Dual-fuel heat pump installs in Adams County
Strata Heat Pumps installs heat pumps in Adams County, in every ZIP code listed on this page. The online estimate gives a price range and your rebates for an address in Adams County in about two minutes.
Dual-fuel heat pumps in Adams County
A dual-fuel heat pump keeps a gas furnace for the coldest hours. The heat pump moves heat and also cools. Census figures show that 68.8% of Adams County homes use utility gas, compared with 66.7% across Colorado. That makes a dual-fuel setup a direct fit for many existing furnace homes.
Adams County has 191,765 homes, and 68.9% are owner occupied. Detached houses make up 62.6% of homes, slightly above Colorado's 61.8%. These homes commonly have a central furnace and ducts, which lets us pair a heat pump with the equipment already in place.
The county's median home was built in 1990, compared with 1987 statewide. Homes built from 1980 to 1999 account for 27% of local housing. A dual-fuel system gives these furnace homes heating, cooling, and a gas backup without replacing gas heat for the coldest hours.
Dual-fuel homes town by town in Adams County
Westminster has 50,166 homes, a median build year of 1987, and 69.4% gas heat. Thornton has 51,088 homes, a median build year of 1996, and 69.7% gas heat. Dual fuel fits both towns' large base of gas-heated homes. Westminster's 33% multi-unit share is higher than Thornton's 21.6%, so duct access and equipment location deserve close review there.
Northglenn's median build year is 1974, and 67.2% of its 15,020 homes use gas heat. Commerce City has 22,165 homes, 72.2% gas heat, and 78.8% detached homes. Brighton has 13,819 homes and 76.2% gas heat. These towns have many furnace homes where a heat pump can use existing ductwork and the furnace remains available.
Bennett has 81.7% gas heat and 82.9% detached homes. Berkley has 62.9% gas heat and 26.1% of homes built before 1960. Derby has a 1958 median build year, with 56.1% built before 1960. Older Berkley and Derby homes need a duct inspection before equipment selection, while Bennett's detached housing suits an outdoor unit and furnace pairing.
Federal Heights has 5,403 homes, with 32.2% in multi-unit buildings. North Washington has 224 homes and 45.9% electric heat. Shaw Heights has 82.2% gas heat, while Sherrelwood has 68.4%. Todd Creek has 89.9% gas heat and 99.4% detached homes. Twin Lakes has 72.7% gas heat, and Welby has 76.4%. These figures point to furnace retention in the gas-heated towns, with building layout checked before a dual-fuel design.
Sizing dual fuel for Adams County conditions
We size each system to 1°F outdoors and 70°F indoors. Our settings use an elevation of 5,300 ft, where an air-source unit loses 18% of heat output. That is why nameplate size alone does not select the right heat pump.
At the design temperature, the heat pump produces 2 units of heat for each unit of electricity. The gas furnace takes over during the coldest hours. This pairing protects heating capacity while the heat pump handles heating through much of the season and cooling in summer.
We measure the home, inspect the ducts, and check the electrical panel before installation. A 2,000 square foot, 2-story, gas-furnace home built from 1980 to 1999 has a design load of 2.8 tons in our estimate tool. Its example electrical panel uses 30 A.
Dual-fuel prices by Adams County home age
For a 2,000 square foot, 2-story gas home built before 1960, the design load is 3.4 tons. A ducted heat pump price is $17,400 to $37,800, and dual fuel is $14,000 to $30,600. A 1,500 square foot, 1-story electric home without ducts has a ductless price of $11,800 to $19,200. Older homes are more likely to have small ducts or no ducts, so we inspect them before choosing a system.
For homes built from 1960 to 1979, the design load is 3.2 tons. Ducted heat pump pricing is $17,400 to $31,200, and dual-fuel pricing is $14,000 to $25,200. The ductless price is $11,800 to $19,200. For homes built from 1980 to 1999, the load is 2.8 tons, with ducted pricing at $15,100 to $27,900, dual fuel at $12,100 to $22,500, and ductless at $11,800 to $19,200.
For homes built from 2000 to 2009, the design load is 2.4 tons. Ducted pricing is $12,800 to $24,600, dual fuel is $10,200 to $19,800, and ductless is $11,800 to $19,200. Homes built in 2010 or later have a 2.0 tons design load in this example. Their ducted price is $12,800 to $21,300, dual-fuel price is $10,200 to $17,100, and ductless price is $11,800 to $19,200.
Dual-fuel price by system size
Our estimate tool prices a 2-ton ducted heat pump at $12,800 to $18,000 and a 2-ton dual-fuel system at $10,200 to $14,400. At 3 tons, ducted pricing is $17,400 to $24,600, while dual fuel is $14,000 to $19,800. The dual-fuel price reflects keeping the furnace and adding heat pump equipment with controls.
At 4 tons, ducted heat pump pricing is $22,100 to $31,200, and dual fuel is $17,900 to $25,200. At 5 tons, ducted pricing is $26,800 to $37,800, and dual fuel is $21,700 to $30,600. We select capacity from the home's measured load at the design temperature, not square footage alone.
For homes without usable ducts, ductless pricing is $5,800 to $9,400 for 1 indoor unit, $8,800 to $14,300 for 2, and $11,800 to $19,200 for 3. Prices are $14,800 to $24,100 for 4 and $17,800 to $28,900 for 5. Our estimate assigns about 500 sq ft per indoor unit and prices up to 5 units before a custom quote.
Dual-fuel pricing includes the outdoor unit, matched indoor coil, dual-fuel controls, line set, standard 240V circuit, thermostat, permit, and removal of old AC. Most installations take 1 day. Jobs with several ductless units can take 2 or 3 days.
Dual-fuel rebates in Adams County
Our estimate tool shows $7,000 in total rebates for a 3-ton dual-fuel system in a gas-heated home. That total combines the Xcel Energy rebate ($4,500), the State of Colorado Heat Pump Discount ($1,000) and the Power Ahead Colorado rebate ($1,500). Rebate eligibility for dual fuel is confirmed at the walkthrough.
The Xcel Energy rebate is $1,500 per ton of heating for Xcel Energy customers whose homes now use a gas furnace, gas boiler, or propane. The State of Colorado Heat Pump Discount is $1,000 for every Colorado home. Power Ahead Colorado is $1,500 for Adams County homes. These programs apply to all 3 system types.
Homes that now use electric heat have an Xcel Energy rebate of $750 per ton of heating. Efficiency Works, Boulder County income-qualified, Holy Cross Energy, Mountain Parks Electric, Gunnison County Electric, San Miguel Power, and Sangre de Cristo Electric rebates do not apply here. We file every rebate for the homeowner, and the Colorado state discount comes off the invoice.
How dual fuel compares with other systems
Dual fuel suits Adams County homes with a working gas furnace and usable ducts. The example 2,000 square foot, 2-story gas home built from 1980 to 1999 has a dual-fuel price of $12,100 to $22,500 before rebates, compared with $15,100 to $27,900 for ducted heat pump replacement. Its dual-fuel price after rebates is $5,400 to $15,800.
A ducted heat pump replaces the heating equipment path with an all-electric system. It fits homes with ducts that want a full heat pump setup. Dual fuel keeps the furnace for the coldest hours, which matches the county's 68.8% utility-gas heating share and gives the heat pump a cooling role.
Ductless systems fit homes without ducts, additions, and condos. For a 1,500 square foot example, our estimate uses 3 indoor units, with pricing of $11,800 to $19,200 before rebates and $7,800 to $15,200 after rebates. A dual-fuel system is the stronger match where a gas furnace and duct system are already in place.
Adams County towns
| Homes | Median year built | Built before 1960 | Built 2010 or later | Gas heat | Electric heat | Propane | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Westminster | 50,166 | 1987 | 8.2% | 10.9% | 69.4% | 27.9% | 0.9% |
| Thornton | 51,088 | 1996 | 5.1% | 16.5% | 69.7% | 27.6% | 1% |
| Northglenn | 15,020 | 1974 | 5.7% | 3.3% | 67.2% | 29.3% | 0.4% |
| Commerce City | 22,165 | 2004 | 17.3% | 28.4% | 72.2% | 23.4% | 2% |
| Brighton | 13,819 | 1998 | 15% | 19.9% | 76.2% | 21.6% | 0.8% |
| Bennett | 1,114 | 1989 | 9.7% | 19.1% | 81.7% | 12.5% | 5.8% |
| Berkley | 4,277 | 1977 | 26.1% | 12.5% | 62.9% | 33.9% | 1.4% |
| Derby | 2,611 | 1958 | 56.1% | 0.9% | 75% | 21.2% | 3.2% |
| Federal Heights | 5,403 | 1990 | 2.5% | 16.4% | 67.2% | 30.2% | 1.4% |
| North Washington | 224 | 1958 | 59.8% | 0% | 54.1% | 45.9% | 0% |
| Shaw Heights | 1,697 | 1968 | 17.4% | 1.4% | 82.2% | 17.5% | 0.2% |
| Sherrelwood | 6,568 | 1966 | 30.9% | 1.2% | 68.4% | 28.4% | 0.8% |
| Todd Creek | 1,732 | 2006 | 2.8% | 26.4% | 89.9% | 7.1% | 1.9% |
| Twin Lakes | 3,282 | 1976 | 35.3% | 36.5% | 72.7% | 24.8% | 0% |
| Welby | 5,932 | 1974 | 19% | 2.3% | 76.4% | 21.5% | 1.2% |
- Heat pumps in Westminster50,166 homes, median year built 1987.
- Heat pumps in Thornton51,088 homes, median year built 1996.
- Heat pumps in Northglenn15,020 homes, median year built 1974.
- Heat pumps in Commerce City22,165 homes, median year built 2004.
- Heat pumps in Brighton13,819 homes, median year built 1998.
- Heat pumps in Bennett1,114 homes, median year built 1989.
- Heat pumps in Berkley4,277 homes, median year built 1977.
- Heat pumps in Derby2,611 homes, median year built 1958.
- Heat pumps in Federal Heights5,403 homes, median year built 1990.
- Heat pumps in Shaw Heights1,697 homes, median year built 1968.
- Heat pumps in Sherrelwood6,568 homes, median year built 1966.
- Heat pumps in Todd Creek1,732 homes, median year built 2006.
- Heat pumps in Twin Lakes3,282 homes, median year built 1976.
- Heat pumps in Welby5,932 homes, median year built 1974.
More for Adams County
- Ducted heat pump in Adams CountyPrices by home age and the Adams rebates for this system.
- Ductless mini-split in Adams CountyPrices by home age and the Adams rebates for this system.
- Heat pump rebates in Adams County$7,000 on a 3-ton gas home, program by program.
- Pool heat pumps in Adams CountyPool and spa heat pumps: local code rules, running cost and the swim season.
Questions we hear
Which Adams County homes fit a dual-fuel heat pump?
Homes with a gas furnace and usable ducts fit dual fuel. Adams County has 68.8% utility-gas heating, and 62.6% of homes are detached houses. Dual fuel adds a heat pump for heating and cooling while retaining the gas furnace for the coldest hours. We measure the home, inspect ducts, and check the electrical panel before installation.
What rebates apply to a dual-fuel system in Adams County?
For a gas-heated Xcel Energy home, the available programs are the Xcel Energy rebate at $1,500 per ton of heating, the State of Colorado Heat Pump Discount at $1,000, and Power Ahead Colorado at $1,500. For a 3-ton dual-fuel gas home, our estimate tool shows $7,000. Eligibility is confirmed at the walkthrough.
Why does elevation affect heat pump sizing?
We size to 1°F outdoors and 70°F indoors at an elevation of 5,300 ft. At that elevation, an air-source heat pump loses 18% of output. The heat pump delivers 2 units of heat per unit of electricity at the design temperature. The existing furnace covers the coldest hours in a dual-fuel system.
What does a dual-fuel price include?
The price includes an outdoor unit, matched indoor coil, dual-fuel controls, line set, standard 240V circuit, thermostat, permit, and removal of old AC. A 3-ton dual-fuel system is priced at $14,000 to $19,800. Most installations take 1 day after the home and equipment plan are confirmed.
Does the federal tax credit apply to a new dual-fuel system?
The federal 25C credit ended for systems installed after 2025-12-31. Adams County homeowners can still be considered for the Xcel Energy rebate, State of Colorado Heat Pump Discount, and Power Ahead Colorado rebate under their listed rules. We file every rebate for the homeowner, and the state discount comes off the invoice.