AC Installation & Replacement in Longmont

Homes in the West Side Historic District date from 1871 to 1930. Many have a converted furnace with heat-only ducts or no forced air at all. Adding ducted cooling to a two-story Victorian usually means long runs to the upper floor and limited return air. A ductless or small-duct heat pump is often a better match, and it adds efficient heat. Equipment visible from the street may need historic review, so we plan condenser and line-set locations at the side or rear of the house where possible.

We also check the electrical service early. Older homes often have panels with no room for a 240-volt condenser circuit.

Prospect New Town, begun in the mid-1990s, has narrow lots, alleys, and homes close together. Condenser placement is tight: units need clearance for airflow and service, and noise matters with neighbors a few feet away. We look at side yards, alley-facing pads, and line-set routes before committing, and quieter variable-speed equipment can be worth it here.

Many Prospect homes also have detached garages and accessory units over them. If you want to cool a garage apartment or studio, a separate ductless heat pump is usually more practical than extending the main system across the yard.

At about 4,980 feet, Longmont sits lower than much of the metro, but thin air still trims cooling capacity; a common industry factor, reported by ACHR News, is about 92 percent of rated dry-coil capacity at 5,000 feet. Summer heat in Longmont is real, so a Manual J that accounts for west-facing glass and attic insulation matters. Oversizing still causes short cycling and uneven rooms.

New split systems use R-454B or R-32 refrigerant with a matched indoor coil. DOE's North region minimum is 13.4 SEER2 for a split AC and 14.3 SEER2 for a split heat pump.