HVAC Solutions FAQ

Absolutely. In fact, pairing a Single Package Heat Pump unit with your existing hydronic (boiler or baseboard) system is often the ideal HVAC configuration for homes in our region.

The Detailed Breakdown: Many of our clients in Eagle and Pitkin Counties have excellent heating systems. Hydronic heat and baseboards are efficient and comfortable for deep winter. However, these systems lack one thing: Cooling.

When you add a Single Package Heat Pump to this setup, you create a "Hybrid System"

SP units are fully capable heat pumps heat and cool, in our specific climate, they perform best in a "Cooling + Supplemental Heat" role.

• Primary Cooling Solution: Your boiler keeps you warm, but it can’t help during those warm summer days. A Single Package unit fills this gap perfectly, providing powerful, high-efficiency AC to the specific rooms that need it most (like master bedrooms or sun-facing living areas).

• Redundancy and Reliability: By keeping your baseboards, you retain your heavy-duty heating for the dead of winter. The SP unit serves as a backup.

You do not need to replace your current heating system to get air conditioning. With a SP Heat Pump, you are simply completing the picture gaining premium cooling and versatile supplemental heating in one sleek, ductless package.

Yes. Several retrofit options for air conditioning avoid exterior condensers, including indoor heat pumps like all-in-one (AIO) models that vent through discreet wall penetrations, as well as select water-loop/VRF solutions that utilize shared mechanical spaces. These options minimize visual impact, simplify HOA and historic approvals, and reduce snow and ice exposure.

There are several styles of louvers to choose from, and they can typically be located so that they are not visible from traffic areas. We also ensure that the louvers are color matched to the color of your building, making them a great choice for homes with air conditioning or indoor heat pumps. Additionally, we offer retrofit options to enhance your existing system.

Higher elevation lowers air density, which can reduce the capacity of air conditioning systems and the effectiveness of airflow from indoor heat pumps. We verify manufacturer performance data for local design conditions and select inverter systems with headroom, then confirm with room-by-room load calculations (solar gain, glazing, envelope, occupancy) to explore retrofit options.

Options include lift pumps to a remote drain, shared vertical stacks, or heated condensate evaporators with integrated trays that eliminate routine draining (useful where slopes/penetrations are restricted). We select based on humidity loads, service access, and electrical availability, especially when considering air conditioning and indoor heat pumps as retrofit options.

Approvals typically focus on exterior aesthetics, noise, and penetrations. We submit a clear package that includes elevations with grille/vent locations, sound data, finish schedules, and service access. Systems that keep air conditioning and indoor heat pumps indoors, while utilizing low-profile exterior terminations, generally move faster through review. Additionally, we explore various retrofit options to enhance efficiency.

Many legacy properties have tight panels. We run a load study, consider staged circuits, soft-start/inverter equipment, and demand-limit controls, along with room-level setpoint/occupancy strategies. For properties needing improved air conditioning or indoor heat pumps, we plan targeted retrofit options and electrical upgrades with minimal downtime.

We prioritize shoulder seasons, stack work vertically, and use “pod” scheduling (demo AM, rough-in midday, set/commission PM) to efficiently return rooms quickly. By integrating air conditioning and indoor heat pumps into our systems, we provide effective retrofit options. Dust isolation, quiet-hour rules, access rules, and daily punch/clean protocols ensure that public areas remain guest-ready.

Yes, we offer gateway-enabled occupancy-based control, remote monitoring, and automated set-back on check-out for air conditioning systems, including indoor heat pumps and various retrofit options.

Mountain properties increasingly plan for smoke events and dry conditions. We pair efficient air conditioning with right-sized outdoor air strategies, indoor heat pumps, ERVs, tight envelope sealing, and upgraded filtration (hotel-appropriate high-MERV media) to protect IAQ without excessive static. Additionally, we offer retrofit options to enhance overall system performance.

Yes , often you can avoid core drilling for drains. Two approches are 

1. using a heated condensate evaporator (collects and evaporates water, no drain line)

2. installing a small lift pump to tie into an existing drain/stack in a nearby chase.

AIO keeps everything indoors and vents through two discreet wall penetrations, making it an ideal choice for air conditioning in Colorado resort towns where HOAs and historic boards restrict exterior equipment. This system is particularly beneficial in areas where snow and ice can bury or damage outdoor condensers. With indoor heat pumps, installations are typically faster as there are no lineset runs, pads, cranes, or vacuum/charge needed. Additionally, there’s no outdoor noise to disturb neighbors. When planning for installation, consider in-room acoustic isolation since the compressor is inside, and be sure to verify capacity at elevation. This system also offers excellent retrofit options for existing setups.

Mini-split systems feature an outdoor compressor paired with a quiet air handler indoors, making them an effective solution for air conditioning needs. They provide a variety of capacity options and multi-zone configurations, where one condenser can serve several rooms, which can be cost-effective if exterior placement is feasible. Additionally, these systems can also incorporate indoor heat pumps for enhanced efficiency. However, keep in mind that they require exterior linesets and grilles, more approvals, exposure to weather, and careful snow and ice mitigation strategies, especially when considering retrofit options.

“SPG” stands for Special Projects Group. In our industry, that refers to medium-sized projects managed with the same rigor you’d expect on large commercial jobs. 
For you, that means:

• Detailed scope of work: clear deliverables, responsibilities, and timelines
• Pre-construction planning & engineering (as needed): site walks, load calculations, code checks, and submittals
• Strict project management: coordinated trades, scheduling, quality control, and documentation through final completion

We apply this approach where home values are higher. These properties have  HOA/ARC requirements and SPG:  

• Prevents  change orders 
• Finish damage to stucco, stone, millwork
• HOA/ARC delays
• Inspection failures & delays
• Noise, dust, and disruption in occupied or luxury environments
• Schedule slip
• Improved omfort & efficiency

In short, in markets like Vail/Beaver Creek and Aspen, SPG means big-project rigor for right-sized jobs.

Because the compressor is indoors on AIO systems, we specify vibration isolation, and mounting details to keep in-room dB levels low. Outside, only small intake/exhaust grilles are present because there is no outdoor condenser or it's related fan noise. We provide sound data in HOA submittals and position grilles to minimize any line-of-sight transmission.

A heat pump is a machine that moves heat from one place to another using electricity, instead of burning fuel to create heat. In winter it pulls heat from outside and brings it indoors. In summer it works in reverse and removes heat from inside your home to keep it cool.