AC Installation & Replacement in Columbine

Plenty of 1960s and 1970s homes here still have a roof or window evaporative cooler. Converting means removing the cooler, closing and flashing the roof opening, capping the water supply and sealing any duct connection the cooler used. If the cooler fed a central ceiling grille rather than the furnace ducts, that opening gets sealed and insulated too, since it is often a large leak to the attic.

The furnace then becomes part of the cooling system, carrying the new coil. If it is original or close to it, replacing it at the same time keeps the airflow matched.

Some homes from the 1960s still have 100-amp service with a crowded panel, especially after additions, a hot tub or an EV charger. Before quoting, we check how many amps the condenser's nameplate calls for and whether the panel has the headroom and a free slot for it. If a heat pump is in the picture, a gas furnace backup keeps electrical demand far lower than electric resistance strips would.

At about 5,540 feet, air is thin enough that coils deliver less than their sea-level ratings, roughly 8 percent less by the 5,000-foot figure in ACHR News. A Manual J handles that, along with window orientation and insulation, so we can size accurately without overshooting.

Colorado's minimum for a new split AC is 13.4 SEER2. New condensers use R-454B or R-32 refrigerant and require a matched indoor coil, and we test the existing line set before deciding whether to reuse it.

Most of Columbine is unincorporated Jefferson County, so the county's Building Safety office wants both a mechanical and an electrical permit for a new AC. The small Arapahoe County portion goes to Arapahoe County. We confirm which applies and file it.

A utility directory lists Xcel Energy as the electric provider; your bill confirms it. Since a heat pump costs little more than an AC in many configurations and can take over much of your heating, we price both. Colorado offers a $1,000 credit for each air-source heat pump installed in 2026, applied by the registered contractor with $333 or more off your invoice, and Power Ahead Colorado provides $1,500 for cold-climate units approved before the job starts. Xcel's own rebates changed on October 1, 2026, so verify them, and the federal 25C credit is no longer available. Our cost guide has metro price ranges.