The best heating and cooling upgrade for Eichler homes? Quilt.

Clean lines, exposed post-and-beam construction, and floor-to-ceiling glass windows cement California’s beloved Eichler homes as timeless spaces that serve families across the Golden State. The design continues to inspire today.

Built throughout the 1950s and 60s, the appeal of these “California Moderns” has stood the test of time. As for their heating and cooling systems? Not so much. 

Joseph Eichler’s near-11,000 builds were originally equipped with hydronic radiant heating systems. The system relies on a boiler and pump that circulates hot water through a closed circuit of pipes buried in the home’s concrete slab, heating the home from the floor up. Warm floors were a delightful novelty that had homeowners encouraging their guests to take off their shoes to feel it for themselves. These systems were impressive during their initial debut and kept families comfortable, but over time, their virtues have fallen behind their failings. 

The major problems with a hydronic radiant heating system

It offers all or nothing heating

The system is either on or off, meaning the whole home will be heated when in use. This is a waste of energy and efficiency, especially when so many rooms go unoccupied throughout the day. 

Repair and maintenance are challenging

Since the pipes are embedded in the concrete bases of Eichlers, it can be difficult — and costly — to get in for maintenance. The positioning of the pipes also makes it tough to detect leaks to begin with. 

There’s no compatibility with cooling systems

Hydronic radiant heating systems are for heating and heating alone. Eichler probably didn’t have cooling on the brain because northern California temperatures were mild during his heyday. Plus, air conditioning wasn't a common feature in U.S. households until the 1970s. These days, a rise in temperatures and the desire for cool spaces has made AC a non-negotiable for most homeowners. Floor-to-ceiling windows make installing window-units impossible, and open floor plans pose problems for ducted central air. 

Temperature adjustments are slow

This heating system doesn’t adjust quickly; it takes more time for the concrete slab to warm up and cool down compared to forced-air systems. When the outside climate is unpredictable with sudden weather shifts, this can be pretty inconvenient and uncomfortable.

Why mini-splits are made for Eichler upgrades

Experts agree that mini-splits are the move when it comes to outfitting Eichlers with modern climate systems. Eichler homes that still run on their original radiant heating system can benefit from mini-splits, both for their cooling capabilities and as a back-up heating source. As for the homes with heating systems that have corroded — or for homeowners who want to transition to a more sustainable system that runs without gas — mini-split heat pumps provide heating and cooling all in one. 

Beyond their functional benefits, mini-splits respect and maintain the beautiful simplicity of Eichler homes. If you’re lucky enough to live in one, you’ve probably done some careful research about how to update its HVAC system in an efficient way that also preserves its aesthetics. Quilt’s ductless heat pump checks all the boxes for the very specific needs of an Eichler. Let us count the ways:

Room-by-room control for heating and cooling occupied spaces

Unlike hydronic radiant heating, Quilt’s ductless system allows for room-by-room control: Every room — or zone, if we’re talking Eichler’s — can be adjusted to its own individual temperature. This is extra important in an Eichler home, where floor-to-ceiling windows often lead to varying temperatures: One extra sunny room may be a few degrees warmer than another, and for that reason will require less heating. With Quilt, it’s easy to make those adjustments. 

Mini-split systems like Quilt's offer "the flexibility to be able to work in different spaces and different temperatures," says John Klopf, licensed architect and founding principal of Klopf Architecture. "Especially with an older home that hasn't been renovated, you'll have a situation where the west side of the room heats up fast, where the east side does not. If you can adjust [just one of those rooms], it's more targeted, more efficient, easier to use." 

As an added benefit, room-by-room control empowers the homeowner to heat and cool occupied rooms only; Quilt’s occupancy detection technology saves energy by switching to Eco Mode when rooms are empty.

Aligned aesthetics preserve the timeless appeal of Eichler homes

Clean lines and open spaces are what make Eichlers so special, but they’re also what makes them quite difficult to heat and cool with the options available on the market today. Quilt’s modern, ductless mini-split complements the Eichler’s architectural form and sensibility with its smart, unobtrusive design that can blend in with any home. 

Quilt is designed to be discreet: The front cover of the indoor units are customizable, so they can match the wall color — whether that’s paint or wallpaper — and the Quilt Dial, the unit’s intuitive thermostat, can be mounted to the wall or placed on the tabletop, allowing the homeowner to decide how it best fits in with the space. 

Quilt has been intentional about its design from the very beginning: We believe climate technology should be as beautiful as it is efficient, so people want to welcome it into their homes. 

No ducts to disrupt the structure of the home

Most Eichler’s were built without basements or attics, offering little space to conceal unsightly hardware like boilers. Beyond the aesthetics of it all, installing ducts throughout this type of home poses particular challenges that make it more vulnerable to damage. Quilt’s ductless mini-splits offer immediate protection and ease, since the installation is performed by qualified, licensed HVAC professionals who only has to drill a hole smaller than three inches into the wall to run the system’s lines through and power the units. There’s no need to dismantle or disturb any structure in the home to get Quilt up and running, which is especially important for a home in which every wall placement is intentional. 

When running on full power, Quilt’s climate system is quieter than rainfall, a good thing for large, open spaces that can amplify sound. Quilt’s design and performance honors the intention with which Eichler homes were originally built, while upgrading the homes’ comfort for modern living. 

To learn more about Quilt and how it can fit into your home, explore our reservation system.

Image credit: Foster House in Granada Hills, by Los Angeles [CC-BY-SA-3.0], via Wikimedia Commons.