Heat Pump Installation in Aurora

Aurora's average December and January lows are in the upper teens, and the city has recorded -32°F. That record doesn't drive the design. Manual J uses the 99% design temperature, about 4°F for Arapahoe County. Southeast neighborhoods sit higher and on more open ground than the older western parts of town, so we look at the site, wind exposure and where snow drifts before we place the outdoor unit.

At roughly 5,470 feet, expect a few percent less capacity than the sea-level rating. We pick equipment by its published output at 5°F and 17°F, and we state that 5°F capacity on the estimate. Our sizing and altitude guide explains why that matters.

If the plan is a heat pump with electric backup strips, the electrical load jumps. A 10 kW strip kit alone draws about 42 amps at 240 volts, which a 1950s or early 1980s panel may not have room for. A dual-fuel design keeps the gas furnace as backup and usually needs only one new circuit for the outdoor unit. We review the panel at the estimate and spell out any electrical work in the written price.

Xcel Energy serves Aurora for gas and electricity, so Xcel heat pump rebates apply. Installers report Xcel's cold-climate rebate for gas customers fell to about $1,500 per heating ton on October 1, 2026. Treat that as a reported figure and confirm with Xcel. Aurora is a DRCOG member, so Power Ahead Colorado's $1,500 rebate is available with contractor pre-approval. The state heat pump tax credit adds at least $333 as an invoice discount. The federal 25C credit ended with 2025 installations.

On operating cost alone, a 95% gas furnace still usually beats a heat pump at today's Colorado gas and electric prices. A heat pump saves the most when it replaces an old 80% furnace or an AC you'd replace anyway, or when you heat mostly off-peak. See heat pump vs. furnace in Colorado for the math.

Aurora's Building Division issues mechanical permits through the Aurora4Biz portal. We apply, include the load calculation and equipment data, and schedule the inspection. Addresses in unincorporated Arapahoe or Adams County use the county instead, and we confirm jurisdiction before we file.

Before any of that, you get a free estimate with a written, itemized price. It names the outdoor and indoor models, the AHRI match, capacity at 5°F, the backup-heat plan and any duct or electrical work, so you can compare bids line by line. Financing is available.