A surprising number of Fort Collins homes still have no central air conditioning at all — about 14% of Coloradans lack AC, and many pre-1990 houses here were built for evaporative coolers and open windows. Installing central AC in one of those homes is a different job from swapping a like-for-like unit: it means a Manual J load calculation at 5,003 feet, ductwork that may need to be added or rebuilt, and a system chosen for dry air and short, hot afternoons rather than humid heat. DNA Refrigeration Heating & Cooling installs central AC across Fort Collins, including first-time cooling and swamp-cooler-to-AC conversions. Call (970) 932-2324 any time.
A proper AC installation starts before any equipment arrives: a Manual J load calculation for the specific house, at altitude, with its actual insulation, windows and ductwork. At 5,003 feet an air conditioner loses roughly 10–20% of its sea-level rated capacity, so a unit sized from a sea-level chart is undersized here from day one.
Then comes the part that decides whether the system actually delivers its rated efficiency: the ductwork, the line set, the condensate drain and the electrical supply. In a first-time installation the ducts may not exist at all — older Old Town, Sheely and Mantz homes were built around evaporative coolers, which need open windows and work well in dry June but fail in humid August and admit wildfire smoke whenever the windows are open. A refrigerated system is sealed, filtered and controlled, which is exactly why conversion is a live market here. In a replacement installation the question is whether the old ducts, pad and line set are still fit for the new equipment, or whether reusing them quietly throws away the efficiency you just paid for. A mechanical permit is required for AC replacement and installation in Fort Collins, applied for through the Accela Citizen Portal.
A new AC installation should cool every room, hold its setpoint on a 93°F afternoon, and run quietly enough that you forget it is there. Here is what goes into that.
We size from the house, not a rule of thumb: square footage, insulation, window area and orientation, duct condition and altitude derating. Oversizing is as costly as undersizing in a dry climate — short cycles, poor dehumidification and worn components.
Fort Collins design wet bulb is about 60°F, so latent load is low and sensible cooling dominates. We select equipment for that reality rather than a humid-climate spec sheet, and we explain the SEER2 rating in terms of what it means at altitude.
For homes that never had central AC, we plan the duct routes, the outdoor unit placement and the drain before quoting. Many older homes need a ductless mini-split for part of the house instead — we will say so rather than force ducts where they do not fit.
Evaporative coolers still cool well on dry June days, then struggle in humid August and pull smoke inside during wildfire season. Conversion to refrigerated cooling means sealed, filtered air and a thermostat that actually controls temperature. We remove the old unit and its roof or window opening as part of the job.
New line sets, a correctly pitched condensate drain with a float switch, and duct connections sealed at the unit. Reusing a contaminated line set or a sagging drain is how new systems develop old problems.
After installation we check refrigerant charge by weight and superheat/subcooling, measure airflow and temperature split, and verify the system holds setpoint. The numbers are recorded and left with you.
Call (970) 932-2324 any time. We ask about the house — age, size, existing ducts, whether there is any cooling now — and what is driving the decision: a dead system, a first-time install, or a swamp cooler that has had its last summer.
We measure the home, inspect the ductwork or the spaces ducts would run through, check the electrical panel capacity and look at outdoor unit placement, including any HOA or historic-district visibility considerations.
You get a written quote with the equipment, the ductwork scope, the permit and the commissioning included, and the trade-offs between efficiency tiers explained in plain terms. Nationally, AC replacement ran $3,887–$8,073, averaging $5,978, in October 2026 (Angi) — a national benchmark, not a Fort Collins price.
A mechanical permit is filed through the Accela Citizen Portal. Installation covers the indoor and outdoor units, line set, drain, electrical connections and thermostat, with the work area left clean.
We charge, test and document the system, walk you through the thermostat and filter schedule, and confirm the final mechanical inspection is scheduled. Permits in Fort Collins are valid for 180 days.
Call (970) 932-2324 any time. We ask about the house — age, size, existing ducts, whether there is any cooling now — and what is driving the decision: a dead system, a first-time install, or a swamp cooler that has had its last summer.
Room-by-room load calculation at altitude, so the equipment matches the house instead of a square-footage guess.
Duct routes planned for the house as built, with leakage measured so new ducts do not waste the new system's output.
Charge weighed to the manufacturer's specification and verified by superheat and subcooling readings.
A deep vacuum with a measured micron reading before charging, so moisture and air never enter the new system.
Supply and return airflow checked against the equipment's rated range — the step that catches undersized returns in older homes.
Electrical supply, disconnect and thermostat wiring verified safe and correct before the system is handed over.
Old Town's median single-family home was built in 1927, and most of those houses were built before central AC existed. Cooling, where it exists, is often a window unit or an evaporative cooler, with thin walls and ductwork squeezed in decades later. Upstairs rooms run hot while the ground floor stays cool.
What good work addresses: a load calculation that respects the old envelope, duct routes that work with the house rather than against it, and — where ducts genuinely do not fit — a ductless option for the rooms the ducts cannot reach. Old Town design guidelines are voluntary and treat exterior HVAC as a visibility question, not a ban.
Call (970) 932-2324 →Evaporative coolers are still common in these older neighbourhoods. They work in dry June, lose the plot in humid August, and need open windows — which is exactly what you do not want during wildfire smoke. The Cameron Peak Fire in 2020, at 208,663 acres the largest in Colorado history, made that trade-off impossible to ignore.
What good work addresses: replacing open-window evaporative cooling with a sealed, filtered refrigerated system, removing the old cooler and its opening, and sizing the new equipment for the house at altitude so it holds setpoint through the hottest afternoons.
Call (970) 932-2324 →Rigden Farm's master-planned homes were built between 2000 and 2011, and that whole cohort is now hitting its first furnace and AC replacement wave together. The complaint in these larger two-storey homes is usually the same: the upstairs will not cool, the system runs constantly, and the original builder-grade equipment is at the end of its life.
What good work addresses: checking whether the original ductwork can support modern high-efficiency equipment, sizing the replacement at altitude, and addressing the upstairs/downstairs imbalance with duct balancing or zoning rather than simply fitting a bigger box.
Call (970) 932-2324 →Most installation decisions come down to four questions: does the house need ducts, what size, what will it cost, and what happens with permits. Here is how we approach each.
Ask a pro →Usually yes. The survey decides how: full ducted central AC where ducts can run, a ductless mini-split where they cannot, or a hybrid of the two. About 14% of Coloradans lack AC, so first-time cooling is a normal job here, not an exception.
If you want cooling that works in humid August and filtered air during wildfire smoke, yes. Evaporative coolers need open windows and lose effectiveness as humidity rises; a refrigerated system is sealed and thermostat-controlled. The conversion also removes a roof or window opening that leaks air all winter.
Only if the ducts and the sizing are right. A bigger unit on undersized ducts just short-cycles. We measure airflow and duct capacity as part of the quote, and where the upstairs cannot be fixed with balancing alone we discuss zoning or a ductless head for the upper floor.
Nationally, AC replacement ran $3,887–$8,073, averaging $5,978, in October 2026 (Angi). A full split system in Fort Collins was modelled at $8,550–$14,380 the same month (NumeralQ, modelled, not a contractor bid). Your price depends on tonnage, efficiency, ductwork and the permit — which is why the written quote follows a survey, not a phone guess.
“Fantastic business! Dennis is amazing, fixes, replaces, installs and knows everything about his profession. He under cut another competitor by $5800 and never exaggerates work that doesn't need doing. Very trustworthy, and very much appreciated. I have another whole AC unit that will need replacing soon, and I know who I'm going to for the job. Thanks!”
James HadleyGoogle review · 5 months ago
“We had a great experience working with this company. From the beginning, they have been incredibly open and helpful. They took the time to explain everything clearly, answer our questions, and genuinely work with us rather than simply trying to sell us a service. We really appreciate the effort they put into helping us find the best option for our situation. Highly recommend!!”
Hannah ClarkGoogle review · a month ago
| Question | Answer in brief |
|---|---|
| My home has never had central AC — is it possible? | Usually yes. |
| Should I replace my swamp cooler with AC? | If you want cooling that works in humid August and filtered air during wildfire smoke, yes. |
| Will a new AC actually cool my upstairs? | Only if the ducts and the sizing are right. |
| What does a new AC cost in Fort Collins? | Nationally, AC replacement ran $3,887–$8,073, averaging $5,978, in October 2026 (Angi). |
15–20 years is the usual answer for Fort Collins (Balance Point, November 2026 research). Altitude derating, hard cycling on hot afternoons and neglected maintenance all pull toward the short end. A correctly sized, properly installed system that is maintained annually lasts toward the long end.
Yes. AC replacement and installation trigger a mechanical permit in Fort Collins, applied for through the Accela Citizen Portal, with rough-mechanical and final inspections. Permits are valid for 180 days. Permit fees were not verified at the time of writing (November 2026), so no fee figure is published here.
Yes — either by adding ductwork where the house allows it, or with a ductless mini-split system, which is the standard no-duct retrofit in Fort Collins historic homes. The site survey decides which approach fits your house; a hybrid (ducted downstairs, ductless upstairs) is common in older two-storey homes.
No. Colorado has no state HVAC licence — the state licenses only electricians and plumbers. HVAC work in Fort Collins is licensed by the City of Fort Collins, not the state. Fort Collins licenses HVAC contractors through the City — ask us for our licence details when you call.
Tell us about the house — its age, its ducts, whether it has ever had central cooling — and we will survey it, size it at altitude, and quote the installation in writing. Open 24 hours, 7 days a week.
Schedule My Quote (970) 932-2324 →Call (970) 932-2324 any time, day or night. We are open 24 hours, 7 days a week, from 2757 Sternwheeler Dr, Fort Collins, CO 80524. Phone is the way to reach us — there is no email address for the business, so call any time, day or night — we are open 24 hours, 7 days a week.