Every Story

Every long read on the site, grouped by department, with the one-sentence answer each one opens with. Each department page has the same stories with pictures.

Cooling

Swamp Cooler, Central Air or a Heat Pump?: A swamp cooler suits Denver's dry summers and uses about a quarter of central air's energy, but it needs open windows, water and roof upkeep, and it pulls in smoke and ozone. Central air or a heat pump keeps the house shut.
Opening and Closing an Evaporative Cooler: Evaporative cooler start up begins with the power off and locked out, then clean pads, a working bleed and water on before power. Fall shutdown runs in reverse: water off, everything drained, the cabinet covered. Steep or slick roofs go to a pro.
When Hail Hits the Outdoor Unit: Hail damage to an AC condenser usually shows as flattened fins and dented panels. Switch a battered unit off at the disconnect, photograph everything, and let a contractor and your insurer judge it before anyone straightens, repairs or replaces a thing.
Why the Upstairs Bakes and What Helps: Upstairs too hot in summer usually means three things stacked together: a sun-baked attic overhead, ducts that lose cool air on the way up, and a thermostat downstairs. Fix the attic and ducts first, then consider zoning or a ductless head.
Ductless Heat Pumps in Houses Without Ducts: A ductless mini-split suits Denver's older brick houses because it needs no ductwork: a small refrigerant line through the wall links an outdoor unit to wall heads that cool in summer and, with a cold-climate model, carry much of the winter heating.

Heating

Furnace, Heat Pump or Both?: Furnace or heat pump in Colorado is rarely all-or-nothing. A cold-climate heat pump can carry most Front Range winter days; a gas furnace or backup heat covers the hardest nights. Prices, rebates and your ducts decide the mix.
Thermostats for a Place Where Weather Swings: Thermostat settings for temperature swings on the Front Range come down to steady targets, modest setbacks and a thermostat that knows what it controls. A furnace handles deep nightly setbacks well; a heat pump needs gentler, heat-pump-aware schedules so strip heat stays off.
Dry Winter Air and What to Do About It: Dry winter air in a Denver house is normal, and a humidifier helps if it is kept modest. Aim for 30 to 50% indoors, turn it down before cold snaps, and use low-mineral water so the furniture does not end up dusted white.
Carbon Monoxide, Gas Furnaces and the Alarm Law: Colorado's carbon monoxide alarm law covers most Front Range houses: any home with gas heat, a fireplace or an attached garage. Put alarms within 15 feet of every bedroom door, service the furnace yearly, and if one sounds, get everyone out and call from outside.

Air & Smoke

Wildfire Smoke, Filters and the Furnace Fan: For wildfire smoke, a furnace filter rated MERV 13, or the highest your system can take, plus the fan set to On and outdoor air shut off, cleans the whole house. Add a portable cleaner in the bedroom and switch the swamp cooler off.
Ozone Days and the Air You Pull Inside: On an ozone action day in Denver, the gas builds outdoors in hot sun, so pull outdoor air in during the cool morning and evening, close up through the afternoon, and don't expect a furnace filter to catch it.

Rebates & Rules

Xcel Energy Rebates for Heating and Cooling: Xcel Energy's heat pump rebate in Colorado pays by the ton in 2026, up to $1,500 per heating ton for a cold-climate model at the bonus rate. Installs must be finished by Dec. 31, 2026. Checked October 31, 2026.
What Denver Requires When You Replace: Denver has no heat pump requirement for single-family houses, as of the city's pages we could read in 2026. The city's electrification rules cover commercial and multifamily buildings. A house replacement still needs a permit and must meet current efficiency.
Heat Pump Tax Credits: State and Federal: Colorado's heat pump tax credit survives in 2026, but your contractor claims it: $1,000 on an air-source system, with at least $333 passed to you as an invoice discount. The federal credits ended for installs after 2025.

Hiring

How to Choose a Front Range Contractor: Choosing an HVAC contractor in Denver starts with the city, not the search results: licensing here is local, so check the company holds the right license where you live, then compare written bids that size the system for your house.
Permits and Inspections for a New System: An HVAC permit in Denver, Aurora or Lakewood is required for a furnace, central AC, heat pump or swamp cooler replacement, even like for like. The contractor usually pulls it, an inspector checks the work, and that second look protects you.