TL;DR
- We’re a free matchmaker: licensed Utah HVAC shops that serve your ZIP may follow up on your request. We don’t install, sell, or quote.
- When an AC is due, Utah homeowners usually choose between three paths: replace the AC only, add a heat pump that works with a gas furnace (dual fuel), or go all-electric with a cold-climate heat pump.
- 2026 rebates, as listed by the utilities: Wattsmart dual fuel up to $1,450 (AHRI-rated) or $700, and ThermWise dual fuel $700–$1,200. No federal 25C credit for 2026 installs (IRS).
- Ask every bidder about sizing, the AHRI-matched system certificate, which refrigerant the system uses, and who files the rebate paperwork.
Utah HVAC Connect connects homeowners with licensed Utah HVAC contractors for AC replacement, heat pump installs, and full-system discussions. We’re a matchmaker under Apex Lead Group, LLC, not a contractor. We don’t sell equipment, install, diagnose, or quote.
Why look at AC in October?
Salt Lake City averages about 1,420 cooling degree days a year, with July (500) and August (441) doing most of the work, compared with about 5,154 heating degree days (NOAA annual normals; monthly). Utah County is similar: Provo’s normals show about 1,205 cooling and 4,968 heating degree days (NOAA, Provo BYU station). Two things follow:
- Shops are busiest in July and August. If your AC limped through this summer, fall and spring are calmer times to get bids.
- A heat pump is also a heater. In a heating-heavy climate, the AC decision and the furnace decision are often the same decision. See our furnace replacement guide.
Three common paths when an AC is due
| Path | What it means | Often comes up when |
|---|---|---|
| Replace the AC only | New outdoor condenser (and usually a matched indoor coil); keep the gas furnace | The furnace is newer or in good shape |
| Dual fuel | A heat pump handles cooling and most heating; a gas furnace takes over in the coldest weather | Replacing the AC, or both pieces, and wanting to use less gas |
| All-electric heat pump | A cold-climate heat pump as the main heat source, sometimes with electric backup heat | The home already heats with electricity, or there’s no gas service |
Which path fits your home is a call for a licensed shop that sees your equipment, ductwork, and electrical panel. We don’t recommend equipment.
Dual fuel: why it shows up in so many Utah bids
Rocky Mountain Power describes dual fuel this way: in summer the heat pump works like a high-efficiency central AC, in spring and fall it provides efficient heating, and in the coldest months the gas furnace takes over only when needed (Wattsmart). Both Utah utilities list rebates for it, and Enbridge Gas’s ThermWise rebate requires the system to switch to the furnace at 40°F or lower (ThermWise). The two utilities have promoted dual fuel together before (SWEEP case study).
2026 rebates and credits
| Program | What it lists | Key conditions |
|---|---|---|
| Enbridge Gas ThermWise (gas utility) | $300 for a gas furnace rated 95%–97.4% AFUE; $350 for 97.5% AFUE or higher with an ECM blower | Qualifying model; rebate request postmarked within six months of installation |
| Enbridge Gas ThermWise, dual fuel | $700–$1,200 for a heat pump paired with a 95%+ AFUE gas furnace, by tier | ENERGY STAR equipment; changeover setpoint 40°F or lower |
| Rocky Mountain Power Wattsmart, dual fuel | Up to $1,450 for an AHRI-rated dual-fuel system; $700 for a non-AHRI-rated one | Rocky Mountain Power customers on residential rate schedules; existing single-family home; program-participating contractor; apply within 180 days |
| Federal 25C tax credit | Ended | Not allowed for property placed in service after December 31, 2025 |
Sources: ThermWise appliance rebates, Wattsmart dual fuel (UT), IRS FAQ on 25C. If your electricity comes from Lehi City Power instead of Rocky Mountain Power, check Lehi City’s rebate page. Amounts change; confirm before you sign.
Wattsmart’s all-electric air-source heat pump rebates are aimed mainly at homes converting from electric heat; converting from gas doesn’t qualify (Wattsmart air source heat pumps, UT).
Questions to ask every bidder
- How did you size it? Ask whether the shop ran a load calculation (often called Manual J) or matched the old unit’s size.
- Is the outdoor and indoor equipment a matched, AHRI-certified system? Wattsmart’s higher dual-fuel rebate requires an AHRI-rated system.
- How does it perform in cold weather? For cold-climate models, ask whether the unit is on the NEEP cold-climate heat pump list.
- Are you a Wattsmart participating contractor, and who files the rebates? Wattsmart requires a program-participating contractor and an application within 180 days.
- Does my electrical panel need work? Is the permit included?
- Which refrigerant does the quoted system use? (See below.)
Refrigerant changes: what to ask
Under EPA’s Technology Transitions rules, new residential and light-commercial AC and heat pump systems must use refrigerants with a global warming potential below 700 starting January 1, 2025. Systems whose components were all made or imported before that date have no installation deadline (EPA). In practice, bids may include either kind. Ask which refrigerant each quoted system uses, and compare like with like.
AC and heat pump help by area
- Draper & Sandy: older east Sandy homes and high-value Draper homes
- West Jordan & South Jordan
- Riverton & Herriman
- American Fork
- Lehi: Lehi runs its own city power department, so check the city’s rebate page
Check the license
Before anyone works on your system, look the company up on DOPL’s free Licensee Lookup & Verification. You want an Active status and an HVAC classification (H100, or the older S350), under the same business name that’s on your estimate. Step-by-step: how to check a Utah HVAC license.
How matching works
- Tell us what you need on the free Get Help form: service type (Replace or Install; or “I’m not sure”), urgency (Today, This week, or Planning), your ZIP, and when it’s reasonable to reach you.
- We match licensed Utah shops that serve your ZIP. We don’t dispatch technicians, diagnose, or write proposals.
- Matched pros may reach out using the contact details you provide. You talk with them, compare, and hire who you want, or no one. No homeowner fee and no obligation. More: how it works and how we make money.
How we put this page together
This page was written by the Utah HVAC Connect editorial team, not by a contractor. We used public data only: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals, U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS) estimates, and the rebate, permit, and licensing pages published by Utah utilities, cities, and DOPL, each checked on the date shown above. We don’t publish prices we can’t source, contractors can’t pay to be mentioned here, and we don’t name partner shops on this page. Programs and rules change, so confirm details with the program or your contractor before you sign anything. See our editorial policy. Spot an error? Email hello@lendifi.io.
Sources
- NOAA NCEI, 1991–2020 annual normals, Salt Lake City Intl Airport
- NOAA NCEI, 1991–2020 monthly normals, Salt Lake City Intl Airport
- NOAA NCEI, 1991–2020 annual normals, Provo BYU (USC00427064)
- Rocky Mountain Power, Wattsmart dual fuel heat pumps (UT)
- Rocky Mountain Power, Wattsmart air source heat pumps (UT)
- Enbridge Gas, ThermWise appliance rebates
- Southwest Energy Efficiency Project, dual-fuel heat pump case study
- IRS, FAQs on 25C and other credits under Public Law 119-21
- U.S. EPA, Technology Transitions HFC restrictions by sector
- NEEP, cold-climate air-source heat pump list
- Utah DOPL, Licensee Lookup & Verification
Related: furnace replacement · no heat / furnace repair · 2026 Utah HVAC report. Questions about the service: hello@lendifi.io.
FAQ
Do you install or quote AC and heat pumps?
No. Utah HVAC Connect is a matchmaker. We connect homeowners with licensed Utah HVAC contractors. We don’t sell equipment, install, diagnose, or quote.
Can I replace just my AC and keep my furnace?
Often, yes. Replacing only the outdoor AC (and usually the matching indoor coil) is a common path when the furnace is newer or in good shape. A licensed shop confirms the new AC is matched to your furnace and ductwork.
Does a heat pump work in Utah winters?
Heat pumps are designed to heat and cool, and cold-climate models are built for lower outdoor temperatures. In Utah, many bids pair a heat pump with a gas furnace (dual fuel), so the furnace takes over in the coldest weather. Rocky Mountain Power and Enbridge Gas both list dual-fuel rebates.
What rebates are there for heat pumps in Utah in 2026?
As listed on October 7, 2026: Rocky Mountain Power’s Wattsmart program lists up to $1,450 for an AHRI-rated dual-fuel system ($700 if not AHRI-rated), and Enbridge Gas ThermWise lists $700–$1,200 for qualifying dual-fuel systems. Wattsmart’s all-electric heat pump rebates mainly cover homes converting from electric heat. Conditions apply, so confirm with each program.
Is there still a federal tax credit for heat pumps?
Not for 2026 installs. The IRS says the section 25C credit isn’t allowed for property placed in service after December 31, 2025.
When is the best time to replace an AC in Utah?
Cooling demand peaks in July and August, so shops are busiest then. If your system still runs, getting bids in spring or fall gives you more time to compare. A heat pump also heats, so fall is a reasonable time to look at one.
What refrigerant will a new system use?
Under EPA rules, new residential AC and heat pump systems built or imported from January 1, 2025 must use refrigerants with a global warming potential below 700. Older-refrigerant equipment made before then can still be installed. Ask each shop which refrigerant the quoted system uses.