Eichler homes are a distinct branch of Modernist architecture that originated in Sunnyvale. Joseph Eichler built over 10,000 of these homes in Northern California and over 900 in Southern California from 1947 to 1974.
Eichler homes have a timeless design, focused on minimalism, functionality, and natural light – “bringing the outside in”. Many of these homes feature glass walls, ceiling to floor windows, post-and-beam construction, open floorplans, and atriums in the middle of the home.
San Mateo has two Eichler neighborhoods – the San Mateo Highlands and 19th Avenue Park.
The Highlands was Jospeh Eichler’s single largest development ever, with over 650 homes built in San Mateo’s coastal hills from 1953 to 1965. The Highlands Eichlers are located on Lexington Avenue, Monticello Road, Yorktown Road, Bunker Hill Drive, Ticonderoga Drive, New Brunswick Drive, Allegheny Way, Brandywine Road, and Tarrytown Street and cul-de-sacs and roads branching off from these.
For the San Mateo Highlands, Jospeh Eichler used his main three architectural teams – Claude Oakland, Jones & Emmons, and Anshen + Allen. Among the 650+ homes are a mix of single story homes with atriums and courtyards, and two-story homes.
Two special homes were built in The Highlands: The steel-framed X-100 house designed by Jones & Emmons, and The Life House, designed by Pietro Belluschi (in collaboration by Jones & Emmons). Built in 1958, The Life House, was commissioned by Life Magazine as part of an article they published on affordable housing. The same design used on The Life House design was built in Stanford in 1959.
Fun Fact: The X-100 home designed by Jones & Emmons, was one of two steel-frame Eichlers ever built. This home was intended to be an exhibition house to attract buyers to the Highlands.
The second San Mateo Eichler neighborhood, 19th Avenue Park, is a compact neighborhood in the middle of San Mateo. This tract has over 200 Eichler homes that were built in the mid-1950s. These are smaller homes on normal sized lots. The 19th Avenue Park neighborhood is bordered by South Delaware Street, Concar Drive, South Grant Street, and Leslie Creek on the northwest side.
Why Eichler Homes Require Ductless HVAC
Eichler homes have a distinctive design, using open-room space, floor to ceiling floor windows, glass transoms, outside courtyards, atria, and walk-out patios. The Eichler style is often referred to as mid-century modern or post-WWII modern architecture.
One big difference between Joseph Eichler’s homes and traditional ranch homes is the lack of ductwork that central air conditioning systems rely upon. Central air conditioning is not a viable option because adding ductwork to an Eichler home would destroy the entire effect of the open design and architecture.
This is why Ventwerx HVAC relies on ductless heating and cooling, which uses mounted air handlers to redistribute heated or cooled air. These “mini-split” systems heat and cool different “zones” in the home, redistributing heat energy using a heat pump. Ductless systems use thin insulated refrigerant lines to move the thermal energy, instead of bulky, space-consuming ductwork. This makes ductless HVAC an unobtrusive choice for Eichler homes in San Mateo and the Peninsula.
Ventwerx Has Unparalleled Experience in Eichler HVAC Installation
If you own an Eichler home, why should you choose Ventwerx HVAC to install your mini-split heating and cooling system? Simply put, our team has more experience installing ductless mini-splits in Eichler homes than any other Bay Area HVAC company.
Our key team members have been together for well over ten years. We’ve established tight working relationships with roofing and electrical companies in San Mateo. Our HVAC team has an established process for installing your mini-split AC system, without damaging your roof, your electrical, or any other aspect of your Eichler home.
We’ve been a member of the Eichler Network for many years, and we’re a preferred HVAC contractor for Eichler homes. These are compelling reasons why Ventwerx HVAC is the premier choice for ductless mini-split installation in Bay Area Eichler homes.
Eichler HVAC Installation for San Mateo and the Bay Area
Eichler homes are known for their timeless, beautiful, modern architectural design. Eichlers were designed without traditional ductwork, so installing a ductless HVAC system is the practical solution to add air conditioning without altering the original architecture.
Ventwerx HVAC is a specialist in San Mateo Eichler ductless air conditioning installation. We’ve done more Eichler HVAC installations than anyone else in the South Bay. Our team knows how to install ductless heating and cooling in your mid-century home without compromising any of your home’s beauty.
If you would like a consultation for installing ductless HVAC on your San Mateo Eichler home, contact us via our website.