A heat-pump model changed: protect the rebate’s equipment record

Compare the approved system with the delivered system

A saved California Reddit post alleges that an installer supplied a nonqualifying heat pump after representing that the project qualified for HEEHRA. The account is not an adjudicated finding against the contractor. It identifies the practical problem this guide addresses: matching the equipment promised, approved and actually installed.

A substitution can affect eligibility even when the replacement has the same brand, nominal size and product family. Start with the exact model numbers in the approval, contract and delivery documents. For a split system, record the indoor unit, outdoor unit and any other component the rated combination specifies.

This review concerns the evidence supporting an existing incentive. As of October 3, 2026, HEEHRA is closed to new reservations. An equipment check cannot create funding for an unreserved project or turn a historical approval into permission to change equipment without review.

Source: Contractor installed non- qualifying unit - California Tech Clean - HEERA Rebate · TECH Clean California: current HEEHRA closure, reservations, stacking and payment

Request the matched-system AHRI certificate

The Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI) certifies performance for matched split systems, rather than treating each unit’s efficiency claim as the performance of every possible combination. Its directory assigns a Certified Reference Number and can generate a Certificate of Product Ratings for the listed match. Request the record for the actual indoor and outdoor combination being supplied.

Compare the certificate’s model identifiers and ratings with the program’s requirements. For single-family heat pump HVAC, TECH’s HEEHRA page lists two-speed or variable-speed ENERGY STAR certified heat pumps. Confirm that the actual substituted combination meets that criterion, not only that the outdoor product family does. An AHRI certificate is evidence of certified performance; it is not by itself a rebate award or proof that every program condition is met. Where a program uses its own qualifying-products list or additional criteria, check those separately and save the relevant version.

Source: AHRI: certified matched systems and Certificate of Product Ratings · TECH Clean California: current HEEHRA closure, reservations, stacking and payment

Resolve the substitution before the equipment is installed

Illustrative scenario: the approved outdoor unit is available, but the specified indoor unit is replaced because of a stock shortage. A brochure for the outdoor product family cannot show the new combination’s rating. Request the proposed match, its supporting certificate or required program record, and written confirmation of any necessary reservation change before accepting the substitute.

Have the contractor compare the approved and proposed model schedule side by side. The owner should receive a clear statement of any change to performance, price, schedule or incentive assumptions. A verbal statement that the substitute is “equivalent” leaves the claim reviewer without the identifiers needed to verify the installation.

Distinguish missing documentation from an ineligible installation

A missing certificate may be a documentation problem if the installed combination is a valid qualifying match. A combination that does not meet the program criteria is a different problem; relabeling an invoice cannot make it eligible. Obtain the administrator’s reason for a rejection before deciding whether a corrected document or a project change is needed.

Keep the original records and clearly identify corrected versions. Request legible equipment-label photographs and reconcile them with the final invoice, approved model schedule and claim. Do not silently replace an earlier model number in a file or imply that a different unit was installed.

Coordinate the incentive and electrical reviews

The rebate check does not approve the electrical installation. A qualified contractor must separately review the substitute’s electrical requirements, protective devices, controls and permit implications. Keep that technical review referenced in the change record, while this guide’s model schedule establishes which equipment the incentive claim describes.

At closeout, retain the final matched-system record, approved changes, delivery and installed-model evidence, and claim receipt. Assign responsibility for obtaining each document before the equipment order becomes difficult to reverse. That keeps the owner from having to reconstruct the approved combination after the claim has been questioned.

Put it into practice

A decision table to keep handy