Ducted heat pumps
Ducted heat pumps in Fort Collins
A central heat pump uses the ductwork a furnace already relies on. Fort Collins has put real effort into helping homeowners make the switch.
What it is
An outdoor unit that cools in summer and runs in reverse in winter, pulling heat from outdoor air and moving it indoors through the same coil and ducts a central air conditioner uses. Indoors, nothing changes at the registers.
Backup heat: gas or electric
In a dual-fuel setup, the heat pump carries the load on milder days and the gas furnace takes over in deep cold. All-electric setups use resistance heating strips in the air handler instead.
The City's electrification page suggests looking at insulation and air sealing first, since a tighter house may need little backup heat. If electric backup is chosen over gas, it advises having an electrician confirm the panel and service can carry it.
Plan for January nights
The Fort Collins weather station's normal January low is 18.3°F, and January 2025 bottomed out at −11°F. Ask how the proposed unit performs at those temperatures, and at what outdoor reading the backup heat starts.
Source: Colorado Climate Center, Fort Collins January 2025 summary.
City help for heat pump projects
Through Epic Homes, Fort Collins Utilities and Efficiency Works offer energy advising with no obligation to make changes afterward. Local rebates come through Efficiency Works and require a participating provider. The City's page also points to Epic Loans for on-bill financing, and to state and federal tax credits for heat pumps.
Sources: City of Fort Collins home electrification; Efficiency Works.
Leaving gas behind
If an all-electric system replaces the last gas appliance, Xcel Energy can take the gas meter out. The City's page says to make clear you want a meter removal, not a service demolition, which Xcel charges for and which removes and caps the supply pipe.
Cold house? Make the call.
Describe the symptoms and give your street. A heating and cooling business that covers the Fort Collins area, independent of this website, handles everything after that.