Balance Point Heating, Cooling & Plumbing provides complete furnace replacement in Fort Collins, Colorado. We serve homes across the city, from the historic streets of Old Town to the Harmony corridor, Fossil Creek, Rigden Farm, and the growing neighborhoods of Bucking Horse and Montava. A failing furnace during a Fort Collins winter is not something you can put off. When January lows drop well below zero, your family’s comfort and safety depend on a reliable heating system. Our team will assess your current furnace, recommend the right replacement for your home’s size and layout, and install it to manufacturer specifications with altitude-appropriate calibration.
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Furnace Replacement Services We Offer in Fort Collins
Signs You Need a New Furnace in Fort Collins
Fort Collins winters demand a reliable furnace. If your current system is showing any of these warning signs, it may be time to consider replacement over continued furnace repair:
- Age: Your furnace is 15 to 20 years old. Even well-maintained furnaces lose efficiency over time, and older units at Fort Collins’ altitude work harder than they would at sea level.
- Frequent breakdowns: You’ve needed multiple repairs in the past two heating seasons, and the costs are approaching what a new system would require.
- Rising heating bills: Your Fort Collins Utilities gas or electric bills have increased significantly without a change in usage, suggesting the furnace is losing efficiency.
- Uneven heating: Some rooms are warm while others stay cold, which can indicate a failing blower motor, ductwork issues, or a system that was never properly sized for your home.
- Cracked heat exchanger: This is a serious safety concern. A cracked heat exchanger can release carbon monoxide into your home and requires immediate furnace replacement.
- Yellow or flickering pilot flame: A healthy furnace flame burns blue. A yellow or flickering flame at Fort Collins’ altitude may indicate incomplete combustion caused by improper altitude calibration or a more serious issue.
How We Select and Size Your New Furnace for Fort Collins
Furnace sizing is just as important as the equipment you choose. A unit that is too large will short-cycle, creating temperature swings and wearing out components prematurely. A unit that is too small will run continuously during Fort Collins cold snaps and never reach your desired temperature.
At 5,003 feet, Fort Collins’ thinner air directly affects gas furnace combustion. Every furnace we install is derated for altitude, meaning we adjust the gas valve pressure and burner orifices to account for the reduced oxygen in the air. This ensures proper flame quality, safe combustion, and peak efficiency. We also perform a Manual J heating load calculation that factors in your home’s insulation, window orientation, square footage, ceiling height, and Fort Collins’ specific climate data (including design-day temperatures as low as minus 10°F).
Furnace Replacement Options for Fort Collins Homes
We install all major furnace types and can match the right system to your home’s existing infrastructure:
- High-efficiency gas furnaces (95-98% AFUE): The most popular choice for Fort Collins homes. These condensing furnaces extract maximum heat from every unit of gas, significantly lowering your heating bills compared to older 80% AFUE units.
- Standard-efficiency gas furnaces (80% AFUE): A budget-friendly option that still provides reliable heat. These non-condensing units work well for homes where venting constraints make a high-efficiency unit impractical.
- Electric furnaces: Suitable for homes without natural gas access, particularly some properties in the foothills west of Fort Collins and in newer all-electric developments.
- Heat pumps: An increasingly popular alternative in Fort Collins. Modern cold-climate heat pumps provide both heating and cooling, and Fort Collins Utilities offers incentives to offset installation costs. Heat pumps work well as a primary system or paired with a gas furnace in a dual-fuel configuration.
- Boiler replacements: Older homes in Old Town and the university district often have boiler systems for radiant heat. We replace aging boilers with modern, high-efficiency units.
What to Expect During Your Furnace Replacement
We make the furnace replacement process as smooth and predictable as possible:
- Free in-home estimate: A technician evaluates your current system, performs a load calculation, inspects your ductwork, and presents replacement options with transparent pricing.
- Equipment selection: We are not locked into a single brand. We recommend the best furnace for your home’s specific needs, considering efficiency, reliability, warranty, and your budget.
- Altitude-calibrated installation: Our technicians install the new furnace, derate it for Fort Collins’ elevation, and test combustion to verify safe, efficient operation.
- Ductwork assessment: We check for leaks, damage, and sizing issues. Pairing a new furnace with leaky ducts wastes energy. If needed, we recommend ductwork repairs or replacement.
- Full system testing: We test every component, walk you through your new thermostat, and explain recommended maintenance before we leave.
Why Fort Collins Homeowners Trust Balance Point for Furnace Replacement
- High-altitude installation expertise: Every furnace we install is derated and tested for Fort Collins’ 5,003-foot elevation. Not all HVAC companies do this, and it matters for safety, efficiency, and longevity.
- Free, no-pressure estimates: We present your options clearly and give you the time to make the right decision. No high-pressure tactics.
- 0% interest financing: A new furnace is a significant investment. Our financing options make it manageable with affordable monthly payments.
- Rebate and incentive guidance: We help you take advantage of Fort Collins Utilities rebates, federal tax credits, and manufacturer promotions to reduce your total cost.
- Trusted since 1998: Over 1,100 five-star reviews and nearly three decades serving Fort Collins mean you can trust us with your home’s most critical system.
- Post-installation support: Our Whole Home Comfort Plan includes annual furnace tune-ups, priority scheduling, and member discounts to protect your investment for years to come.
Frequently Asked Questions About Furnace Replacement in Fort Collins
How much does furnace replacement cost in Fort Collins?
Furnace replacement cost depends on the type and efficiency of the unit you choose, your home’s size, and whether any ductwork modifications are required. We provide free in-home estimates with complete, transparent pricing so there are no surprises. Flexible financing is available to make the investment more manageable.
Should I replace my furnace before it completely fails?
Yes, if possible. Planning a replacement gives you time to compare options, take advantage of rebates, and schedule installation at a convenient time. If your furnace fails during a Fort Collins cold snap, you may be forced into an emergency replacement with fewer choices and less flexibility. If your furnace is over 15 years old and requiring increasingly frequent furnace repairs, proactive replacement is the smarter financial move.
What furnace efficiency rating should I choose?
For most Fort Collins homes, we recommend a 95 to 98% AFUE (Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency) gas furnace. At this efficiency level, 95 to 98 cents of every dollar you spend on gas goes directly to heating your home. Given Fort Collins’ cold winters (with roughly 6,500 heating degree days per year), the energy savings from a high-efficiency furnace add up quickly. The upfront cost is higher than an 80% AFUE unit, but the lower monthly bills typically offset the difference within a few years.
Does Fort Collins altitude affect furnace installation?
Absolutely. Gas furnaces must be derated for operation at 5,000+ feet. This involves adjusting the gas valve pressure, potentially changing burner orifices, and verifying combustion performance after installation. A furnace installed without altitude derating will burn fuel improperly, produce higher carbon monoxide levels, and fail sooner. Our technicians complete altitude calibration and combustion testing on every installation as a standard practice.
Should I consider a heat pump instead of a furnace?
Heat pumps are an excellent option for many Fort Collins homeowners. Modern cold-climate heat pumps can heat effectively in temperatures well below zero, and they also provide air conditioning in summer, eliminating the need for two separate systems. Fort Collins Utilities incentive programs have made heat pumps increasingly affordable. For homes that want a backup heating source for the coldest nights, a dual-fuel system (heat pump plus a smaller gas furnace) offers the best of both worlds. We can help you evaluate whether a heat pump, a traditional furnace, or a dual-fuel configuration makes the most sense for your situation.
Fort Collins Neighborhoods We Serve for Furnace Replacement
We install new furnaces throughout Fort Collins and surrounding communities:
- Old Town, Downtown, and the Historic District
- Campus West and the CSU University Area
- Fossil Creek, Southridge Greens, and Cathy Fromme Prairie
- Harmony Road Corridor and Front Range Village
- Rigden Farm, Bucking Horse, Jessup Farm, and Montava
- Horsetooth Hills, Overland Trail, and West Fort Collins
- Terry Lake, Vine Drive, and North Fort Collins
- Nearby: Timnath, Wellington, Windsor, Laporte, and Loveland
Our Fort Collins office at 4730 S College Ave provides fast response for estimates and installations. View our full service area.
Schedule Your Free Furnace Replacement Estimate in Fort Collins
Don’t wait for your furnace to fail during the coldest week of the year. Call Balance Point at 970-345-3361 or request your free estimate online to explore your replacement options. We offer transparent pricing, altitude-calibrated installations, and 0% interest financing to make the process simple and affordable.
