A heat pump is essentially an air conditioner that can run in reverse. In summer it pulls heat out of your house and dumps it outside (cooling). In winter it pulls heat out of the cold outside air and pumps it inside (heating). Even at 0°F there’s heat in the air to extract.
Modern cold-climate heat pumps maintain rated capacity down to about 5°F and produce useful heat well below 0°F. For Colorado, that covers the vast majority of heating hours. Pair with a small gas or electric backup for the coldest nights.
Why heat pumps are huge in Colorado right now
- One unit replaces both your AC and your furnace
- Operating cost typically lower than gas heating
- Xcel + Colorado state rebates can total ~$7,750 on a 3-ton cold-climate install through September 30, 2026 — Xcel’s rate drops roughly a third on October 1
- The federal 25C credit and the income-qualified HEAR/HEEHRA rebate no longer apply to a Front Range install in 2026 — see the rebate tracker for current status
Related: Cold-Climate Heat Pump, Dual-Fuel, HSPF. See also: heat pump installation.
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Right Way Mechanical is a family-owned HVAC contractor serving Wheat Ridge, Arvada, west Denver, and the Colorado foothills.