Installs in Blende
Strata Heat Pumps installs heat pumps in Blende, in every ZIP code listed on this page. The online estimate gives a price range and your rebates for a Blende address in about two minutes.
Blende homes and nearby housing patterns
Census figures count 346 homes in Blende, with 296 occupied. The median home was built in 1960 and has 6.6 rooms. Pueblo County has 73,031 homes, a 1974 median build year, and 5.6 median rooms. Blende therefore has an older housing base with somewhat larger homes than the county. Owner occupancy is 68.2% in Blende and 68.3% in the county.
Nearly half of Blende homes, 49.1%, were built before 1960. Another 35.5% date from 1960 to 1979. Pueblo County has 34.7% built before 1960 and 24.6% from 1960 to 1979. Older construction makes a room by room load calculation and duct inspection important before selecting equipment.
Blende is also older than nearby Pueblo, where the median build year is 1966 and 43.9% of homes predate 1960. Salt Creek is older still, with a 1947 median year and 81.8% built before 1960. Vineland has a 1994 median year, and 26.9% of its homes were built in 2010 or later. A system sized for a newer Vineland house should not be assumed to fit an older Blende house.
How Blende homes heat today
Utility gas heats 82.4% of Blende homes, compared with 75.3% across Pueblo County and 66.7% across Colorado. Electricity heats 12.2% of Blende homes, while propane heats 5.4%. This is a gas furnace market, so a replacement decision often starts with the existing furnace, ducts, and gas connection.
Gas use is higher in Blende than in Pueblo, where 77.1% of homes use gas heat, and Salt Creek, where the share is 75.9%. It is lower than Vineland's 88.3% and Avondale's 100%. Electric heat reaches 19% in Pueblo, above Blende's 12.2%. These differences change the existing equipment we examine, rather than the need to size each home for local conditions.
Detached houses make up 85.3% of Blende homes, against 76.2% in Pueblo County and 61.8% statewide. Mobile homes account for 13%, versus 5.1% in the county. Blende has 0% in any multi-unit building, while Pueblo has 20.7%. A detached house with a furnace and usable ducts points toward a ducted or dual fuel system. A home without ducts points toward ductless equipment.
Heat pump systems for Blende housing
A ducted heat pump fits homes with ducts that can carry the required airflow. It moves heat rather than burning fuel, and it also cools. This is a strong starting point for many of Blende's 82.4% gas-heated homes, especially the 85.3% that are detached houses. We measure the home and check ducts and the electrical panel before installation.
Dual fuel pairs a heat pump with the existing gas furnace. The heat pump handles heating through much of the season, while the furnace remains for the coldest hours. It fits gas-heated homes with ducts, including older houses where retaining the furnace is the preferred equipment path. Blende's 49.1% share built before 1960 makes that conversation common.
Ductless mini-splits suit homes without ducts, additions, and condos. They also fit electric-heated homes, which account for 12.2% of Blende housing. A 1,500 square foot one-story home with electric heat and no ducts uses 3 indoor units in our estimate. The estimate assigns about 500 sq ft to each indoor unit, before a home visit confirms the layout.
Sizing heat pumps for Blende conditions
Our estimate tool sizes equipment to 1°F outdoors and 70°F indoors at 5,300 ft. At that elevation, an air-source unit loses 18% of heat output. At the design temperature, its modeled performance is 2 units of heat for each unit of electricity. Nameplate size alone does not account for cold, elevation, home age, or heat loss.
For the example 2,000 square foot, two-story, gas-heated home built before 1960, the design heat load is 3.4 tons. Our estimate tool calls for a 40 A breaker. That example aligns with Blende's largest construction group, because 49.1% of local homes were built before 1960. It is an example load, not a replacement rule for every 2,000 square foot house.
Construction year changes the estimated load for the same example home. A 1960 to 1979 home comes in at 3.2 tons, while a 1980 to 1999 home is 2.8 tons. The 2000 to 2009 example is 2.4 tons, and the 2010 or later example is 2.0 tons. That spread is why square footage cannot choose equipment by itself.
Blende heat pump prices and rebates
For the before 1960 example home, a ducted heat pump is $17,400 to $37,800 before rebates and $16,400 to $36,800 after rebates. A dual fuel system is $14,000 to $30,600 before rebates and $13,000 to $29,600 after rebates. Our estimate tool provides these ranges for the example home, with its 3.4 tons design load and existing gas furnace.
The ductless example is a 1,500 square foot, one-story, before 1960 home with electric heat and no ducts. Its 3 indoor units are $11,800 to $19,200 before rebates and $10,800 to $18,200 after rebates. Ductless price changes with indoor-unit count. One indoor unit is $5,800 to $9,400, while five indoor units are $17,800 to $28,900.
The State of Colorado Heat Pump Discount applies to every Colorado home and to all three system types. Its amount is $1,000, and the state discount comes off the invoice. For a gas-heated ducted system, total rebates are $1,000. The same total is $1,000 for dual fuel and $1,000 for ductless in a gas-heated home. We file every rebate for the homeowner.
The local stack does not include the Xcel Energy rebate, Power Ahead Colorado rebate, or Efficiency Works rebate. The federal 25C credit ended for systems installed after 2025-12-31. Our estimate tool identifies Black Hills Energy for this place.
How ZIP code 81006 differs from Blende
Blende uses ZIP code 81006, whose main town is Pueblo. The ZIP has 4,795 homes, compared with Blende's 346. Its median build year is 1967, later than Blende's 1960. The ZIP still has substantial older housing, with 42.7% built before 1960, but that is below Blende's 49.1%.
Gas heats 79.3% of homes in 81006, below Blende's 82.4%. Electric heat is 10.7% in the ZIP and 12.2% in Blende. Propane is 7.7% in the ZIP, above Blende's 5.4%. The fuel mix supports checking the actual heating equipment at each address rather than inferring it from the ZIP.
Detached homes make up 92.1% of 81006, above Blende's 85.3%. Any multi-unit building accounts for 1.3% in the ZIP and 0% in Blende. The ZIP's 3.8% share built in 2010 or later exceeds Blende's 1.2%. In both places, older detached homes dominate, so we inspect ducts, panel capacity, and the home itself before recommending a ducted, dual fuel, or ductless design. Most installations take one day. Jobs with several ductless units can take two or three days.
Blende in numbers
| Homes | Median year built | Built before 1960 | Built 2010 or later | Gas heat | Electric heat | Propane | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blende | 346 | 1960 | 49.1% | 1.2% | 82.4% | 12.2% | 5.4% |
| Pueblo County | 73,031 | 1974 | 34.7% | 7% | 75.3% | 16.5% | 5.3% |
| Colorado | 2,545,124 | 1987 | 16.3% | 14% | 66.7% | 25.2% | 4.9% |
| ZIP | Main town | Homes | Median year built | Heat with gas | Electric utility | Install area |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 81006 | Pueblo | 4,795 | 1967 | 79.3% | Black Hills Energy | Yes |
Systems and rebates in Pueblo County
- Ducted heat pump in Pueblo CountyPrices by home age and the Pueblo rebates for this system.
- Dual-fuel heat pump in Pueblo CountyPrices by home age and the Pueblo rebates for this system.
- Ductless mini-split in Pueblo CountyPrices by home age and the Pueblo rebates for this system.
- Heat pump rebates in Pueblo County$1,000 on a 3-ton gas home, program by program.
- Pool heat pumps in Pueblo CountyPool and spa heat pumps: local code rules, running cost and the swim season.
Other towns we install in
Questions we hear
What heat pump fits an older Blende home with a gas furnace?
Dual fuel fits a gas-heated home with ducts when the homeowner wants to keep the furnace for the coldest hours. A ducted heat pump also fits where ducts can carry the needed airflow. Blende has 82.4% gas heat and 49.1% of homes built before 1960, so we inspect ducts, the electrical panel, and the home before selecting either path.
How are heat pumps sized in Blende?
We size to 1°F outdoors and 70°F indoors at 5,300 ft. Our sizing accounts for 18% lost output at elevation. The example 2,000 square foot, two-story gas home built before 1960 has a design load of 3.4 tons and uses a 40 A breaker in our estimate. Each home needs its own measurement.
What rebates apply to a Blende heat pump?
The State of Colorado Heat Pump Discount applies to every Colorado home and to each of the three system types. The amount is $1,000, and it comes off the invoice. Total rebates are $1,000 for the example gas-heated ducted system. We file every rebate for the homeowner. The federal 25C credit ended for systems installed after 2025-12-31.
What does a heat pump cost for the example older Blende home?
For the 2,000 square foot, two-story, gas-heated example built before 1960, ducted pricing is $17,400 to $37,800 before rebates and $16,400 to $36,800 after rebates. Dual fuel pricing is $14,000 to $30,600 before rebates and $13,000 to $29,600 after rebates. These are example ranges based on a 3.4 tons design heat load.
Is ductless a fit for homes in Blende?
Ductless equipment suits homes without ducts, additions, and condos. It is a direct fit to consider for Blende's 12.2% of homes using electric heat. For the 1,500 square foot one-story example with electric heat and no ducts, our estimate uses 3 indoor units. The price range is $11,800 to $19,200 before rebates and $10,800 to $18,200 after rebates.