J&J's Heating & Air ConditioningFireplaces and HVAC, Lic. #1086420 Español (805) 699-1112
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Family owned, serving Montecito

Fireplace and HVAC installation for Montecito homes.

Homes here often have large rooms and original masonry, and they deal with salt air, fire season and neighbors who notice noise. We design fireplaces and whole home systems for Montecito together, so the equipment stays out of sight, and we work alongside your architect, designer or house manager.

Call (805) 699-1112
5.0 ★ 95 Google reviews5.0 ★ 26 Yelp reviewsFree estimatesFlat rate pricingLic. #1086420In the trade since 2016
Gas logs burning in a small arched plaster fireplace with a rounded hearth, set between an arched glass door and French doors
Quick facts

What we do in Montecito.

We're a family owned Santa Barbara company, Lic. #1086420, and we install and service fireplaces, heating and air in Montecito.

Where
Montecito, including the foothills and the Coast Village and Upper Village areas
Permits and inspections
County of Santa Barbara Planning and Development (Montecito is unincorporated); exterior changes may go through Montecito design review
Common in town
Large single family homes, estates with guest houses, original masonry fireplaces
Often a good fit
Concealed ducts with slot diffusers, linear gas fireplaces, MERV 13 filtration, outdoor fire features
Estimates
Free, with flat rate pricing
Our work

Recent work.

Some of our jobs around Santa Barbara County. We do the same planning for Montecito homes.

A gas fireplace burning in a grey plaster surround with a raised hearth in a living room
A gas fireplace in a grey plaster surround.
A steel fire bowl filled with lava rock beside a pool with the ocean beyond
A steel fire bowl beside a pool.
A framed room with a fireplace and vent pipe installed in the far wall before drywall
A framed room with the vent in place before drywall.

Want work like this in your home?

Text us a photo of the room or the unit and we'll tell you what it takes.

Call (805) 699-1112Text us a photo
Local know how

What Montecito homes need.

The homes are large, the details matter and the neighbors are close enough to hear a loud condenser. These are the things we plan around.

  • Cleaner air in fire season

    We size systems to run MERV 13 or higher filters, the level the EPA recommends for wildfire smoke, with HEPA options for bedrooms. Good filtration depends on good duct design, so we plan both together.

  • Quiet and out of sight

    Ducts go above the ceiling, air arrives through slot diffusers instead of grilles, and outdoor units are placed and screened away from terraces, bedrooms and property lines.

  • Original fireplaces

    Liners, gas conversions, log sets and inserts for original masonry fireplaces, inspected by a CSIA Certified Chimney Sweep. New linear gas fireplaces get the gas line and sealed vent planned before framing.

  • Outdoor living

    Fire bowls, fire pits and outdoor fireplaces near pools and terraces need gas lines, clearances and permits worked out in advance. We coordinate that with the rest of the landscape and hardscape plan.

Codes and rules

Codes we work to in Montecito.

The County of Santa Barbara issues the permits in Montecito, and the rules change. We checked these rules in October 2026. The building department has the final say, and we check what applies to your address when we write your proposal.

Who permits the work

Montecito is unincorporated, so permits and inspections come from the County of Santa Barbara Planning and Development. Exterior equipment may also fall under Montecito design review depending on the property and placement, so we coordinate location early. California also requires HERS duct testing on most system changes, and we schedule it.

  • Montecito Fire Protection District: 2025 fire code

    The district adopted Ordinance 2025-02 on November 17, 2025, bringing in the 2025 California Fire Code with local amendments. For remodels, three rules matter most. Fire sprinklers are required in all new buildings and in larger additions (50% or more added floor area, or 1,000 square feet or more). New roofs must be noncombustible or Class A. And the district regulates open burning, recreational fires and portable outdoor fireplaces, and can ban them when conditions are hazardous.

    Source: Montecito Fire Protection District: fire code

  • Defensible space and vegetation

    Under state law and the district's code, vegetation around buildings and driveways must be maintained. We plan outdoor fire bowls, pits and fireplaces with clearances and the fire district's rules in mind, and we tell you early if a location will not work.

  • County permits, and design review for exterior work

    Montecito is unincorporated, so building permits come from the County of Santa Barbara Planning and Development. Exterior equipment may also fall under Montecito design review depending on the property and placement. The county has also been considering limits on gas in new construction, additions and major remodels, so we check the current rule before we design a fireplace for a major project.

    Source: Santa Barbara County story on gas in new construction (Santa Maria Times)

  • Statewide rules apply in Montecito too

    Any furnace, heat pump or duct change falls under the California Energy Code. That means a permit and a duct test by an outside tester. Homes with gas appliances also need carbon monoxide alarms. Both are explained on the service areas page.

Where we work

Nearby towns we serve.

We work the coast from Goleta to Carpinteria, and up the valley.

Every service in Montecito

Fireplaces in Montecito

Heating and air in Montecito

Fire

We plan the fireplace behind the wall first.

Fireplaces and chimney care →Air

Heating and air that stays out of sight.

Heating and air conditioning →
Before you call

Useful reading for Montecito homeowners.

Free to read and use.

Questions

Common questions.

Anything else, call or text me.

Do you work with architects, designers and house managers?

Yes, often. Bring us in at schematic design and we'll help size units and route venting and ducts before framing. We also coordinate access and schedule with house managers.

Does outdoor HVAC equipment need design review in Montecito?

It may, depending on the property and where the unit goes. We plan placement early and confirm what's required before we order equipment.

How do you handle wildfire smoke and air quality?

We design around MERV 13 or higher filtration, the level the EPA recommends for smoke, and can add HEPA for bedrooms. The duct system has to be sized to move air through those filters.

Can an old masonry fireplace be converted to gas?

Often. We inspect the firebox and flue first, then recommend a liner, gas logs, an insert or a repair depending on its condition. We confirm current local rules when we write your proposal.

Contact

Call or text Jeremy.

Tell me about the room or the system and we'll set up a free estimate. For a repair, text me a photo of the unit first. It often saves a trip.

(805) 699-1112
Text (805) 699-1112

Texting is optional. We only use your number to reply about your request. Message and data rates from your carrier may apply.

Address
511 E Gutierrez St, Santa Barbara, CA 93103
Hours
Call or text to schedule. After-hours appointments when a technician is available.
Estimates
Free, with flat rate pricing
Serving
Santa Barbara County: Santa Barbara, Goleta, Hope Ranch, Montecito, Summerland, Carpinteria, Santa Ynez, Solvang and Buellton
License
CSLB Lic. #1086420 (C-20), active. Workers' comp insurance on file with the CSLB.
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