall furnaces and no ducts at all. A ducted heat pump can reuse good ducts. If the ducts are leaky or missing, a ductless mini-split often makes more sense, and the PWP limit of three ductless units per 10 years leaves room for it.
Permits go through the City of Pasadena Permit Center at 175 North Garfield Avenue. Ask your installer who pulls the permit and whether the quote includes it. PWP checks the installation when it reviews your rebate, so the paperwork needs to match the unit that was installed.
The federal tax credit no longer applies
PWP's rebate page still mentions a federal tax credit of up to $300 for an ENERGY STAR heat pump. That credit, known as 25C, ended for spending after December 31, 2025, so do not count it for a 2026 install. Statewide heat pump help from TECH Clean California and the federal HEEHRA program is fully reserved and takes new requests on hold only. For most Pasadena homeowners the PWP rebate is the only heat pump money available right now.
Installers in Pasadena
These Pasadena-area heat pump and HVAC companies have the best Google ratings, listed by rating and then review count. We are not paid to list anyone. Ask each one for the tonnage, the SEER2 and HSPF2 numbers, the AHRI certificate and who pulls the permit.
How to claim the PWP rebate
- Check that PWP is your electric utility. The name is on your electric bill.
- Choose a heat pump rated at least 15.3 SEER2 and 7.8 HSPF2, and ask your installer for the AHRI certificate that proves it.
- Have it installed under a City of Pasadena permit. PWP pays after the install, so nothing needs approval before work starts.
- Log in to your PWP account and choose Apply for Rebate. Upload the paid invoice showing the model number, purchase and install dates, SEER2 and HSPF2 proof, tons installed and the AHRI certificate.
- Apply within 180 days of the purchase date.
- PWP says the rebate check arrives 6 to 8 weeks after approval.
Common questions
How much is the heat pump rebate in Pasadena?
PWP pays $170 per ton, plus $20 per ton if you buy in Pasadena and $170 more per ton for customers on Bill Payment Assistance. A 3-ton system earns $510 at the base rate.
Will a heat pump keep a Pasadena house warm in winter?
Yes. The average January low over the last ten winters was 7.5°C, and the coldest recorded day in that period was -1°C. A standard heat pump that meets PWP's ratings is enough.
Do I need approval from PWP before the install?
No. PWP pays after the install, and you apply within 180 days of buying the unit. The City permit is separate and comes first.
Does PWP pay for a panel upgrade?
We found no PWP panel upgrade rebate. Glendale's utility pays $1,000 for one with a heat pump, but that does not apply to PWP customers. Ask your installer early whether your panel needs work.
I have a Pasadena address. Do I qualify?
Only if PWP is your electric utility. The rebate is for residential PWP electric customers, so check your electric bill.
Can I still claim the federal heat pump tax credit?
Not for a 2026 install. The 25C credit ended for spending after December 31, 2025, even though PWP's page still mentions it.
What to do next
See every program PWP runs on the PWP residential rebates page, or compare all Pasadena rebates on our Pasadena hub.
By Sam Menard. Sources, last read October 2, 2026: PWP heat pump rebate, PWP residential rebates and programs, PWP Bill Payment Assistance, City of Pasadena Permit Center. All Pasadena rebates → Every Pasadena Water and Power rebate →