Where we install
Strata Heat Pumps installs heat pumps in Boulder County, Larimer County, Weld County, Broomfield County, Adams County, Denver County, Arapahoe County, Jefferson County, Douglas County, El Paso County, Pueblo County and ZIP codes 80504, 80516, 80439, 80832 and 81069. The online estimate prices a ductless mini-split for any Colorado ZIP code in about two minutes and lists the rebates that apply there.
What a ductless mini-split is
A ductless mini-split is a heat pump with no ducts. One outdoor unit feeds indoor units mounted on the wall, each in the room it heats and cools. A thin line set runs through the wall to each indoor unit, so there is no ductwork to build.
Each indoor unit has its own temperature setting. A cold bedroom and a warm office can sit at different settings, and rooms nobody uses can stay cooler.
Like any heat pump, it moves heat instead of burning fuel. It heats in winter, cools in summer, and replaces window AC units along the way.
Which homes fit a ductless system
Ductless suits a house with no ducts: an older home on a boiler or electric baseboard, a bungalow that never had central air, or a condo. The estimate picks ductless for every home without ducts and for every home on a gas boiler.
It also fits part of a house. An addition with no heat, a finished basement that is always cold, or a room over the garage that bakes in summer can each get one indoor unit without touching the rest of the system.
Many owners start with one or two problem rooms and add units later. Homes on electric baseboard gain the most, since a heat pump makes far more heat per unit of electricity than baseboard does.
How a mini-split handles Colorado cold and altitude
We fit cold-climate models sized to the design temperature. For Boulder County our estimate tool uses 1°F outdoors and 70°F indoors; Larimer County uses 5°F.
Altitude takes about 3.4% of an air-source unit's output for every 1,000 ft. At 5,300 ft, the height our sizing uses for Boulder County, that is 18%, and we correct for it before we count indoor units.
At the design temperature the sizing assumes 2 units of heat for each unit of electricity, and more on milder days. Electric baseboard turns one unit of electricity into one unit of heat, so the heat pump beats it every hour it runs.
The equipment in a ductless system
Every ductless price includes the outdoor unit, the wall-mounted indoor units, the line sets, a standard 240 V circuit and the permit. Wall units are the default because they are the simplest to place and service.
One outdoor unit can feed several indoor units, so a three-room job still has one unit outside. The outdoor unit needs a level spot with clear air around it, and the line sets run from it to each indoor unit through a small hole in the wall. Where a long run or a second floor makes that hard, the walkthrough is where we work out the route.
A ceiling cassette can replace a wall unit where the wall space is wrong or you would rather not see the unit. Each cassette adds $900 to $1,900.
Sizing a ductless system
Our estimate tool counts one indoor unit for every 500 sq ft of floor area, and prices up to 5 indoor units before it hands the home to a custom quote. The walkthrough then places each unit room by room, since walls, doors and stairs decide where the air can reach.
Take a one-story home of 1,500 square feet with electric heat and no ducts. The estimate gives it 3 indoor units at $11,800 to $19,200 before rebates and $7,800 to $15,200 after them.
The count follows floor area, not the age of the house, so a ductless estimate does not change with the build year the way a ducted one does. An old, drafty house shows up at the walkthrough instead, where the load calculation can move a unit up or down a size.
Like every heat pump, a mini-split needs its own 240 V circuit. Where the panel is full, a smart load-sharing device at $500 to $1,500 can stand in for a panel upgrade at $2,500 to $7,500, and we check which the house needs at the walkthrough.
How a ductless install goes
Start with the online estimate, about two minutes, with rebates taken off. Then we book a walkthrough to measure the rooms, pick a spot for each indoor unit and for the outdoor unit, check the panel and do the load calculation that sets the final price.
On install day the crew mounts the indoor units, drills a small hole through the wall for each line set, sets the outdoor unit, runs the circuit and starts the system. Most installs take one day, and jobs with several indoor units can take two or three.
Each indoor unit drains the water it pulls out of the air. Where gravity cannot carry it away, a condensate pump at $150 to $450 does the job. We file every rebate, and the state discount comes off the invoice.
Ductless in homes on electric heat and in gas homes
Homes on electric baseboard get the clearest gain. Baseboard heaters stay on the wall as backup or come out, and the indoor units carry the heating. The rebates are built for this case too: the Efficiency Works row for Longmont customers pays more when a ductless system replaces electric heat.
In a gas home, ductless either replaces a gas boiler, which has no ducts, or works next to a furnace in the rooms the ducts miss. The Xcel Energy rebate for gas-heated homes applies, which is why the gas case in Boulder County shows $7,000.
Living with a mini-split
Each indoor unit has its own remote or wall control. Set each room once and leave it; the units run quietly at low speed most of the time rather than switching on and off.
Each indoor unit has a washable filter behind its front panel. Rinse it as the manual says, and keep the outdoor unit clear of snow drifts and shrubs.
Ductless mini-split prices and rebates
Before rebates the estimate prices one indoor unit at $5,800 to $9,400, two at $8,800 to $14,300, three at $11,800 to $19,200, four at $14,800 to $24,100 and five at $17,800 to $28,900. A whole small house without ducts needs several indoor units on one outdoor unit; a single problem room needs one.
In Boulder County a 3-ton ductless system that replaces electric heat collects $4,700: the Xcel Energy rebate ($2,200), the State of Colorado Heat Pump Discount ($1,000) and the Power Ahead Colorado rebate ($1,500). In a gas-heated home the same system collects $7,000, because the Xcel Energy rebate pays $1,500 per ton of heating instead of $750 per ton of heating.
Longmont Power & Communications customers get the Efficiency Works rebate: $500 per ton of heating, or $1,000 per ton of heating when the system replaces electric heat. Only the larger of the two applies. The federal 25C credit ended for systems installed after 2025.
Ductless, ducted or dual fuel
If the house has ducts in fair shape, a ducted heat pump heats every room from one indoor unit: $17,400 to $24,600 for 3 tons before rebates. If it also has a fairly new gas furnace, dual fuel keeps that furnace as backup for $14,000 to $19,800 at 3 tons. Ductless wins where there are no ducts, or where only a few rooms need help.
Ductless mini-split prices by size
| Indoor units | Price before rebates |
|---|---|
| 1 indoor unit | $5,800 to $9,400 |
| 2 indoor units | $8,800 to $14,300 |
| 3 indoor units | $11,800 to $19,200 |
| 4 indoor units | $14,800 to $24,100 |
| 5 indoor units | $17,800 to $28,900 |
| Included |
|---|
| Outdoor unit |
| Wall-mounted indoor units |
| Line sets |
| Standard 240V circuit |
| Permit |
| Extra | Price range |
|---|---|
| Electrical panel upgrade to 200A | $2,500 to $7,500 |
| Smart load-sharing device (instead of a panel upgrade) | $500 to $1,500 |
| Extra 240V circuit | $500 to $900 |
| Condensate pump | $150 to $450 |
| Ceiling cassette instead of a wall unit (each) | $900 to $1,900 |
Estimate only. Your final price comes after we review your home and do a load calculation. Rebates have budgets and rules that can change. Strata applies for the rebates for you.
Ductless mini-split rebate programs and utilities
| Program | Amount | Who qualifies |
|---|---|---|
| Xcel Energy rebate | $1,500 per ton of heating | Xcel Energy customers and homes that now heat with a gas furnace, a gas boiler or propane, on any of the three systems. |
| Xcel Energy rebate | $750 per ton of heating | Xcel Energy customers and homes that now heat with electric heat, on any of the three systems. |
| State of Colorado Heat Pump Discount | $1,000 | every Colorado home, on any of the three systems. |
| Power Ahead Colorado rebate | $1,500 | homes in Adams County, Arapahoe County, Boulder County, Broomfield County, Clear Creek County, Denver County, Douglas County, Gilpin County, Jefferson County and Weld County, on any of the three systems. |
| Efficiency Works rebate | $500 per ton of heating | customers of Longmont Power & Communications, on a ductless mini-split. |
| Efficiency Works rebate | $1,000 per ton of heating | customers of Longmont Power & Communications and homes that now heat with electric heat, on a ductless mini-split. |
| Boulder County income-qualified rebate | 50% of the price (up to $2,000) | homes in Boulder County and households under the program income limit, on any of the three systems. |
Of the electric utilities our data maps in the install area, Longmont Power & Communications and Xcel Energy have rebate programs. Black Hills Energy, Colorado Springs Utilities, Fort Collins Utilities and Loveland Water and Power have no rebate program in our data yet, so for those homes the estimate counts only the programs that do not depend on the electric utility and adds: "Your utility may offer a rebate. We will check." Some install-area ZIP codes have no utility in our data; there the estimate lets the homeowner pick theirs.
Ductless mini-split pages by county
- Ductless mini-splits in Adams CountyPrices by home age and $4,700 in rebates on a 3-ton job replacing electric heat.
- Ductless mini-splits in Arapahoe CountyPrices by home age and $4,700 in rebates on a 3-ton job replacing electric heat.
- Ductless mini-splits in Boulder CountyPrices by home age and $4,700 in rebates on a 3-ton job replacing electric heat.
- Ductless mini-splits in BroomfieldPrices by home age and $4,700 in rebates on a 3-ton job replacing electric heat.
- Ductless mini-splits in DenverPrices by home age and $4,700 in rebates on a 3-ton job replacing electric heat.
- Ductless mini-splits in Douglas CountyPrices by home age and $4,700 in rebates on a 3-ton job replacing electric heat.
- Ductless mini-splits in El Paso CountyPrices by home age and $1,000 in rebates on a 3-ton job replacing electric heat.
- Ductless mini-splits in Jefferson CountyPrices by home age and $4,700 in rebates on a 3-ton job replacing electric heat.
- Ductless mini-splits in Larimer CountyPrices by home age and $1,000 in rebates on a 3-ton job replacing electric heat.
- Ductless mini-splits in Pueblo CountyPrices by home age and $1,000 in rebates on a 3-ton job replacing electric heat.
- Ductless mini-splits in Weld CountyPrices by home age and $4,700 in rebates on a 3-ton job replacing electric heat.
Other systems we install
- Ducted heat pumpsCold-climate central heat pump, replaces your furnace and AC.
- Dual-fuel heat pumpsCold-climate heat pump with your gas furnace as backup (dual fuel).
- Pool and spa heat pumpsHow a cold-climate electric pool heater works on the Front Range.
- Colorado heat pump rebatesEvery program, who qualifies and how they stack.
Questions we hear
Does a ductless mini-split work in a Colorado winter?
Yes. We fit cold-climate models sized to an outdoor design temperature of 1°F in Boulder County and 5°F in Larimer County, with a 18% correction for the altitude at 5,300 ft. At the design temperature the sizing assumes 2 units of heat for each unit of electricity, and more on milder days.
How many indoor units does my house need?
Our estimate tool counts one indoor unit per 500 sq ft of floor area, up to 5 units before a custom quote. A one-story home of 1,500 square feet gets 3. The walkthrough then places each unit room by room, because walls and stairs decide where the air reaches.
Can I put a mini-split in just one room?
Yes. One indoor unit on one outdoor unit is a common first job for an addition, a cold basement or a hot upstairs room. The estimate prices one unit at $5,800 to $9,400 before rebates. You can add more rooms later as the budget allows.
How long does a ductless install take?
Most installs take one day. Jobs with several indoor units can take two or three. The crew mounts each indoor unit, runs a line set through the wall to the outdoor unit, adds the 240 V circuit and starts the system. We tell you the schedule at the walkthrough.
What rebates does a ductless mini-split get?
In Boulder County a 3-ton ductless system replacing electric heat collects $4,700, and $7,000 in a gas-heated home. Longmont Power & Communications customers also get an Efficiency Works rebate per ton. We file every rebate for you, and the State of Colorado Heat Pump Discount comes off the invoice.