HVAC · Melrose, MA

HVAC in Melrose, Massachusetts

What applies to this work in Melrose, Middlesex County: Mass Save, rebates and financing, and the permit. Then the contractors serving the town.

30 contractors serving Melrose.

Is Melrose in Mass Save?

Yes. Melrose gets its electricity from National Grid, not from a municipal light plant, so homes in Melrose are in the Mass Save program. Its natural gas comes from National Grid (the state's list), also a Mass Save sponsor.

Melrose is not on the state's list of municipal light plants. Mass Save is not statewide: 41 light plants serve all or part of 50 municipalities, and homes on their electric service are outside its electric program (Mass Save in municipal light plant towns).

Heat pump rebates and financing in Melrose

A whole-home air source heat pump installed in Melrose in 2026 earns a Mass Save rebate of $2,650 per ton, up to $8,500; a partial-home system, with the old boiler or furnace kept as backup, earns $1,125 per ton, up to $8,500.

The whole-home rebate needs ENERGY STAR cold-climate equipment from the qualified product list, a contractor in the Mass Save Heat Pump Installer Network, and a home that is weatherized first. 70% of Melrose's homes were built before 1960 (Census ACS 2018-2022), so check the weatherization condition early.

Income-eligible households can get up to $16,000 for a whole-home system.

The HEAT Loan finances heat pumps at 0% interest, up to $25,000 over the life of your Mass Save upgrades.

There is no federal tax credit to add: the IRS says the energy efficient home improvement credit (25C) is not allowed for any property placed in service after December 31, 2025.

Do you need a permit for a heat pump, furnace, boiler or AC in Melrose?

Yes, and which permits depends on the equipment. A gas furnace or boiler needs a gas-fitting permit, which only a licensed plumber or gas fitter can pull. A heat pump burns no fuel, so it needs no gas permit; its wiring needs an electrical permit filed by a licensed electrician, and the equipment a building or mechanical permit from Melrose, usually pulled by the contractor.

permits.llc carries the rules: its Massachusetts guide to furnace, boiler and AC permits, its guide to permits for a ductless mini split, and the Melrose Building Department page, with the department's contact and portal.

How many permits for heating or cooling work are filed in Melrose?

314 permits filed in Melrose from October 2025 through September 2026 mention heating or cooling work.

That counts the permits whose description or permit type names the work; nearly all of Melrose's building, mechanical, sheet metal and gas permits in that period describe the work.

Source: Melrose's permit filings on permits.llc, counted October 2026.

Permits per month in Melrose that mention heating or cooling work
19Oct36Nov27Dec19Jan31Feb19Mar22Apr15May26Jun24Jul26Aug50Sep

October 2025 to September 2026. Months with fewer than 3 permits are not shown.

Contractors serving Melrose

Claimed listings within 5 miles come first, then the rest by rating, then distance. Google ratings as of October 2026. How we list and rank contractors

Common questions about HVAC in Melrose

Is Melrose in Mass Save?
Yes. Melrose gets its electricity from National Grid, not from a municipal light plant, so homes in Melrose are in the Mass Save program. Its natural gas comes from National Grid (the state's list), also a Mass Save sponsor.
How much is the Mass Save heat pump rebate in Melrose?
A whole-home air source heat pump installed in Melrose in 2026 earns a Mass Save rebate of $2,650 per ton, up to $8,500; a partial-home system, with the old boiler or furnace kept as backup, earns $1,125 per ton, up to $8,500.
Can I finance a heat pump in Melrose with the HEAT Loan?
Yes. There is no federal tax credit to add: the IRS says the energy efficient home improvement credit (25C) is not allowed for any property placed in service after December 31, 2025.
Is there a federal tax credit for a heat pump installed in Melrose in 2026?
No. The IRS says the federal energy efficient home improvement credit (25C) is not allowed for any property placed in service after December 31, 2025, so a heat pump installed in 2026 gets no federal credit.
Do you need a permit for a heat pump, furnace, boiler or AC in Melrose?
Yes, and which permits depends on the equipment. A gas furnace or boiler needs a gas-fitting permit, which only a licensed plumber or gas fitter can pull. A heat pump burns no fuel, so it needs no gas permit; its wiring needs an electrical permit filed by a licensed electrician, and the equipment a building or mechanical permit from Melrose, usually pulled by the contractor.