Rooftop HVAC sets and removals, start to finish
Rooftop HVAC is the main thing we lift. Lots and lots of HVAC companies around the Valley call Skyhook Crane when a unit has to go up on a roof or come down off one, and we set our schedule around their change-outs.
Our truck-mounted telescopic boom crane sets up at the curb or in the driveway, picks the new unit off the trailer, swings it over the house or building and lowers it onto the curb or stand. Then we hook the old unit and bring it back down to the ground or onto your trailer. One setup, both lifts.
We handle:
- Package units (gas/electric and heat pump packs) on residential and commercial roofs
- Split-system condensers and heat pumps that sit on a roof instead of a ground pad
- Evaporative coolers, going in, coming out, or being swapped for refrigerated air
- Curbs, adapter curbs, stands and related equipment that need to be on the roof before the unit
- Old-unit removal, including units that are being retired with no replacement
Every lift is different. Call with the weight of the item, how far it needs to go and where the truck can park, and Don will confirm the lift.
Why a crane beats carrying units up a ladder
A rooftop package unit is heavy, awkward and has no good handholds. Walking one up a ladder or dragging it up a ramp of planks puts your crew, the unit and the roof at risk. A crane takes the weight off everyone's back.
- Crew safety. Nobody is balancing on a ladder with a load. Hands stay on tag lines and on the equipment once it is lowered into place.
- Less damage. The unit is lowered straight down onto the curb instead of being slid across tiles, parapets or gutters. Cabinets, coils and fins arrive in the shape they left the warehouse.
- Faster change-outs. The set and the removal usually happen in one short visit, so your installers can get to the connections instead of spending the morning hauling.
- Precise placement. The operator can set the unit on the curb and hold it while the crew lines up the duct openings and rails.
Residential tile roofs
Plenty of Valley homes have concrete or clay tile roofs with the AC unit sitting on a curb in the middle of them. Tile breaks when people walk on it the wrong way or drag equipment across it, so the less foot traffic and sliding, the better.
With a crane, the new unit comes in from above and goes straight down onto the curb. The old unit comes straight up. Your crew still needs to get on the roof to disconnect and reconnect, but nobody has to carry a cabinet across the tile field.
On residential jobs, a few things matter most:
- Where the truck can park. Driveway, curb or alley, and how far that spot is from the unit
- What is between the truck and the unit. Trees, a two-story roofline, a pool or patio cover
- Overhead power lines along the street or running to the house
- HOA rules about trucks in the street or work hours, which the homeowner should check ahead of time
Flat commercial roofs
Commercial buildings, strip centers, shops and offices often have flat or low-slope roofs with several rooftop units. Those jobs can mean one unit or a row of them, plus curbs, adapter curbs and other rooftop equipment.
Things that help on commercial jobs:
- Tell us how many units are going up and coming down, and whether they are all the same size
- Let us know where the truck can set up: parking lot, loading area, alley or street side
- Have the building manager clear parked cars from the setup area and the path under the load
- Mention parapets, screen walls or rooftop obstacles the unit has to clear
For bigger units or longer reaches than our truck can handle, we have trusted relationships with other crane companies and can help point you in the right direction.
How scheduling with your crew works
Most HVAC change-outs follow the same rhythm, and we plan around it.
- Call or text to book. Give us the job address, the unit details and the day you want. Don confirms whether the lift works from where the truck can park.
- Line up the start time. We agree on when the crane arrives so it lines up with when your crew has the old unit disconnected and the new one on site.
- Old unit off, new unit on. On lift day the operator sets up, your crew rigs or helps rig the old unit, and we bring it down. Then the new unit goes up and onto the curb.
- Truck packs up. Once both lifts are done, we stow the boom and outriggers and your installers finish the connections.
Refrigerant recovery and electrical disconnects are your crew's side of the job and need to be done before the old unit is lifted. Under the Clean Air Act, refrigerant cannot knowingly be vented when an appliance is serviced or disposed of (see the EPA's Section 608 venting prohibition).
If you run a lot of change-outs, see our page for HVAC contractors on working with us as a repeat partner.
What to tell us when you call
The more we know up front, the faster Don can confirm the lift. Have these ready:
- Job address and city
- Unit type and weight for the new unit and the old unit, from the spec sheet or nameplate if you have it
- Where the truck can park and roughly how far that is from the unit
- Roof type: tile, shingle, foam or flat commercial, and one story or two
- Obstacles: trees, power lines, patio covers, pools, parapets
- Number of lifts: set only, removal only, or both, and any curbs or stands
- Preferred day and start time
Photos of the unit, the roof and the street in front of the building help a lot. Text them to 602-615-0712 with the address.
Safety on every HVAC lift
Total trust between the cab and the rigger on the ground makes the impossible look easy. On every job we agree on signals before the first pick and keep people out from under the load.
- Power lines. Federal crane rules set a minimum clearance of 20 feet from power lines up to 350 kV unless specific procedures are followed (OSHA 29 CFR 1926.1408). Tell us about any lines near the truck or the roof.
- Clear the area. Keep crew, homeowners, kids and pets out of the swing area and out from under a suspended load (OSHA 1926.1425).
- Firm ground. Crane setups need ground that is firm, drained and graded enough to support the equipment (OSHA 1926.1402). Let us know about septic tanks, pool equipment or soft spots near where the truck parks.
- Wind. The operator watches the wind and will hold a lift if conditions are not safe. A big flat unit catches a lot of air.
Want the full walkthrough? Read how a crane lift works.
Frequently asked questions
Can you set the new AC unit and remove the old one in the same visit?
Yes, that is how most of our HVAC lifts go. The crane sets up once, lifts the old unit off the roof after your crew disconnects it, and then sets the new unit on the curb. Doing both in one visit saves your crew time and keeps the job to a single truck setup at the house or building.
What types of rooftop HVAC equipment do you lift?
We lift package units, rooftop condensers and heat pumps, evaporative coolers, curbs, adapter curbs, stands and other rooftop equipment. We also remove old units that are being retired. Every lift is different, so call 602-615-0712 or text 623-258-8361 with the weight, how far it needs to go and where the truck can park, and Don will confirm the lift.
Do you lift units onto tile roofs?
Yes. Many Valley homes have tile roofs with the unit on a curb, and a crane is one of the best ways to handle them because the unit goes straight down onto the curb instead of being carried across the tile. Your crew still accesses the roof for connections, but nobody has to haul the unit across it.
How far can the crane reach to a rooftop unit?
It depends on the weight of the unit and the distance from where the truck parks, so we confirm each job individually instead of quoting a single number. Tell us the unit weight, the address and where the truck can set up. If a lift is beyond our truck, we have trusted relationships with other crane companies.
Who handles refrigerant recovery and disconnects?
Your HVAC crew does. Refrigerant recovery, electrical disconnects and unbolting the old unit need to be done before the crane picks it. Federal rules prohibit knowingly venting refrigerant during service or disposal, so plan recovery ahead of lift time. We handle the crane and work with your crew on rigging and signals.
What areas do you serve for HVAC lifts?
We work all over the Phoenix metro from our base in Surprise, including Peoria, Glendale, Phoenix, Scottsdale, Mesa, Gilbert and Chandler, and out to Wittmann and Wickenburg. We also travel to northern Arizona when needed. Call 602-615-0712 or text 623-258-8361 to confirm your location and schedule the lift.