Installs in Denver
Strata Heat Pumps installs heat pumps in Denver, in every ZIP code listed on this page. The online estimate gives a price range and your rebates for a Denver address in about two minutes.
Denver homes and nearby housing patterns
Denver has 352,593 homes, with 329,578 occupied. Its median home was built in 1974 and has 4.5 rooms. Census figures show Denver County has the same housing profile. Citywide data describes the starting point, but we measure each home before selecting equipment.
Denver is older than Colorado, where the median home was built in 1987 and has 5.7 rooms. Homes built before 1960 make up 35.5% of Denver, compared with 16.3% statewide. Homes from 1960 to 1979 add another 21.9%. Older homes are more likely to have small ducts or no ducts, so duct checks matter here.
Denver has 41.2% detached houses, 8.6% attached houses, and 49.8% homes in multi unit buildings. Colorado has 61.8% detached houses and 26.9% multi unit homes. Denver needs more planning for condos and other multi unit homes than the state profile suggests.
Nearby towns underline the range. Glendale has 95.2% multi unit buildings, while Derby has 79.6% detached homes. North Washington has 90.2% detached homes, and Four Square Mile has 74% multi unit buildings. Detached homes often fit ducted equipment or dual fuel. Condos, additions, and homes without ducts fit ductless units.
How Denver homes heat today
Utility gas heats 61.5% of Denver homes. Electricity heats 35%, while propane heats 1.4%. Gas is the leading fuel, but Denver's electric heat share exceeds Colorado's 25.2%. A heat pump moves heat rather than burning fuel, and it cools the home.
Denver's gas share is below Jefferson County at 72.2%, Adams County at 68.8%, Arapahoe County at 65.9%, and Broomfield County at 70.7%. Denver's electricity share is above Jefferson County's 23.1%, Adams County's 27.1%, and Broomfield County's 26.7%. Existing fuel affects rebate eligibility and the replacement plan.
Nearby town heating patterns differ from Denver's 61.5% gas share. Glendale has 47.5% gas heat and 49.1% electric heat. Four Square Mile has 43% gas heat and 54.3% electric heat. Derby has 75% gas heat, while North Washington has 54.1% gas heat.
A Denver home with a gas furnace and usable ducts has two clear paths. A ducted heat pump replaces the furnace. A dual fuel system keeps the gas furnace for the coldest hours. Denver's 35% electric heated homes also need equipment and rebate planning based on their current system.
Systems for Denver's housing stock
Ducted heat pumps fit homes with usable forced air ducts. Denver's 41.2% detached share and 8.6% attached share include many homes that need a duct evaluation. We measure the home, inspect ducts, and check the electrical panel before installation. That work sets the equipment plan around the actual home.
Dual fuel fits a gas heated home with a furnace and sound ducts. It combines a heat pump with the existing gas furnace, which supplies heat during the coldest hours. This matches a large part of Denver's 61.5% gas heated housing. The furnace remains part of the heating plan rather than being removed.
Ductless heat pumps fit homes without ducts, additions, and condos. Denver has 39.9% of homes in buildings with 10 or more units, plus 9.9% in buildings with 2 to 9 units. This housing pattern is far different from Colorado, where 17.8% of homes are in buildings with 10 or more units.
For a ductless example, a 1,500 square foot older home with electric heat and no ducts uses 3 indoor units. Our estimate tool uses 500 sq ft of floor area per indoor unit and prices up to 5 indoor units before a custom quote. This makes room coverage part of the equipment decision.
Denver rebates and how they stack
Our estimate tool shows the available rebate path for Denver County. The State of Colorado Heat Pump Discount applies to every Colorado home and all three systems. Its amount is $1,000. The state discount comes off the invoice, and we file every rebate for the homeowner.
Power Ahead Colorado applies to Denver County homes and all three systems. Its amount is $1,500. For Xcel Energy customers replacing a gas furnace, gas boiler, or propane system, the Xcel Energy rebate is $1,500 per ton of heating. For homes replacing electric heat, the Xcel Energy rebate is $750 per ton of heating.
For a 3 ton ducted heat pump in a gas heated home, total rebates are $7,000. Those rebates are the Xcel Energy rebate ($4,500), the State of Colorado Heat Pump Discount ($1,000) and the Power Ahead Colorado rebate ($1,500). The same 3 ton ducted system replacing electric heat has $4,700 in total rebates, made up of the Xcel Energy rebate ($2,200), the State of Colorado Heat Pump Discount ($1,000) and the Power Ahead Colorado rebate ($1,500).
The gas and electric totals differ because the Xcel Energy rebate differs by existing heating fuel. A 3 ton dual fuel system in a gas home has $7,000 in total rebates. A 3 ton ductless system in a gas home has $7,000. Rebate eligibility is part of choosing between system types.
Sizing Denver heat pumps for cold and altitude
We size every system to 1°F outdoors and 70°F indoors. Our sizing uses an elevation of 5,300 ft. At that elevation, an air source unit loses 18% of heat output. At the design temperature, it delivers 2 units of heat per unit of electricity in our settings.
The example home is 2,000 square feet, 2 stories, gas heated, and built before 1960. Its design heat load is 3.4 tons, and its electrical plan uses a 40 A breaker. Denver has 35.5% of homes built before 1960, so this example reflects a substantial share of local homes.
Similar floor area does not mean identical equipment size. A 2,000 square foot, 2 story gas home built from 1960 to 1979 has a design load of 3.2 tons. The 1980 to 1999 example is 2.8 tons, and the 2000 to 2009 example is 2.4 tons.
For a 2,000 square foot, 2 story gas home built in 2010 or later, the design load is 2.0 tons. Denver has 17.7% of homes in that build period, compared with 14% statewide. Build period is useful for the first estimate, but our home measurements determine final sizing.
Example pricing and Denver ZIP code differences
For the older example home's ducted heat pump, the price before rebates is $17,400 to $37,800. After rebates, it is $9,900 to $30,300. The dual fuel price before rebates is $14,000 to $30,600, and its after rebate range is $6,500 to $23,100. These examples use a gas heated, 2,000 square foot, 2 story home built before 1960.
The 1,500 square foot ductless example has 3 indoor units. Its price before rebates is $11,800 to $19,200, and its after rebate price is $7,500 to $14,900. Most installations take one day. Jobs with several ductless units take two or three days.
Denver ZIP codes have sharply different home types. In 80202, 97.4% of homes are in multi unit buildings, 63.7% use electric heat, and the median home was built in 2005. Only 1.4% are detached houses. Ductless planning deserves close attention in this ZIP code.
In 80249, 76.6% of homes are detached, 18.6% are in multi unit buildings, and 60.4% use gas heat. Its median home was built in 2006, and 33.3% were built in 2010 or later. Ducted and dual fuel evaluations fit more of this ZIP code's housing than in 80202.
Denver in numbers
| Homes | Median year built | Built before 1960 | Built 2010 or later | Gas heat | Electric heat | Propane | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Denver | 352,593 | 1974 | 35.5% | 17.7% | 61.5% | 35% | 1.4% |
| 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 80202 | Denver | 14,394 | 2005 | 30.8% | Xcel Energy | Yes |
| 80249 | Denver | 13,375 | 2006 | 60.4% | Xcel Energy | Yes |
Systems and rebates in Denver
- Ducted heat pump in Denver CountyPrices by home age and the Denver rebates for this system.
- Dual-fuel heat pump in Denver CountyPrices by home age and the Denver rebates for this system.
- Ductless mini-split in Denver CountyPrices by home age and the Denver rebates for this system.
- Heat pump rebates in Denver County$7,000 on a 3-ton gas home, program by program.
- Pool heat pumps in Denver CountyPool and spa heat pumps: local code rules, running cost and the swim season.
Other towns we install in
Questions we hear
What rebates apply to a Denver gas heated home?
Denver County homes qualify for the State of Colorado Heat Pump Discount of $1,000 and the Power Ahead Colorado rebate of $1,500. Xcel Energy customers replacing a gas furnace, gas boiler, or propane system have an Xcel Energy rebate of $1,500 per ton of heating. For a 3 ton ducted gas home, total rebates are $7,000. We file every rebate for the homeowner.
What rebates apply if my Denver home has electric heat?
An electric heated Denver home qualifies for the State of Colorado Heat Pump Discount of $1,000 and Power Ahead Colorado of $1,500. Xcel Energy customers replacing electric heat receive $750 per ton of heating from Xcel Energy. A 3 ton ducted example has $4,700 in total rebates, consisting of the Xcel Energy rebate ($2,200), the State of Colorado Heat Pump Discount ($1,000) and the Power Ahead Colorado rebate ($1,500). The state discount comes off the invoice.
What size heat pump does the Denver example home need?
The example is a 2,000 square foot, 2 story gas heated home built before 1960. Its design load is 3.4 tons, and its electrical plan uses a 40 A breaker. We size to 1°F outdoors and 70°F indoors at 5,300 ft. We measure the home and inspect its ducts and electrical panel before installation.
Should I choose ducted, dual fuel, or ductless in Denver?
Ducted equipment fits homes with usable ducts. Dual fuel fits a gas furnace home with sound ducts and keeps the furnace for the coldest hours. Ductless equipment fits homes without ducts, additions, and condos. This matters in Denver, where 49.8% of homes are in multi unit buildings and 35.5% were built before 1960.
How do 80202 and 80249 differ for heat pump planning?
In 80202, 97.4% of homes are in multi unit buildings, 63.7% use electric heat, and the median home was built in 2005. In 80249, 76.6% are detached, 60.4% use gas heat, and the median home was built in 2006. Those patterns call for different duct, system, and rebate evaluations. The online estimate takes about two minutes, and a winter gas bill makes it more accurate.