Heat Pump service across Las Vegas.
A heat pump cools your home in the Las Vegas summer and heats it through the mild winter — all from one efficient system. HVAC Thermo handles heat pump installation and repair, so whether you’re putting one in or yours is acting up, you get it working the way it should.
Heat pumps make a lot of sense in our climate — one system, year-round comfort, and strong efficiency. But they have quirks the average AC doesn’t, like the defrost cycle and the reversing valve. I know where they go wrong and how to set them up so they don’t.
What I see most often on a heat pump call
- One system, both seasons. A heat pump handles dual heating and cooling, and a lot of calls are simply about getting one sized and installed to do both jobs well.
- Not cooling or not heating. When a heat pump only works in one mode, it’s often the reversing valve or controls keeping it stuck — that gets diagnosed properly.
- Defrost cycle problems. On cold mornings a heat pump runs a defrost cycle; when that misbehaves, you get ice buildup or weak heat that needs sorting out.
- Efficiency that’s slipping. Low refrigerant charge, dirty coils, or airflow trouble drag down the efficiency that makes a heat pump worth having in the first place.
- Auxiliary heat running too much. A heat pump leaning on backup heat more than it should usually points to a charge, sensor, or sizing issue driving up the bill.
- Aging units and replacement. When an older heat pump is struggling, I help you weigh repair against installing a newer, more efficient system.
How heat pump service works with HVAC Thermo
For installation, I size the heat pump to your home and set it up so both the cooling and heating sides work the way they’re supposed to, with the controls and defrost behaving correctly from day one. A heat pump that’s set up right is quiet, efficient, and comfortable in both seasons.
For repair, I diagnose before I quote. I check the refrigerant charge, the reversing valve, the defrost cycle, the coils, and the airflow, because a heat pump that won’t heat or cool can be any one of those — and the symptom rarely tells the whole story. Once I know the cause, I explain it plainly and lay out your options.
Whether you’re considering a heat pump or yours is acting up, call +1 702-899-7693 and we’ll get it handled.
Heat pump service by city
Find heat pump installation, repair, and general HVAC help for the area closest to you across the Las Vegas Valley.
Why a heat pump makes sense in the Las Vegas climate
The valley’s long cooling season and short, mild winter are close to ideal for a heat pump. The same system that cools your home all summer flips over to heat it on cold nights, and because our winters rarely stay deeply frozen, the heat pump spends most of its heating hours in the efficient range where it shines — rather than leaning hard on backup heat the way it would in a frigid climate. One properly sized system can cover both seasons with strong SEER2 cooling and HSPF2 heating efficiency.
The trade-off is that a heat pump has parts a standard AC doesn’t — a reversing valve that switches it between heating and cooling, and a defrost cycle for cold mornings. Those are exactly where heat pumps tend to act up, so setup and diagnosis matter. Getting the charge, airflow, thermostat, and controls right at install keeps the system quiet and efficient, and keeping up with maintenance protects that efficiency over the heavier year-round runtime a heat pump logs compared with a cooling-only unit.
How we size, install, and service heat pumps
A heat pump has to do two jobs well. Getting both right takes a little more care at the planning stage than a cooling-only system.
- 1. We calculate both loads, then check the balance point. Cooling drives the sizing in Las Vegas, but we confirm the unit still carries the house on a cold January night — and identify the outdoor temperature where supplemental heat would kick in, so there are no surprises on your winter bill.
- 2. We evaluate the electrical service. Heat pumps with electric backup draw significantly more current than a gas furnace and AC pair. Panel capacity, breaker sizing, and wire gauge get verified before equipment is selected, not on installation day.
- 3. We check the ductwork for heating airflow. Heat pumps deliver warm air at a lower temperature than a furnace, which means airflow matters more, not less. Undersized returns that were tolerable in cooling become a comfort complaint in heating mode.
- 4. We install with the reversing and defrost side done properly. Correct line set sizing and insulation, a weighed-in charge, a reversing valve wired and tested in both modes, and a defrost control set for actual valley conditions rather than a factory default meant for a colder climate.
- 5. We commission in heating and cooling. Most heat pump problems appear because only one mode was ever tested. We verify superheat and subcooling, run a defrost cycle, confirm the changeover and any auxiliary heat staging, and check the temperature split in both directions.
Heat pumps for homes and light commercial spaces
Residential heat pumps
All-electric homes, properties without a gas line, and homeowners replacing an aging AC and furnace at the same time. In a climate with mild winters and brutal summers, one system doing both jobs is a genuinely good fit — the heating demand here rarely reaches the point where a heat pump struggles.
We install standard split heat pumps, packaged units, and dual-fuel setups that pair a heat pump with a gas furnace for the coldest nights. Where only part of a home needs conditioning, a ductless mini-split is a heat pump too, and often the simpler answer.
Commercial heat pumps
Small offices, retail suites, and tenant spaces on all-electric service, typically running packaged heat pumps on the roof. These units cycle year-round and accumulate hours quickly, so defrost boards, contactors, and reversing valves are common service items.
We handle repairs, changeouts, and scheduled maintenance for these systems through our commercial HVAC service.
Why a heat pump suits this climate
Heat pumps get argued about nationally because of cold-climate performance. That argument mostly does not apply here.
- One system, one maintenance schedule. Heating and cooling live in the same equipment, so there is one outdoor unit, one indoor unit, and one annual service visit instead of two sets of components aging separately.
- Efficient heating for a mild winter. A heat pump moves heat rather than burning fuel to create it. In a climate where winter lows sit in the thirties and forties rather than below zero, it operates in its efficient range nearly all season.
- No combustion in the house. No gas line, no flue, no combustion air requirement, and no carbon monoxide risk from the heating system. That matters in tight equipment closets and in homes without existing gas service.
- Strong summer cooling. In cooling mode a heat pump is an air conditioner — the same compressor, coils, and efficiency ratings. You give up nothing on the season that matters most here.
- Gentler, steadier heat. Longer run cycles at lower supply temperatures avoid the hot-blast-then-cold-drift pattern of an oversized furnace. Rooms hold temperature more evenly.
- A practical path for all-electric homes. Where extending gas service would be expensive, a heat pump delivers real heating capacity without that cost, and pairs naturally with rooftop solar.
Repair the heat pump, or replace the system?
Usually worth repairing
Reversing valve solenoids, defrost boards, contactors, capacitors, and fan motors are standard components with sensible repair costs. A heat pump under about twelve years old with one of these faults is normally worth fixing.
The classic symptom — cooling works but heating does not, or the reverse — usually points at the reversing valve or its control circuit rather than the compressor. That is a repair, not a replacement, and worth diagnosing properly before anyone quotes new equipment.
Usually worth replacing
Compressor failure on an out-of-warranty unit is generally the end of the line, since the compressor is most of the value of the outdoor section. A refrigerant leak in the evaporator coil on an older system lands in the same place.
Age past fifteen years with repeated faults in both modes points the same way. If you are weighing options, our system replacement page covers how we approach that decision.
Keeping a heat pump efficient year-round
Because the equipment runs in both seasons, it accumulates roughly twice the hours of a cooling-only unit. Upkeep matters proportionally.
- Service it twice a year, not once. Once before cooling season and once before heating. It is the same equipment doing two different jobs, and faults in one mode routinely hide until the other season arrives.
- Avoid emergency heat as a habit. Emergency or auxiliary heat is resistance heating and it is expensive to run. If it engages regularly on ordinary winter days, something is wrong — usually charge, defrost, or thermostat configuration.
- Do not fight the thermostat. Large manual jumps in heating mode trigger auxiliary heat unnecessarily. Set a temperature and let the system hold it; the steady approach is both cheaper and more comfortable.
- Keep the outdoor unit clear and drained. The outdoor coil is the evaporator in winter, so it needs unobstructed airflow and somewhere for defrost water to go. Do not let landscaping or gravel build up against the base.
- Let defrost cycles finish. Steam off the outdoor unit on a cold morning is normal operation, not a fault. Interrupting the cycle by switching modes leaves ice on the coil.
- Match the thermostat to the equipment. Heat pumps need a thermostat that understands staging and changeover. A basic thermostat wired to a heat pump is a common and expensive configuration error — see our thermostat installation service.
Why heat pump work needs someone who tests both modes
Heat pumps are where shortcuts hide longest. A unit can cool perfectly all summer while a reversing valve or defrost fault waits quietly for November, and a system commissioned in only one mode will pass that day and disappoint six months later.
We test in both. HVAC Thermo is owner-led, so the person who sizes the system commissions it, checks charge in heating and cooling, runs a defrost cycle, and configures the thermostat for the equipment actually installed. If a heat pump is not the right answer for your home, we will say so and explain why. More about how we work is on our about page, and everything we handle is listed on our services page.
We install and service heat pumps across the Las Vegas Valley, including Henderson, Summerlin, North Las Vegas, Spring Valley, Paradise, Enterprise, and Centennial Hills. To talk through whether a heat pump fits your home, call +1 702-899-7693 or contact us.
Heat pump service across the Las Vegas Valley
Heat pump questions Las Vegas customers ask
Does a heat pump really heat and cool from one system?
What do SEER2 and HSPF2 ratings mean for a heat pump?
Why is my heat pump cooling but not heating, or the reverse?
What is the defrost cycle and why does it matter?
Why is my heat pump’s efficiency slipping?
How does maintenance keep a heat pump running well?
Systems we service & related HVAC help
The equipment we work on for heat pump service, plus other ways HVAC Thermo keeps Las Vegas comfortable.
Brands & systems we service
Related HVAC services
Need heat pump service in Las Vegas?
One system for both seasons, sized for this climate and tested in heating and cooling before we leave. Serving the whole Las Vegas Valley.
Call +1 702-899-7693 Request Service +1 702-899-7693