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Heat Pump Not Heating in Las Vegas: Mode, Auxiliary Heat, and When to Stop
A heat pump heats by moving heat, not by burning gas like a furnace. In the Las Vegas Valley winters are mild, so many heat pumps sit in cool mode for months, then get asked to heat on the first cold night. No heat is often a thermostat setting, a failed outdoor unit sequence, or auxiliary electric heat that never came on — not proof you need a new system from the driveway.
This is a troubleshooting guide. For installation and product context, see the service page heat pumps — that page is not a substitute for this how-to, and this how-to is not a second sales page.
Colton Air Conditioning schedules these calls Monday–Friday, 8am–5pm.
Checks you can do once
1. Thermostat on Heat — not Emergency Heat by default
Set the mode to Heat. Set the temperature a few degrees above the room. Fan usually Auto.
Do not leave the system on Emergency Heat as your everyday setting. Emergency / auxiliary heat is electric strip heat. It can warm the house, but it is the backup, not the normal way a valley heat pump should carry a mild night. Use it only if the outdoor unit cannot heat and you need temporary warmth until a tech looks.
Blank screen? Batteries or power — thermostat not working.
2. Outdoor unit on a heat call
On a Heat call in mild weather, the outdoor unit should usually run. If the outdoor unit is silent and only the air handler blower runs, you may be on strips only, or the outdoor system is not starting.
If you hear the outdoor unit but the air never warms, treat it like a no-heat diagnosis — not a DIY refrigerant top-off.
3. Filter and one breaker
Replace a packed filter. Reset a tripped breaker once; if it trips again, leave it off.
4. Defrost is not “broken”
In cool damp weather a heat pump may go into defrost. Steam from the outdoor unit and a short shift in sound can look alarming. That can be normal. Continuous ice building into a solid block, or a unit that never heats after defrost, is not — shut it down if it is grinding or the breaker trips.
5. Gas smell or burning smell
Heat pumps are not gas furnaces, but some homes have dual fuel. If you smell gas, leave and call 911 / the gas utility from outside. If you smell hot plastic or smoke, shut the system off — furnace smell burning habits still apply to the air handler.
What “no heat” usually means on a heat pump
| What you see | Likely | Next |
|---|---|---|
| Mode was Cool / Off / Fan | No heat call | Set Heat |
| Emergency Heat left on all the time | Strips only; outdoor unused | Switch to Heat; schedule diagnosis if outdoor never helps |
| Outdoor silent, air cool | Outdoor not starting or in lockout | Diagnosis |
| Outdoor runs, air cool | Reversing valve, charge, controls, or airflow | Diagnosis |
| Short bursts of heat then off | Short cycling / lockout | furnace short cycling patterns still apply to the air handler |
Related: heater not working for shared thermostat and filter checks, AC blowing warm air for mode mix-ups in shoulder season.
What not to do
- Do not “just add Freon” on a cold night without a thawed, measured system.
- Do not rewire a heat-pump thermostat if you are unsure about O/B and aux wires.
- Do not run Emergency Heat for weeks as a permanent fix without a diagnosis.
- Do not ignore a breaker that will not stay on.
When to call
Call when Heat is set correctly, the filter is fine, and the outdoor unit will not heat, aux never comes on when you need it, the breaker trips twice, or the outdoor unit is iced into a solid block after defrost should have cleared.
Have ready if you can: heat pump brand if known, whether Emergency Heat was used, and whether the outdoor fan runs on a Heat call.
Hours are Monday–Friday, 8am–5pm.
FAQ
Is a heat pump supposed to blow cooler air than a gas furnace?
Supply air can feel less “toasty” than gas heat and still be normal. Room-temperature air with no temperature rise is not normal.
Should I use Emergency Heat every cold night in Las Vegas?
No. Mild valley nights are what heat pumps are for. Emergency Heat is backup.
Does no heat mean the heat pump is dead?
No. Thermostat mode, capacitors, contactors, reversing valves, and airflow problems are all common. Diagnosis first.
What hours can I reach Colton?
Monday through Friday, 8am to 5pm.
Heat set and still no warm air? Call Colton Air Conditioning at (702) 738-6976 Monday–Friday, 8am–5pm. Tell us whether the outdoor unit runs on Heat and whether Emergency Heat was used. We will tell you if we can see it.
Colton Air Conditioning · Las Vegas Valley residential HVAC · Monday–Friday 8am–5pm
Call (702) 738-6976 or Book Online. License 0092120. Hours Monday through Friday, 8am to 5pm. Saturday and Sunday are closed.
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Services
Heat Pump Repair and Replacement in Las Vegas
Heat pump repair, replacement, and straight answers about electric backup in the desert.
Heating Repair
Gas furnace repair for Las Vegas homes, plus heat pumps, with the safety checks a gas system needs.
Emergency Heating Repair
No-heat calls in Las Vegas during weekday hours. Furnaces and heat pumps diagnosed before replacement talk.