Short answer: If your AC dies in Las Vegas summer heat, act immediately — indoor temperatures in a Las Vegas home without AC can reach dangerous levels within 1–2 hours on a 115°F day. First: check your thermostat settings and battery, then check the circuit breaker, then check your air filter, then check whether the outdoor unit is running. Most emergency AC failures in Las Vegas are caused by failed capacitors ($150–$350 repair), tripped breakers (free to reset), or frozen coils caused by dirty filters ($150–$300 to resolve). Only about 15–20% of emergency calls require a compressor replacement or refrigerant work. Do not panic — but do call immediately. In 115°F heat, a home without AC is a medical emergency for elderly residents and pets within 2–3 hours.
For 24/7 emergency AC service in Las Vegas, call (702) 567-0707. We dispatch within the hour.
Your AC stops working on a July afternoon in Las Vegas. The thermostat reads 85 and climbing. Your family is home. This scenario is not just an inconvenience — in the desert at 115°F, it is a genuine safety situation that escalates quickly. Las Vegas averages multiple heat-related deaths every summer, most occurring in homes without functional cooling. Knowing what to do in the first 15 minutes — and what to avoid — can mean the difference between a $200 repair and a $4,000 emergency call for a problem you could have prevented.
This guide covers every step of an AC emergency in Las Vegas: what to check yourself before calling for service, what the most common failures actually are and what they cost, how to keep your family safe while waiting for a technician, and how to choose an emergency HVAC company that will not exploit the situation. We also cover the specific decisions that arise when the emergency technician tells you the system needs to be replaced rather than repaired.
Key Takeaways
- A Las Vegas home without AC can reach 100°F+ indoors in under 2 hours on a July afternoon. Move vulnerable family members — elderly, infants, pets — to a cool location immediately while you troubleshoot.
- Check the basics first. Thermostat settings, circuit breaker, and air filter account for 25–35% of emergency service calls. These are free or near-free to fix. Do these checks before calling anyone.
- The most common Las Vegas summer AC failure is a blown capacitor. A capacitor failure costs $150–$350 to repair and is a 30–90-minute job. If a technician quotes you significantly more for a capacitor replacement, get a second opinion.
- Do not run your AC on a tripped breaker that trips again immediately. A breaker that trips repeatedly indicates an electrical fault that can cause a fire or compressor burnout. Call a licensed HVAC technician — do not keep resetting the breaker.
- Emergency after-hours rates are real but have limits. Expect to pay $150–$350 in after-hours dispatch fees on top of the repair cost. Rates dramatically higher than this warrant a call to check competitor pricing.
- Know the repair vs. replace decision before the technician arrives. A failed compressor on a 12-year-old R-410A system in July heat is almost always a replacement, not a repair decision. Having this framework prepared avoids making a $5,000 mistake under pressure.
Step 1: What to Check Right Now Before You Call Anyone
Before you call for emergency service, work through this checklist in order. These steps take 10–15 minutes and resolve the problem in 25–35% of cases at zero cost.
Check the Thermostat
This sounds obvious, but thermostat issues account for a meaningful percentage of emergency service calls. Check the following:
- Is it set to COOL, not HEAT or FAN? Someone in the household (particularly children) may have switched the mode setting.
- Is the setpoint below the current room temperature? A thermostat set to 78°F will not run the AC when the room is 76°F.
- Are the batteries dead? Smart thermostats and digital thermostats run on batteries. If the display is blank or dim, replace the batteries. AA or AAA batteries cost $1–$2 each at any pharmacy and can restore a non-responsive thermostat immediately.
- Has the programming changed? Programmed thermostats can be set to vacation mode, a schedule that raises the setpoint during the day, or an away mode. Check the programming menu.
- Did the thermostat lose its settings after a power fluctuation? Las Vegas power fluctuations during summer storms are common. A power spike can reset some thermostat models to default settings, effectively raising the setpoint.
If the thermostat appears functional and is set correctly, move to the next step.
Check the Circuit Breaker
Locate your main electrical panel (usually in the garage or a utility area). Look for the breaker labeled "AC," "Air Conditioner," "HVAC," or "Compressor." Central AC systems typically have two breakers: a smaller one (15–20 amps) for the air handler inside and a larger one (30–60 amps) for the outdoor compressor unit.
A tripped breaker is in the middle position — not fully ON and not fully OFF. It may or may not look different from the ON position; some breakers show a red tab when tripped. Reset a tripped breaker by pushing it fully OFF, then back to ON. If it trips again immediately or within a few minutes of the AC running, do not reset it again. A repeatedly tripping breaker indicates an electrical fault — in the wiring, in the capacitor, in the compressor, or in the contactor — that requires a licensed technician to diagnose safely. Repeatedly resetting a breaker that keeps tripping can cause a compressor burnout that turns a $300 repair into a $2,500–$4,000 compressor replacement.
Check the Air Filter
A severely clogged air filter is the most preventable cause of AC failures in Las Vegas. When airflow through the system is restricted by a clogged filter, the evaporator coil gets too cold and freezes — water vapor from the air freezes onto the coil surface, eventually forming a solid block of ice that completely blocks airflow. The result: the system blows warm air or no air at all, and the outdoor compressor may eventually overheat and shut down on a thermal limit switch.
Find your air filter (typically in a return air grille on the wall or ceiling, or in the air handler cabinet), pull it out, and hold it up to a light. If you cannot see light through it, it is clogged. Replace it with a new filter of the same size. If the evaporator coil is frozen, you will need to let it thaw before the system will cool properly — this takes 2–4 hours with the system in FAN ONLY mode (not COOL mode, which would re-freeze the coil). After the coil thaws and you install the new filter, resume cooling mode and verify the system runs normally.
Las Vegas's dust makes filter clogging faster than almost any other U.S. city. During peak season (May–September), 1-inch filters need replacement every 30 days. Thicker 4-inch media filters can go 60–90 days. If you are changing your filter every 90 days in Las Vegas summer, you are changing it too infrequently.
Check the Outdoor Unit
Walk outside and look at the outdoor condenser unit. Verify:
- Is the disconnect switch on? There is an electrical disconnect box (a weatherproof box mounted on the wall next to the condenser). Open it and verify the disconnect fuse or switch is engaged. Sometimes this is pulled during maintenance and forgotten.
- Is there any obvious obstruction? Debris (cardboard, garbage bags, tumbleweeds — common in Las Vegas wind events) pressed against the condenser coil can restrict airflow and cause the unit to overheat and shut down. Clear any obstructions and allow 15–30 minutes for the unit's thermal limit to reset before trying the system again.
- Is the outdoor fan running but the compressor not? If you can hear the fan spinning but no lower-pitched compressor hum, the compressor may have tripped its thermal limit or the capacitor has failed. Do not open the electrical compartment yourself.
- Is the unit completely off — no fan, no sound? This indicates no power to the unit (check the breaker and disconnect) or a complete electrical failure requiring a technician.
If these basic checks do not restore cooling, call for service.
Most Common Emergency AC Failures in Las Vegas (and What They Cost)
Understanding the most likely causes of your emergency — and their associated costs — protects you from being overcharged under pressure. Here are the failures we encounter most frequently on Las Vegas emergency calls, in order of frequency.
Capacitor Failure — Most Common Las Vegas Emergency
The capacitor is an electrical component that stores energy and provides the starting and running boost for both the compressor motor and the condenser fan motor. Las Vegas's extreme heat is particularly hard on capacitors — internal temperatures inside a condenser cabinet on a 115°F July afternoon exceed 150°F, and capacitors fail at dramatically higher rates in high-temperature environments.
Signs of a failed capacitor: the outdoor unit hums but the compressor or fan will not start, the unit starts momentarily then shuts off, or the system simply does not cool despite running. A capacitor test with a multimeter takes 5 minutes and definitively identifies the failure.
Repair cost: $150–$350 including the part and labor for a standard single or dual-run capacitor. Be skeptical of quotes significantly above this range for a capacitor-only failure. The part itself costs $15–$80. If a technician quotes $600+ for a capacitor replacement on a system that otherwise tests as healthy, ask for an itemized breakdown.
Contactor Failure
The contactor is an electrical relay that switches high-voltage power to the compressor and condenser fan when the thermostat calls for cooling. Contactors wear out — the contact points pit and corrode from electrical arcing — and eventually fail to close completely, causing intermittent cooling or complete failure to start. In Las Vegas heat, contactors experience thousands of switching cycles per summer, and their lifespan is shorter than in moderate climates.
Signs of a failed contactor: outdoor unit does not start, or starts intermittently, or hums loudly without the compressor engaging. A pitted or welded contactor can also cause the compressor to run continuously even when the thermostat does not call for cooling.
Repair cost: $200–$400 for a standard contactor replacement. Often replaced at the same time as the capacitor if both show wear.
Refrigerant Leak
A refrigerant leak causes gradual loss of cooling capacity followed by complete failure as refrigerant charge drops to zero. Signs of a refrigerant leak developing: the system runs but the house does not cool to setpoint, ice forms on the refrigerant lines near the air handler, and utility bills increase as the system runs longer to compensate.
When a refrigerant leak is discovered on an emergency call, the repair involves two separate charges: finding and repairing the leak, and recharging the system with refrigerant. R-410A (the refrigerant in most systems installed before 2025) has become expensive since the EPA phase-out — $50–$150 per pound. New systems use R-454B at $30–$80 per pound.
Repair cost: $400–$1,500 depending on leak location and refrigerant quantity. Leaks at accessible Schrader valves cost less to repair than leaks in the evaporator coil or buried refrigerant lines.
Our recommendation: if a technician proposes adding refrigerant without finding and repairing the leak, do not proceed. Refrigerant does not "run out" — it leaks. Adding refrigerant without fixing the leak means you will be paying for refrigerant again in 3–12 months when the charge drops again. EPA Section 608 also prohibits knowingly venting refrigerant, which means systems with known leaks must be repaired, not just recharged.
Frozen Evaporator Coil
As covered in the filter section above, a frozen evaporator coil shuts down cooling and forces the system to run the compressor against a blocked air path, increasing compressor stress. In Las Vegas summer, a frozen coil resolved quickly by thawing and filter replacement is a low-cost emergency. A frozen coil that goes unnoticed for days causes compressor damage from liquid refrigerant slugging the compressor — turning a $0 fix into a $2,500–$4,000 compressor replacement.
Thawing and restart cost: $0–$300 if the cause is a dirty filter replaced by the homeowner. $150–$350 if a technician is needed to verify the coil has thawed, inspect for underlying causes, and restart the system.
Condenser Fan Motor Failure
The condenser fan pulls air through the condenser coil to reject heat into the outdoor air. In Las Vegas summer, this motor runs continuously for 10–16 hours per day and is exposed to ambient temperatures of 115°F+. Fan motor bearings fail, windings burn out, and fan blades crack from UV exposure. A failed condenser fan motor allows the compressor to overheat rapidly — the compressor's thermal protection shuts it down, and in severe cases, the compressor is permanently damaged.
Repair cost: $400–$800 for motor and labor. Universal replacement motors are often available next-day for most condenser models. OEM motors for specific premium systems may require ordering, adding 1–3 days to resolution time.
Blower Motor Failure
The blower motor in your air handler circulates conditioned air through your home's duct system. A failed blower motor results in no airflow — the system runs but no air comes from the vents. In Las Vegas, blower motor failures are less common than condenser-side failures but occur in older systems or those with dirty coils and high operating static pressure.
Repair cost: $450–$900 for motor and labor. Variable-speed ECM blower motors cost more than standard PSC motors — $700–$1,200 for the part alone on premium systems.
Compressor Failure — Most Expensive Emergency
The compressor is the heart of the AC system — the component that pressurizes the refrigerant and drives the cooling cycle. Compressor failures in Las Vegas result from hard-starting on low capacitance, refrigerant flooding from frozen coils, oil contamination from moisture ingress, or simple end-of-life wear after years of 115°F operation.
A failed compressor is the failure that most often triggers the repair vs. replace conversation. Compressor replacement runs $1,800–$4,500 installed, depending on system size and compressor type. On a system under 8 years old with a valid warranty, replacement is often covered. On a system 12+ years old using R-410A, compressor replacement rarely makes financial sense — you are investing $2,000–$4,000 in an aging system when a complete replacement with a new system and fresh warranty runs $7,500–$12,000. See our AC Replacement Cost Las Vegas guide for the full replacement cost breakdown.
Compressor replacement cost: $1,800–$4,500
Full system replacement: $6,000–$16,000 (more appropriate for systems 10+ years old)
Emergency Repair Cost Summary
| Failure Type | Frequency (Las Vegas) | Standard Repair Cost | After-Hours Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| Capacitor failure | 30–35% of calls | $150–$350 | +$150–$300 |
| Dirty filter / frozen coil | 10–15% of calls | $0–$300 | +$150–$300 |
| Contactor failure | 10–15% of calls | $200–$400 | +$150–$300 |
| Refrigerant leak + recharge | 10–15% of calls | $400–$1,500 | +$150–$350 |
| Condenser fan motor | 8–12% of calls | $400–$800 | +$150–$300 |
| Breaker / electrical | 5–10% of calls | $200–$500 | +$150–$300 |
| Blower motor | 5–8% of calls | $450–$900 | +$150–$300 |
| Compressor failure | 5–10% of calls | $1,800–$4,500 (or replace) | +$200–$500 |
| Circuit board / controls | 3–5% of calls | $400–$900 | +$150–$300 |
How to Stay Safe in 115°F Heat While Waiting for Repair
This section is serious. In Las Vegas summer heat, the elapsed time between AC failure and dangerous indoor temperatures depends on the home's construction, insulation, time of day, and how many people are generating body heat inside. In a typical Las Vegas home on a 115°F afternoon, indoor temperature can rise 10–15°F per hour once the AC stops. A home at 78°F at 2:00 PM can be 90°F+ by 4:00 PM and 100°F by 6:00 PM.
Immediate Actions
- Close all window blinds and curtains immediately. Solar gain through west and south-facing windows is enormous in a Las Vegas afternoon. Closing heavy curtains or blinds reduces solar heat gain by 40–60% through those windows. Do this first.
- Move vulnerable family members to a single cool room or out of the home. The interior of the home will heat unevenly — rooms with east-facing windows will be cooler than west-facing rooms in the afternoon. Concentrate the household in the coolest room.
- Use portable fans strategically. Fans do not cool air — they cool people by increasing evaporation from skin. Point fans at people, not walls. Do not open windows during the heat of the day unless outdoor temperature has dropped significantly below indoor temperature (typically not until after 10:00 PM in July).
- Minimize heat sources inside the home. Do not use the oven or stovetop. Turn off lights that are not essential (incandescent bulbs generate significant heat; even LED bulbs add some). Unplug appliances that are not in use.
- Hydrate aggressively. In 100°F+ indoor temperatures, dehydration occurs faster than most people recognize. Every household member should drink 8–12 ounces of water per hour.
If the Wait Exceeds 2–3 Hours
- Go to a cooling center. The City of Las Vegas and Clark County maintain cooling centers during heat emergencies — public libraries, community centers, and recreation centers that are open to the public at no cost. The Clark County website maintains a current list of cooling center locations and hours during heat emergency declarations.
- Go to a hotel or stay with family/friends. A one-night hotel stay at $80–$150 is a worthwhile safety expense for a family with elderly members, infants, or pets. Most Las Vegas hotels have availability on weeknights; summer weekend availability is more limited.
- Use a portable evaporative cooler as a bridge. Las Vegas's low humidity (10–20% on most summer days outside monsoon season) means evaporative coolers work effectively here. A portable evaporative cooler ($150–$400 from Home Depot or Lowe's) can cool a single room by 10–20°F in low-humidity conditions. This is not a solution for the whole home but buys time and comfort while waiting for repair.
Protecting Elderly Family Members
Heat illness — heat exhaustion and heat stroke — is most dangerous for adults over 65, who have reduced ability to regulate body temperature and may take medications (diuretics, beta-blockers, antidepressants) that further impair heat tolerance. The Nevada Department of Health and Human Services reports that elderly adults account for the majority of heat-related deaths in Clark County each summer. If an elderly family member shows confusion, stops sweating despite heat, has a rapid pulse, or becomes unresponsive, call 911 immediately — this is heat stroke, a life-threatening emergency.
Protecting Pets
Dogs and cats cannot sweat and rely on panting to regulate body temperature, which becomes ineffective in very hot, low-humidity conditions. Pets are at risk of fatal heat stroke when indoor temperatures exceed 90°F for extended periods. Do not leave pets in an unair-conditioned home for more than 1–2 hours when indoor temperatures are above 85°F. Bring pets to a pet-friendly hotel, a boarding facility, a veterinary office, or the home of a friend or family member. Las Vegas animal shelters sometimes accept emergency drop-offs during heat events — call 311 for current availability.
How to Choose an Emergency HVAC Company in Las Vegas
The Las Vegas AC emergency repair market contains a wide range of contractors from excellent to predatory. When your house is 90°F and climbing, the temptation to call the first number you find and accept whatever quote they give is understandable. Here is how to protect yourself.
What to Verify Before They Arrive
- Nevada contractor license: Ask for the contractor's NV C-21 Air Conditioning license number and verify it at nvcontractorsboard.com. Takes 2 minutes. An unlicensed contractor operating in Nevada is illegal and carries no accountability for their work. Never hire an unlicensed technician regardless of price.
- Liability insurance: Ask if they carry general liability insurance. A technician who damages your electrical panel, refrigerant lines, or property has no personal assets to cover the damage without insurance. Legitimate companies provide this information without hesitation.
- EPA Section 608 certification: Any technician who handles refrigerant must hold EPA 608 certification. Ask for the technician's certification number if refrigerant work is discussed.
- Physical business address: An established Las Vegas HVAC company has a physical shop address, not just a P.O. box or home address. Search the business name and verify it matches the address on their license.
What Legitimate Emergency Pricing Looks Like
Emergency service calls in Las Vegas legitimately cost more than daytime business-hours service. Legitimate after-hours premiums include:
- After-hours dispatch fee: $150–$350 added to the repair cost
- Weekend/holiday premium: $100–$200 additional
- Diagnostic fee: $75–$150 (often waived if you proceed with repair)
These premiums are real costs — the contractor is paying overtime, maintaining a dispatch crew, and keeping technicians available 24/7. They are reasonable. What is not reasonable: labor rates that triple for after-hours, parts marked up 400% over standard pricing, unnecessary parts replacements, or insistence that the entire system needs to be replaced when a component repair is clearly appropriate.
Red Flags from Emergency HVAC Companies
- No upfront pricing before starting work. A legitimate technician provides a written quote before any work begins. Insist on this. "I'll have to open it up and see" is acceptable for diagnosis; "I can't tell you a price until I'm done" is not.
- Recommending replacement on a system under 8 years old without a documented diagnostic showing compressor failure. A compressor that tests at acceptable resistance values is not failed. A refrigerant leak is not a replacement situation on a young system.
- Claiming refrigerant is "completely gone" on a system that was working yesterday. Refrigerant leaks gradually. A system that was cooling normally yesterday has not lost all its refrigerant overnight without a catastrophic failure that would be obvious (loud noise, oily residue on components). If a technician says your system "lost all its refrigerant" without visible evidence of a major leak, verify the diagnosis with a second opinion.
- Excessive urgency without documentation. A technician who says "you need a new $14,000 system right now tonight and we can do it for $10,000 if you sign tonight" is creating artificial urgency. Major equipment decisions should not be made at 10 PM in a hot house. A legitimate technician will get your system running temporarily (even partially) when possible and give you time to make a considered replacement decision.
- No written invoice or receipt. All legitimate HVAC work requires a written work order and receipt specifying parts, labor, and any warranty on the work performed.
What to Do If You Suspect Price Gouging
Nevada's consumer protection laws prohibit price gouging during declared emergencies. If Clark County has declared a heat emergency and you believe you were charged exploitative rates, contact the Nevada Attorney General's consumer protection hotline at (702) 486-3132. You can also file a complaint with the Nevada State Contractors Board at nvcontractorsboard.com. These agencies have enforcement authority over licensed contractors.
Emergency Repair vs. Replacement: How to Decide Under Pressure
The hardest scenario in an emergency call: the technician arrives and tells you the system needs a $3,500 compressor replacement. Or a refrigerant leak on an aging system. Or a failed blower motor on a 15-year-old unit. You are hot, your family is uncomfortable, and you have to make a major financial decision in the next 30 minutes.
Here is the framework we give every homeowner in this situation:
Factors That Strongly Favor Emergency Repair (Not Replacement)
- System is under 8 years old
- Failure is a minor component (capacitor, contactor, fan motor, circuit board)
- System uses a common refrigerant (R-454B or R-410A on a system under 12 years old)
- System has a remaining manufacturer warranty on the compressor
- Repair cost is under $1,000
Factors That Favor Emergency Replacement
- System is 12+ years old
- Compressor has failed or has signs of imminent failure
- System uses R-22 refrigerant (no longer manufactured; very expensive)
- Multiple components have failed in the past 2 years
- Repair cost exceeds $1,500 and system is 10+ years old
The Right Move When Replacement Is the Answer
If replacement is the right call, do not sign a replacement agreement with an emergency technician the same night without a proper quote and equipment selection process. Instead: pay for a temporary fix (adding refrigerant, replacing a failed component) to make the home livable tonight, then get 2–3 replacement quotes in the next 24–48 hours. The difference in replacement quotes between an emergency technician's "same night" price and a competitive daytime quote is often $1,500–$3,000. That savings is worth one uncomfortable night followed by next-day service.
For replacement cost data, see our AC Replacement Cost Las Vegas 2026 guide. For choosing a replacement system, see our Complete Guide to Replacing Your Air Conditioner in 2026.
TCC's 24/7 Emergency Service in Las Vegas
The Cooling Company is a family-owned, Lennox Premier Dealer that has served the Las Vegas Valley since 2011. Our emergency technicians are experienced in Las Vegas's unique HVAC challenges, and we deliver transparent, upfront pricing on every repair — in daylight or at midnight. With 740+ Google reviews and a 4.9/5 rating, our track record speaks to the honest assessments and reliable service our customers depend on. Licensed, bonded, and insured (NV License #0082413), we back every repair with a workmanship warranty.
Our emergency dispatch line is (702) 567-0707 — answered 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, by a live person.
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Preventing the Next Emergency: Las Vegas AC Maintenance
The most effective way to avoid a summer emergency call is a spring tune-up scheduled before peak season. An HVAC maintenance visit in March or April costs $100–$200 and includes: cleaning the condenser coil, testing the capacitor and contactor, checking the refrigerant charge, verifying the blower and evaporator coil, and replacing the filter. Every one of the emergency failures described in this article is detectable during a maintenance visit before it becomes a failure in July heat.
Capacitors have measurable capacitance values that degrade before they fail completely. A capacitor testing at 75% of rated capacitance in April will likely fail in July heat. Replacing it proactively during a maintenance visit costs $75–$125 for the part rather than $150–$350 at an emergency call. Refrigerant charge is measurable before it drops low enough to affect cooling. Fan motors with worn bearings make noise that is audible before they seize. A trained technician catches all of these during a spring visit.
Our maintenance plans include two visits per year (spring and fall) with priority emergency dispatch. For Las Vegas homeowners who have experienced a summer emergency, a maintenance plan is the single best investment in avoiding a repeat.
Frequently Asked Questions
How quickly can temperatures become dangerous in a Las Vegas home without AC?
On a 115°F Las Vegas afternoon, a typical home without AC can see indoor temperatures rise 10–15°F per hour. A home starting at 78°F at 2:00 PM can reach 90°F+ by 4:00 PM and 100°F+ by 6:00 PM. Elderly adults, infants, and pets can experience heat illness at indoor temperatures above 85–90°F. Move vulnerable household members immediately — do not wait for the repair technician to assess whether to seek cooling elsewhere.
What is the most common cause of AC failure in Las Vegas summer?
Capacitor failure is the single most common emergency service call in Las Vegas, accounting for 30–35% of summer emergency calls. Las Vegas's extreme heat — condenser cabinet temperatures regularly exceed 150°F in July — dramatically accelerates capacitor degradation. The capacitor is also one of the least expensive repairs at $150–$350. A spring maintenance visit that tests capacitor health and replaces degraded capacitors proactively prevents most of these summer emergency calls.
How much should an emergency AC repair cost in Las Vegas?
Emergency service in Las Vegas legitimately costs more than daytime business-hours service. Expect an after-hours dispatch fee of $150–$350 on top of the repair cost. A capacitor replacement during an emergency call runs $300–$650 total (part + labor + emergency fee). A contactor replacement runs $350–$700. If quotes significantly exceed these ranges, call a second company. Price gouging during heat emergencies is illegal in Nevada under declared emergency conditions.
Should I repair or replace my AC if it dies in summer?
If the system is under 8 years old and the failure is a single component (capacitor, contactor, fan motor, refrigerant leak repair), repair almost always makes financial sense. If the system is 12+ years old with a failed compressor, or has required multiple repairs in the past 24 months, replacement is usually the better long-term investment. Never make a replacement decision under emergency pressure — pay for a temporary fix if possible, sleep somewhere cool overnight, and get competitive replacement quotes in the morning when you have time to evaluate options.
How do I verify an emergency HVAC company is legitimate in Las Vegas?
Search the contractor's business name at nvcontractorsboard.com to verify their Nevada C-21 contractor license is active and in good standing. Verify they have a physical Las Vegas business address and have been operating for more than one season. Check their Google, Yelp, and BBB reviews — look specifically for reviews from summer emergency calls, which are the most revealing of a company's integrity under pressure. A company with 4.5+ stars on 200+ reviews that specifically mention emergency service and honest pricing is a company you can trust.
Can I add refrigerant to my AC myself?
No. Handling refrigerant requires EPA Section 608 certification, and it is illegal for uncertified individuals to purchase or handle refrigerants regulated under the Clean Air Act. Beyond the legal issue, adding refrigerant without finding and repairing the leak is a waste of money — the refrigerant will leak out again. And incorrect refrigerant charge (too high or too low) causes compressor damage. Only licensed, EPA-certified technicians should handle refrigerant work.
Need Emergency AC Repair in Las Vegas Right Now?
If your AC is down in Las Vegas heat, call us immediately. We answer 24/7 and dispatch within the hour.
Call (702) 567-0707 — available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.
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- AC Replacement (if repair is not the answer)
- AC Replacement Cost Las Vegas 2026
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