HVAC and Mechanical Lifts
HVAC Unit Removal and Replacement in Lake Havasu City
2 min readUpdated July 2026
An HVAC change-out means removing the old unit and setting the new one, usually on the same visit. Between those two picks the roof curb is open. HCW plans the sequence with your mechanical contractor so the opening is exposed for as little time as possible.
Two Picks, One Setup, and a Hole in the Roof
The crane comes out once and does two lifts. The old unit off, the new unit on. What sits between them is the mechanical crew's work and an open curb, which is the part of the day that carries the risk.
An open curb is a hole into the building. Monsoon rain, blowing dust, and anything a crew member drops all go straight through it. So the middle of the day is planned as tightly as the picks are, and if a storm cell is building we would rather delay the first pick than get caught halfway.
It is also the only chance anyone gets to look at the curb itself. Rot, rust, a failed gasket, a curb that was never quite square. Better to find it while it is open and fix it, because the next opportunity is the next change-out.
Gas, electrical, and condensate all have to be dealt with before the old unit moves, and that is the mechanical contractor's work. What matters for the crane day is that it is finished when we arrive, because a unit that is still connected is a unit that is not going anywhere.
Where the Old Unit Goes
This gets forgotten more often than it should. The old unit has to land somewhere, and it is dirty, oily, and full of refrigerant residue. Setting it on a customer's driveway or new pavers makes a mess that somebody has to deal with.
So we agree the drop point before the first pick. A trailer, a truck bed, a designated laydown area on dunnage, or straight onto a disposal trailer if the contractor brought one. Confirm who is hauling it away before the day, because we set it where you want it but disposal is not our scope.
Weight matters here too. Old units are frequently heavier than their replacements, especially where a modern high-efficiency unit is going onto a curb that once held an older machine. Plan the crane on the heavier of the two.
Age is the other unknown. An old unit may have accumulated a curb adapter, extra structural steel, a coil replacement, and twenty years of hardware nobody documented. If nobody can produce a weight for it, we plan on the heavy side rather than find out on the first test lift.
How the job runs
Our Process
Step 1: Plan Both Picks Together
Weights for both units, one setup position that reaches the curb, the new unit staging spot, and the old unit drop point. All settled before the day.
Step 2: Old Unit Off
Once the tech has it disconnected and free, it comes straight up off the curb and down to the agreed drop point on dunnage or a trailer.
Step 3: Curb Open Window
The curb is inspected, prepped, and adapted if needed. This is the crew's time and the weather-sensitive part of the day. We stay set up and ready.
Step 4: New Unit In and Confirmed
New unit brought in over the curb, lowered in inches with the tech sighting all four sides, and held in the rigging until he confirms it is seated square.
Scope
What Is Included
- Both picks from one crane setup
- Crane sized on the heavier of the old and new units
- Rigging suited to both cabinets, including a spreader bar
- Agreed drop point and dunnage for the old unit
- Tight sequencing to limit the open curb window
- Weather watch on the day during monsoon season
Real HCW jobs
From the Job Site
Rooftop unit headed for a tile roof 
HVAC unit landing on a roof curb 
Full boom extension on a home 
Rooftop unit lifted over a driveway
Answers
Frequently Asked Questions
Can both picks happen on the same visit?
That is the normal way to do it. One setup, old unit off, curb prepped, new unit on. It only becomes two visits when an adapter curb is needed and was not on site.
Do you haul the old unit away?
We set it where you want it, including onto a trailer. Hauling and disposal is normally handled by the mechanical contractor, so agree that before the day.
How long is the roof open?
Only as long as the curb work takes. That is the mechanical crew's part. We stay rigged and ready so the new unit goes on the moment they are done.
What if it rains during the change-out?
During monsoon season we check the forecast before the first pick. If a cell is building, we would rather start earlier or move the day than have an open curb when it hits.
Is the old unit heavier than the new one?
Often, yes. We plan the crane on whichever is heavier, since one setup has to handle both. Send both weights if you have them.
Related Services
- Package Unit PlacementSetting rooftop package units square on the curb, with the gasket seated and the duct openings lined up. Crane and operator for HVAC contractors.
- Rooftop Equipment LiftsExhaust fans, kitchen hoods, evaporative coolers, ductwork, and mechanical equipment lifted onto commercial and residential roofs.
- HVAC and Mechanical LiftsRooftop units, air handlers, condensers, and mechanical equipment set for HVAC contractors and homeowners.
- Package Unit PlacementSetting rooftop package units square on the curb, with the gasket seated and the duct openings lined up. Crane and operator for HVAC contractors.
- Air Handler PlacementAir handlers rarely land on an open roof. They go through an opening or into a mechanical room, which makes the last twenty feet the hard part.
- Condenser Unit PlacementCondensers are light and fragile. The coil fins bend if you look at them wrong. We set them over walls into side yards without touching the coil.
- Rooftop Equipment LiftsExhaust fans, kitchen hoods, evaporative coolers, ductwork, and mechanical equipment lifted onto commercial and residential roofs.
- Mechanical Equipment LiftsPumps, generators, water heaters, compressors, and mechanical skids lifted into place. Off-center weight and rated lifting lugs are the whole problem.
Ready to schedule your lift?
Tell us the load, the site and the timing. We will confirm capacity, access and a window.