How Smart Las Vegas Homeowners Are Beating Peak Energy Rates with Pre-Cooling

Most people adjust their thermostat reactively. It gets hot, the thermostat goes down, and the AC runs. However, there’s a more effective option that saves money, cuts down on your stress, spares your equipment, and keeps your home more comfortable through the worst hours of a Las Vegas summer. It’s called pre-cooling, and once you […]

Is a Ductless Mini-Split Right for My Las Vegas Garage, Guest House, or Room Addition?

Las Vegas homes are expanding. A garage gets converted into a gym or a home office, or maybe a casita gets built out back for in-laws or a rental income stream. It could be a bonus room that gets finished above the garage, or a sunroom that gets added along the back of the house. […]

Why Is My Electric Bill So High When the AC Is Running?

Electric bill sticker shock? You’re not alone. For more and more Las Vegas residents, the bill arrives, and they stare at it, not really processing why it’s so much. The number is definitely higher than last summer, which means that the AC’s the problem. However, “the AC is running a lot” isn’t the whole story. […]

Why Does My House Smell When the AC Turns On?

Your nose is a surprisingly good diagnostic tool. The smell that hits you when your AC kicks on is information. Different smells point to different problems, and the difference between “this needs attention soon” and “turn the system off and call someone now” is important.   Wet Towel or a Damp Basement Smell   This […]

What Does an AC Tune-Up Actually Include?

“Annual tune-up” is one of those phrases that gets said a lot in the HVAC industry without much explanation of what’s actually involved. If you’ve ever agreed to a maintenance service and then watched a technician work for 45 minutes without being entirely sure what was happening, here’s what a thorough AC tune-up actually involves […]

How Long Should an AC Unit Last in Las Vegas and When Should You Replace It?

Ask most people how long an air conditioner should last, and you’ll get an answer of 15 to 20 years. That’s “correct”, but it comes with an asterisk if you live outside a temperate zone. That number’s not all that applicable in Las Vegas.   A realistic lifespan for a Las Vegas AC unit, with […]

Why Is My Upstairs 10 Degrees Hotter Than Downstairs and How Do I Fix It?

Heat rises, so it might seem like common sense that your upstairs is warmer than your downstairs. However, if there’s a big difference between the two, that uneven cooling might have less to do with thermodynamics than other factors.   If you’re in Henderson or Summerlin, there’s a good chance your home was built during […]

Why Does My AC Keep Turning On and Off?

Your AC doesn’t constantly run. It runs for a while, cools the house down, shuts off, and waits. Then it starts again once the temperature reaches whatever you’ve got your thermostat set to. That’s how the system is supposed to work, at any rate, but if you’ve started noticing the system clicking on and off […]

Why Does My AC Air Filter Fail So Fast in Las Vegas?

Every pack of filters you’ve ever bought has the same advice printed somewhere on the cardboard: Change every 90 days. That’s common advice across the industry, but in Las Vegas, it’s almost completely wrong.   While changing a filter every three months might work just fine somewhere like San Francisco, where you don’t get crazy […]

What Your Attic’s Dust Can Tell You About Your AC and Your Air Quality

When was the last time you really looked at your attic? Chances are good it was nothing more than a passing glance when you were putting away the holiday decorations. That’s normal but unfortunate, especially when it comes to your AC system and your indoor air quality.   The dust, debris, and residue on and […]