Electric Heat Repair: Heat Pumps, Heat Strips and Electric Furnaces
Nevada contractor license 0092120.
Call (702) 738-6976 first.
6545 S. Fort Apache Rd Ste 135 #467, Las Vegas, NV 89148 is a mailing address only. It is not a walk-in shop. The repair happens at the house.
Not every Las Vegas home has a gas furnace. Electric furnaces, air handlers with heat strips, and heat pumps that fall back on electric heat all fail in their own way. We repair those too.
Electric backup heat is expensive when it runs for hours by mistake. A thermostat set to emergency, a heat pump that will not defrost, or a sequencer stuck closed will do that. We measure what is on before we condemn the outdoor unit.
Some condos and all-electric houses have an electric furnace and no gas line at all. Those are not gas jobs, and they are not a reason to sell a gas conversion you did not ask for. We repair the electric heat that is there. This page covers electric heat only. For gas furnaces (burners, ignitors, flame sensors, venting), see furnace repair in Las Vegas. For any no-heat visit where you're not sure which type you have, see heating repair. For heat-pump equipment context see heat pumps and the how-to heat pump not heating.
Three kinds of electric heat, and how each one fails
Heat pumps. A heat pump heats by running the refrigeration cycle in reverse, moving heat from outdoor air into the house. On mild Las Vegas winter days it carries the load by itself. On cold mornings the outdoor coil can frost, and the unit goes into defrost: the outdoor fan stops, the coil may steam, and it restarts a few minutes later. That's normal. A heat pump that never warms the house, ices up solid, or won't come out of defrost needs a diagnosis. Common causes are a reversing valve, a defrost control or sensor, low refrigerant, or a failed outdoor fan motor or capacitor.
Heat strips (auxiliary and emergency heat). Electric resistance coils in the air handler, switched on in stages by sequencers or relays. Most heat pumps use them as backup when the heat pump can't keep up or is defrosting. They heat fast, but they draw far more power than the heat pump does. Common problems are a burned-open element, a sequencer stuck closed (strips that won't shut off) or stuck open (no backup heat), a tripped limit, and breakers that trip because of a failing element or wiring at the strip terminals.
Electric furnaces. An air handler with heat strips and no heat pump outside. You'll find them in some condos, apartments and all-electric houses. The blower and the strip stages do all the work, so a weak blower motor, a failed capacitor or a burned element shows up as weak or lukewarm heat.
Common electric-heat calls
- The heat pump runs but the house never warms
- Breakers trip when the heat comes on
- Emergency heat that will not shut off
- An electric furnace with weak airflow
- A bill that jumped after a cold night
What we check
- Heat strip and sequencer checks
- Air-handler blower and capacitor
- Heat-pump changeover versus electric backup
- A clear explanation of what was actually running so the bill makes sense
Before you call: two quick checks
- Thermostat mode. On a heat pump, make sure it's set to Heat, not Emergency Heat. Emergency Heat runs only the strips and skips the heat pump. Use it only when the heat pump has failed, and only until it's looked at.
- One breaker reset. Electric heat often has its own breaker, or two, at the panel and at the air handler. If one is tripped, reset it once. If it trips again, leave it off and schedule a visit.
If you notice a hot plastic or electrical smell, turn the system off at the thermostat and schedule a visit. A dusty smell the first time the strips run for the season is normal and can linger a couple of days.
Book online or call (702) 738-6976 to schedule. Open 24 hours, 7 days, including emergencies.
What to do next
Call (702) 738-6976 or Book Online. License 0092120.
Colton Air Conditioning · Colton Mechanical LLC · License 0092120 · (702) 738-6976 · Mailing address: 6545 S. Fort Apache Rd Ste 135 #467, Las Vegas, NV 89148
Is emergency heat bad for my heat pump?
No, but it's expensive to run. Emergency heat bypasses the heat pump and uses only the electric strips. If the house only stays warm on emergency heat, the heat pump has a problem worth diagnosing.
Do you repair gas furnaces too?
Yes, on a different page. See furnace repair in Las Vegas.