ADVICE FROM A PRO
Questions, troubleshooting, and what to do first
Straight answers to the problems people call about: what it usually means, what to check, and when to leave the system off. The notes at the bottom are from real jobs.
Las Vegas heat
What to Do When Your AC Dies in Las Vegas Heat
AC quit in Las Vegas heat? Safe checks first, when to shut it off, what not to do at 110°, and when to call. Straight answers from Colton Air Conditioning.
No cool
AC Running but Not Cooling in Las Vegas
Blower on, rooms still climbing? Check the filter, shut cooling off if iced, and get a real temperature split before anyone quotes a new system.
Electrical
AC Keeps Tripping the Breaker
Why a Las Vegas air conditioner trips the breaker, what is unsafe to reset, and how we tell a bad capacitor from a failing compressor.
Ice
Frozen AC Coil in Las Vegas: Shut Cooling Off, Then Let It Thaw
Ice on a Las Vegas air conditioner is usually airflow or a low charge. Shut cooling off, let it thaw, and do not scrape or pour hot water.
Cooling
Lennox alert codes
Lennox communicating systems (iComfort S30, S40 and other Lennox smart thermostats) report problems as numbered alert codes. Lennox's own Residential
Cooling
Amana ComfortBridge error codes
Amana inverter systems that use Daikin's ComfortBridge controls have the indoor and outdoor units talking to each other over a two-way digital link. When
Cooling
AC short cycling
Short cycling means the air conditioner's compressor starts, runs briefly and shuts off, again and again, without finishing a normal cooling cycle.
No heat
Heater Not Working in Las Vegas: What to Check Before You Call
Why your heater isn't working, what to check first, and what a first-run burning smell means.
No start
Furnace Not Turning On in Las Vegas: Safe Checks Before You Call
Furnace won't turn on after summer, a power outage or a gas shut-off? Four safe checks for Las Vegas homes, and when to stop and call (702) 738-6976.
CO safety
Carbon Monoxide From a Furnace: What to Do and How to Prevent It
CO alarm going off or headaches when the heat runs? Leave the house and call 911 from outside. How furnaces cause carbon monoxide and how to prevent it.
Short cycling
Furnace Short Cycling in Las Vegas: Why the Heat Starts, Then Stops
A Las Vegas furnace that lights, runs briefly, then shuts off is short-cycling. Check Heat mode, the filter, and one breaker reset.
Flame sensor
Furnace Flame Sensor in Las Vegas: Why Heat Lights, Then Quits
Furnace lights, then shuts off? How a dirty or failing flame sensor causes Las Vegas lockouts, what's safe to check, and what a proper repair measures.
Limit switch
Furnace Limit Switch in Las Vegas: Why Heat Shuts Off Early
Heat stops early or blower runs with no flame? A limit switch often trips from poor airflow. Check the filter first.
Pressure switch
Furnace Pressure Switch in Las Vegas: Why the Draft Fan Runs but Heat Never Starts
Draft fan runs but the furnace never lights? The pressure switch may not be proving venting. Safe checks first, and no bypassing.
Burning smell
Furnace Smells Like Burning in Las Vegas? The First-Heat Smell Is Normal
A burning dust smell the first time the heat runs after summer is normal and can linger a couple of days. A rotten-egg gas smell is the real warning.
Heating
Furnace Making Noise in Las Vegas: What the Sound Is Telling You
Furnace making noise when starting up, while running, or with no heat? What rattling, banging, squealing, humming and clicking usually mean, and what to check first.
Heating
Furnace Blower Not Working, or the Fan Won't Stop Running
Furnace blower won't come on, or the fan runs nonstop? What to check at the thermostat, filter and panel, and when to call.
Heating
Heat Pump Defrost Mode: Why Your Outdoor Unit Steams in Winter
Steam coming off your heat pump in winter? Why defrost mode happens, what's normal, and when ice means a repair.
Heating
Heat Pump Emergency Heat: What It Does and When to Use It
What the Emergency Heat setting on a heat pump thermostat does, when to use it, and why not to leave it on.
Cooling
Why Your AC Smells Musty, and What to Do About It
Musty or mildew smell when the AC turns on? What causes it, what you can check, and when to call.
Cooling
AC Outdoor Unit Not Turning On: What to Check First
Indoor fan runs but the outdoor AC unit is silent? What a technician checks: the call for cooling, breakers, disconnect, drain switch, capacitor and contactor.
Comfort
How to Balance Temperatures in a Two-Story Home
How to even out temperatures in a two-story home, in summer and winter: vents, fan setting, filters, ducts and zoning.
Comfort
Heating and Cooling in an Older Home: What to Check
What to check in an older home's heating and cooling: original ducts, older refrigerant, thermostats and wiring, and repair vs. replace.
Condensate
AC Leaking Water in Las Vegas: What the Drain and Pan Are Telling You
Water under a Las Vegas air handler is often a clogged condensate drain or a full pan. Shut cooling off if water is active.
Thermostat
Thermostat Not Working in Las Vegas: Blank Screen, Wrong Mode, and What to Try Once
Blank screen, wrong mode, or a schedule overriding you? Common Las Vegas thermostat problems, what to check once, and when the thermostat itself has failed.
Cold air
Heater Blowing Cold Air in Las Vegas: What It Usually Means
Heat on but cold air at the vents? Check fan On vs Auto, the filter, and whether a heat pump is in defrost. Gas smell? Leave and call 911.
Furnace water
Furnace Leaking Water in Las Vegas: Where the Water Is Coming From
Water around the furnace with the heat on? High-efficiency furnaces make condensate, and the AC coil drain sits above many furnaces. Here is how to tell.
Heat source
Heat Pump vs Furnace in Las Vegas: Which Fits Your House
Heat pump or gas furnace for a Las Vegas home? What changes with mild winters, gas access, your ducts, and your AC's age.
Warm air
AC Blowing Warm Air in Las Vegas: Wrong Mode vs a System That Is Not Cooling
Warm air from the vents? In Las Vegas it's often the wrong thermostat mode, a heat pump on auxiliary heat, or an outdoor unit that isn't running. What to check first.
Noise
AC Making a Loud Noise in Las Vegas: What the Sound Usually Means
Rattle, squeal, grinding, or banging from a Las Vegas air conditioner? Shut it off for grinding or metal-on-metal.
Ignition
Furnace Pilot Light in Las Vegas: Why Relighting Often Is Not the Fix
Most Las Vegas furnaces use electronic ignition, not a standing pilot. Do not keep clicking a relight button. Shut off for gas smell.
Ducts
Ductwork Problems in Las Vegas: When the Air Never Reaches the Room
Leaky attic ducts, crushed flex, and weak returns are common Las Vegas comfort problems. A bigger AC will not fix ducts that cannot move air.
Heat pump
Heat Pump Not Heating in Spring Valley and Las Vegas: What a Tech Checks
Why a heat pump stops heating in Spring Valley and across Las Vegas: defrost, reversing valve, outdoor unit and backup heat, what a tech checks, and when to book.
Cooling types
Evaporative Cooler vs AC in Las Vegas: What Each One Actually Does
Swamp coolers use dry desert air; refrigerated AC removes heat and humidity. In Las Vegas both exist — know when each stops keeping up.
Filters
Air Filter Size in Las Vegas: How to Read the Frame and Why Dust Wins
Your HVAC filter size is printed on the frame — length × width × thickness. Desert dust loads filters faster. Wrong size hurts airflow.
Humidity
Humidifier vs Dehumidifier in Las Vegas: Which Problem Do You Actually Have?
Las Vegas air is often dry; refrigerated AC also removes moisture. Humidifiers add water in winter; dehumidifiers matter more in muggy spells.
Coils
Dirty AC Coil in Las Vegas: When Dust Beats the Temperature Split
Desert dust packs Las Vegas evaporator and condenser coils. A dirty coil is not the same as a frozen coil. Weak cooling and high bills follow.
Refrigerant
AC Refrigerant Leak in Las Vegas: Low Charge Is a Symptom
Low refrigerant usually means a leak. In Las Vegas, do not top off an iced system. Find and fix the leak, then charge correctly.
Electrical
AC Capacitor Failure in Las Vegas: Signs and What Drives the Cost
What goes into an AC capacitor replacement in Las Vegas: testing the capacitor, the capacitor type, related contactor or fan motor wear, and system age.
Electrical
AC Contactor in Las Vegas: The Switch That Starts the Outdoor Unit
Outdoor unit silent, buzzing, or won't shut off? How a bad AC contactor shows up after a Las Vegas summer, what's safe to check, and what a tech measures.
Heating
Furnace Repair or Replace in Las Vegas: How to Decide
Repair or replace your furnace? Age, safety findings, repeat failures, and whether the AC is also due drive the call. No pressure.
Heating
What a furnace maintenance visit checks
What yearly furnace or heat pump maintenance covers, when to call instead of waiting, and notes for Anthem, Southern Highlands and Inspirada homes.
Henderson
Furnace Repair in Henderson and Anthem: What We Find and When to Call
Furnace repair in Henderson and Anthem: why hillside homes near 2,800 feet need altitude-correct furnace setup, the parts that fail most in 89052, and when to call.
Heating
How to Choose a Heater Repair Company in Las Vegas
Picking a heater repair company in Las Vegas? Check the Nevada license, real reviews, diagnosis-first pricing.
Replacement
AC Replacement Cost in Las Vegas
What moves the cost of a Las Vegas AC replacement: system count, furnace or air handler, line set, electrical, ducts, permits, and access. No price list.
The decision
Repair or Replace a 20-Year-Old AC
When to replace a Las Vegas AC vs repair a part. Age is not the only test — major failure, refrigerant, and repeat history matter.
110° days
Why the AC Cannot Keep Up in Extreme Heat
AC runs all afternoon and still loses ground? What's normal in peak Las Vegas heat, what points to a real fault, and why a bigger unit isn't the default fix.
Second look
HVAC Second Opinion in Las Vegas
Get a second opinion before you replace an air conditioner in Las Vegas or Henderson. What we check, and what a real diagnosis sounds like.
Henderson
Is My Henderson AC Still Under Warranty? What to Check Before You Pay for a Repair
Henderson homeowners: what can put an AC warranty at risk, why registration and maintenance records matter, parts vs labor, and home vs manufacturer warranties.
Inspirada
Inspirada AC Repair: What Your Home's Build Year Changes
Inspirada homes range from 2007 first-phase builds to recent ones. Here is how home age changes an AC repair in 89044, from warranty checks to older R-410A systems.
Inspirada
Inspirada AC Repair: Side-Yard Condensers and Attic Air Handlers
How side-yard condensers and attic air handlers in Inspirada (Henderson 89044) shape AC repair calls, what fails first in desert heat, and when to schedule a visit.
Southern Highlands
Only One Furnace Heats My Southern Highlands Home. What Now?
When only the upstairs or downstairs heat fails in a Southern Highlands (89141) two-system home: elevation, separate diagnoses, gas safety and when to schedule help.
Heating
Electric Heat Not Working: Heat Strips and Electric Furnaces in Las Vegas
Electric heat or heat strips not working in your Las Vegas home? Safe checks for the breaker, air handler switch and thermostat mode, and when to call a pro.
Cooling
One Zone Not Cooling: Zoned Systems vs. Separate Systems
One zone or floor won't cool but the rest of the house does? Tell a zoned system from two separate systems, safe checks to try, and when to call.
Heating
First Heat of the Season: A Furnace Check for Southwest Las Vegas Homes
Turning the heat on for the first time this season in Spring Valley, Rhodes Ranch or 89148? A simple first-heat furnace check, what's normal, and when to call.
Cooling
AC Care After a Long Las Vegas Summer
Months of 100°F+ days are hard on an AC. What to check after a Las Vegas summer, signs of wear to fix before next year, and when to book a visit.
Cooling
Signs Your AC Needs Repair in Las Vegas
Warm air, humming outdoor unit, ice, leaks, tripping breaker or loud noise? The common signs a Las Vegas AC needs repair, and which guide to read next.
Comfort
Heating and Cooling in 2000s-Built Homes: A Centennial Hills and Lone Mountain Guide
Many Centennial Hills homes date from the 2000s. What to check when a 2000s-era AC or furnace in northwest Las Vegas starts acting its age.
Cooling
How to Pick an AC Repair Company in Las Vegas
Picking an HVAC contractor in Las Vegas? Look up the Nevada C-21 license, ask about EPA 608 certification, get a diagnosis before a quote, and know what to ask.
Cooling
Why a New AC Underperforms in Las Vegas
Why a new AC underperforms in Las Vegas: sizing, airflow, refrigerant charge and ducts. What to check and what to ask the installer.
Replacement
HVAC Checklist Before You List or Buy a Las Vegas Home
An HVAC checklist for Las Vegas sellers, buyers, agents and inspectors: what a general inspection covers, what to gather before listing, and when to add an HVAC check.
Replacement
NV Energy and Southwest Gas Rebates for Las Vegas Homes
Current NV Energy and Southwest Gas home efficiency rebates for southern Nevada, verified on the utilities' own sites, plus HVAC efficiency steps.
Permits
HVAC Permits in Las Vegas: Replacing an AC or Furnace
Replacing an AC or furnace in Las Vegas, Henderson, North Las Vegas or unincorporated Clark County needs a mechanical permit and an inspection. Here is who issues it and how to check it.
Repair or replace
Repair or Replace Your AC? Our Owner Answers the Questions Las Vegas Homeowners Ask
Colton Air Conditioning's owner answers homeowner questions on repair or replace ac in Las Vegas.
Repair or replace
Capacitor, Hard-Start Kit or Compressor? Our Owner Explains What Each Repair Means
Colton Air Conditioning's owner answers homeowner questions on capacitor vs compressor ac repair in Las Vegas.
Financing
Financing a New AC: Questions Our Owner Says to Ask About Credit Checks and Terms
Colton Air Conditioning's owner answers homeowner questions on hvac financing in Las Vegas.
Comfort
Hot Upstairs in a Two-Story Vegas Home? Our Owner on Zoning, Dampers and Ducts
Colton Air Conditioning's owner answers homeowner questions on upstairs hot two story house in Las Vegas.
Maintenance
Maintenance Plans Explained: What Our Owner Says to Read Before You Sign
Colton Air Conditioning's owner answers homeowner questions on hvac maintenance plan in Las Vegas.
Maintenance
Getting an AC Ready for a Las Vegas Summer: Dust and Coils
Colton Air Conditioning's owner explains how Las Vegas dust affects outdoor coils, indoor airflow and cooling, and how to get an AC ready for summer.
Repair
7 Questions to Ask Before You Approve an AC Repair, Answered by Colton's Owner
Colton Air Conditioning's owner answers homeowner questions on questions to ask hvac technician before repair in Las Vegas.
Replacement
Comparing AC Replacement Bids Apples to Apples: Our Owner on Second Opinions
Colton Air Conditioning's owner answers homeowner questions on second opinion ac replacement in Las Vegas.
Diagnosis
What a Real AC Diagnostic Includes: Our Owner Walks Through the Process
Colton Air Conditioning's owner answers homeowner questions on ac diagnostic in Las Vegas.
Service visit
What Happens on a Colton Service Visit, Step by Step
Step by step, Colton Air Conditioning's owner explains a Las Vegas AC service visit: diagnosis, findings, options and cost before any repair.
Refrigerant
R-410A to R-454B: What the 2026 Refrigerant Rule Means for Las Vegas Homes
Can an R-410A AC still be repaired in Las Vegas? What EPA's Technology Transitions rule and its May 2026 update mean for R-454B and older equipment.
Gas smell
Furnace Smells Like Gas? What to Do First, and When It's Something Else
Smell gas near your furnace? Leave right away, avoid switches or anything that could spark, and call 911 and Southwest Gas from outside.
Error code lookup
HVAC Error Code Lookup: What Your Furnace or AC Code Means
Look up a furnace or AC error code for Amana, American Standard, Carrier, Goodman, Lennox or Trane: what the manual says and when to call a Las Vegas HVAC tech.
Heating
Help Paying Heating Bills and Repairs in Las Vegas
Three programs that help Las Vegas households with gas bills, home energy costs, and heating repairs, and how to apply for each.
Gas red tag
Southwest Gas Red-Tagged Your Furnace? What Form 106.0 Means
What a Southwest Gas Notice of Hazardous Conditions (Form 106.0) means for a Las Vegas furnace, what not to touch, and how licensed repair and reinstatement work.
From real calls
Sunny's AC Quit One Evening
Sunny’s AC quit in the evening. The owner came out, replaced the motor and capacitor, and the house cooled back down.
A 26-Year-Old System: Repair or Replace?
A homeowner's air quit on a 26-year-old system. The owner walked them through repair versus replacement instead of writing up replacement as the only option.
Fixed After a Full Replacement Quote
A homeowner had already been told the whole system needed replacing. The air got fixed instead.