AC repair in Las Vegas

The symptoms we see most

Air conditioners tend to fail in a handful of predictable ways, and the symptom usually points to a short list of causes. Knowing which one you have helps you decide how urgent the call is, and it helps us arrive with the right parts. If the system is blowing warm air or the outdoor fan is not turning, switch it off at the thermostat until we arrive. Running it that way can overheat the compressor, which is the most expensive part in the system.

Blowing warm or barely cool air

The most common causes are a failed capacitor or contactor in the outdoor unit, a dirty condenser coil that cannot shed heat, or low refrigerant from a leak. In Las Vegas heat, a weak capacitor is the single part we replace most often. Low refrigerant always means a leak somewhere; see refrigerant leak repair.

Outdoor unit hums but the fan does not spin

Usually a failed capacitor or fan motor. The compressor may be trying to start without the fan moving heat away from it, so turn the system off and call. This is a repair we can often finish in one visit.

Short-cycling on and off

A system that starts and stops every few minutes can have an oversized unit, a clogged filter, a failing thermostat, low refrigerant or an electrical fault. Short-cycling wears out parts quickly and never dehumidifies or cools the house properly. A bad or badly located thermostat is a surprisingly frequent culprit.

Water leaking near the indoor unit

The condensate drain line or pan is clogged, or the float switch has tripped. Desert dust and algae build up in the line over a summer. Left alone, the water can damage drywall and ceilings, so it is worth fixing quickly.

Ice on the refrigerant lines or indoor coil

Ice usually means low airflow (a clogged filter, a dirty coil, a failing blower) or low refrigerant. Turn the system off and let it thaw before we test it, otherwise the readings are meaningless.

Loud grinding, squealing or banging

Worn motor bearings, a loose fan blade, or a compressor problem. Noises almost always get worse, not better, so catching them early keeps the repair smaller.

How we diagnose a broken AC

A good repair starts with a real diagnosis, not a guess. We check the thermostat and its wiring, the electrical components in the outdoor unit, the refrigerant pressures and temperatures, the airflow across the indoor coil, and the condensate drain. That usually tells us exactly what failed and whether anything else is close to failing.

Then we explain it in plain language and give you the price before any work begins. If the fix is a part we carry, we can usually finish the same day. If a part has to be ordered, we tell you how long it will take and whether there is a safe way to get some cooling in the meantime.

Repairs we handle

• Capacitors, contactors, relays and fuses
• Condenser fan motors and indoor blower motors
• Compressor diagnosis, hard-start kits and compressor replacement
• Refrigerant leak detection and recharge (see refrigerant leak repair)
• Clogged condensate drains, pans and float switches
• Frozen evaporator coils and airflow problems
• Thermostat and control wiring faults
• Heat pump reversing valves and defrost controls (heating repair)

When repair stops making sense

We will repair almost anything, but we will also tell you when a repair is money down the drain. A system under ten years old with one failed part is nearly always worth fixing. A system in its mid-teens that needs a compressor or a coil, or one that uses the old R-22 refrigerant that is no longer produced, is often a better candidate for replacement. We lay out both options with prices so you can make the call.

Many breakdowns are preventable. Dirty coils and weak capacitors cause a large share of summer failures, and both are caught during a spring AC tune-up.

Repair across the valley

We repair air conditioners in Las Vegas, Henderson, North Las Vegas, Summerlin, Paradise and Boulder City. After hours, see 24-hour AC repair.

Questions we hear a lot