Colorado HVAC Pros
Overhead view of an air conditioning condenser unit on a concrete pad next to a house with asphalt shingle roofing and vinyl siding.

AC Installation in Durango, CO

Tell us about the house, and a licensed contractor who covers La Plata County will get in touch.

Tell us about the job

It takes about a minute.

Step 1 of 3: Equipment
An outdoor air conditioning condenser unit mounted on a concrete pad next to a blue-sided residential house at sunset.

Durango doesn't ask much of an air conditioner

Summer afternoons here average 79°F, which is mild as far as cooling goes. Whatever unit goes in won't be working hard most days, but Durango still sees its share of hailstorms and high wind, with 8 hail events and 30 damaging wind events recorded over the past ten years, including hail up to 1.75 inches. An outdoor condenser sits exposed to all of that, so how it's installed and protected matters as much as the equipment itself.

Any new central air conditioner installed today has to meet a federal minimum of 13.4 SEER2. That's the baseline, not a special upgrade, so it's worth knowing what you're getting beyond it.

79°F
the average summer afternoon it cools against
8 hail events
in ten years, and hail bends the fins on outdoor coils
13.4 SEER2
the federal minimum any new unit must meet
Isometric grayscale illustration of a cutaway house showing interior rooms, ductwork, an indoor air handler, and an outdoor condenser unit on a pad connected by lines.
Your air conditioner works hardest from July through August.

NOAA nClimDiv, 1991–2020 normals

An outdoor air conditioning condenser unit positioned beside a blue-sided house at sunset.

Going above the federal minimum saves little here, about $10 a year.

  • A higher-efficiency unit$50 a year
  • A new unit at the federal minimum, 13.4 SEER2$60 a year

Estimates for a typical La Plata County home, from EIA household energy data, Colorado fuel prices and NOAA climate normals. Your home will differ.

What size air conditioner does my house need?
The right size depends on your square footage, ceiling height, shade, and insulation, not just a rule of thumb per square foot. A contractor will do a load calculation, room by room, to land on the right tonnage. Going bigger than you need isn't a safety margin. An oversized unit cools the air fast without pulling the humidity down, so the house feels clammy even though the thermostat says it's cool. Getting the size right matters more than buying extra capacity.
Should I replace the whole system or just the outdoor unit?
If your indoor coil and furnace are old too, replacing just the outdoor unit usually causes problems. The new outdoor unit needs to match the coil for the refrigerant charge and airflow to work right, and pairing a new condenser with an old coil can hurt efficiency and shorten its life. Manufacturers also test and rate systems as matched pairs, so mixing old and new can affect warranty coverage. A contractor can look at the age and condition of both pieces and tell you whether the coil is worth keeping.
Do HVAC contractors in Durango need a state license to work on my home?
Ask to see a contractor's license before any work starts. Anyone handling refrigerant also needs EPA certification, which is separate from any state or local licensing. A contractor who does this work regularly should be able to show you both without hesitation.
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