Desert heat and your air conditioner
A few official numbers explain most of what a cooling system goes through in this valley.
July at the Las Vegas station
| Measure | Value |
|---|---|
| Normal daily high | 103 to 105°F |
| Normal overnight low | 80 to 83°F |
| All-time record high | 120°F on 7 July 2024 |
| Warmest recorded July low | 95°F (1 July 2013 and 19 July 2005) |
Source: NWS Las Vegas July climate data. Henderson sits on the southern rim of the valley at about 1,940 feet (city fact sheet), so readings there can differ a little from the airport station.
What those nights mean
A system sized and charged correctly can still run most of a July evening, because the house never sheds the day's heat into cool night air. Run time is what wears capacitors, contactors and motors, so it is no surprise that midsummer is when they fail. Setting the thermostat back a few degrees overnight helps; NV Energy suggests 78°F as a summer setting (NV Energy tips).
Winter still counts
Late-December normal lows near 39°F (NWS December data) mean the furnace gets real use for a few months. It is the same equipment family, often sharing a cabinet with the cooling coil.
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Talk it through with an HVAC contractor
Say what the equipment is doing and how old it is. An independent contractor who works in Henderson, Nevada takes it from there.