An emergency HVAC situation is one where the failure creates an immediate safety risk, threatens property damage, or makes your home genuinely uninhabitable — not just uncomfortable. In Colorado, that line is crossed fairly quickly: summer temperatures in the Denver metro can exceed 100°F, and winter lows can plunge well below zero, both of which create real danger without a functioning HVAC system. Done provides emergency HVAC service around the clock, seven days a week, for situations that can’t wait until the next available appointment.

Heating Emergencies That Qualify

Loss of heat in freezing temperatures is the most clear-cut heating emergency. In Colorado, a home without heat during a winter cold snap can see indoor temperatures drop to dangerous levels within hours, especially in older homes with poor insulation. Pipes can freeze and burst when interior temperatures fall below 32°F in uninsulated areas — a cascade failure that turns a heating problem into a major plumbing disaster.

  • Complete furnace or boiler failure when outdoor temperatures are near or below freezing
  • Gas odor near your furnace or anywhere in the home — leave immediately and call 911 before calling us
  • Carbon monoxide alarm triggered — evacuate first, then call for emergency service
  • Visible cracks in a heat exchanger confirmed by a technician (this allows CO to enter living spaces)
  • System producing burning smells or sparking
  • Heating system running continuously without reaching temperature during a cold event

Cooling Emergencies That Qualify

Colorado’s intense summer heat — amplified by high-altitude UV and Front Range heat island effects — can make a home without AC genuinely dangerous for infants, the elderly, and people with certain medical conditions. When outdoor temperatures are in the high 90s or above, indoor temps in an un-air-conditioned home can exceed 100°F within a day, even with windows open. That qualifies as an emergency.

Other cooling situations that may warrant emergency service: an AC unit that is tripping breakers repeatedly (a sign of an electrical fault that could become a fire hazard), refrigerant leaks that produce hissing sounds or ice buildup on the refrigerant lines, or a failed system coinciding with a heat advisory for the Denver metro area.

What Doesn’t Typically Qualify as an Emergency

A system that’s running but not cooling or heating as efficiently as usual, a unit that’s louder than normal, or an AC that’s struggling on a moderately warm day (70s–low 80s) typically doesn’t rise to the level of a safety emergency — though those issues should still be scheduled promptly to avoid them escalating. Similarly, a single room that’s warmer than others usually points to a zoning, duct, or insulation issue rather than a whole-system failure requiring emergency dispatch.

When in doubt, call us. Our dispatchers can help you assess over the phone whether your situation needs immediate same-day emergency response or can be handled with a next-day priority appointment.

Safety First in Any HVAC Emergency

If you smell gas or your carbon monoxide detector goes off, your first call is 911 or your gas utility’s emergency line — not your HVAC company. Get everyone (including pets) out of the home before making any other calls. Once the scene is confirmed safe by emergency responders, contact Done for the HVAC follow-up. Gas and CO emergencies are life-safety situations that go beyond what any HVAC technician should be the first responder for.

For everything else, Done’s emergency AC repair and emergency heating repair teams are available when you need them most. If you want to reduce the risk of emergencies in the first place, scheduled tune-ups through our Care Club membership catch most system failures before they happen.