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Home Repair Main level AC is OUT!!

Discussion in 'Homeowners Corner' started by ALOEL, May 31, 2011.

  1. ALOEL

    ALOEL Elder Geek Truth Seeker

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    Our home isn't 7 years old yet and we've had constant AC problems. Last summer, late in the season, the main level AC failed so we added freon to keep it going for the last hot month. We are told the coil is shot and needs replacing. I am shocked that this has occurred in such a new home! We can not afford to have it fixed right now, for the quoted price of $1,600.00, with hubby having been unemployed since Nov. 2010.

    Like others have also reported, the smaller unit for upstairs does not cool below 80 degrees in the temps we have right now. Of course the Master BR is over the garage so we expect to be warmer but is it better to keep the doors closed in the Master to contain cool air or leave them open?

    Any recommendations for less expensive repair are welcome too! Its almost 90 degrees in most of our home right now and its difficult to make meals in the hot kitchen, even with 3 fans running.

    Does anyone know what the warranty is supposed to be on these units? I'm REALLY hoping its 10 years so we can get this fixed!!! I appreciate any help provided! THANKS!!
     
  2. Thunderchild

    Thunderchild New Member

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    Call Anthony @AD Plumbing and Heating 703-421-9550. He may be able to help you out.
     
  3. Brit

    Brit New Member

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    You should still be under warranty, an engineer can advise.
     
  4. Capricorn1964

    Capricorn1964 Well-Known Member

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    There's one thing that came to my mind that I don't have the answer for but if someone is the second owner of the home , can the warranty for the A/C and Heating unit be transferable to that second owner from the first owner? Not sure how that works....
     
  5. latka

    latka Active Member

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    Most coils are only covered for 5 years. Some are 7 years.
     
  6. Capricorn1964

    Capricorn1964 Well-Known Member

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    Freon is expensive for sure. As for your husband being unemployed. Why not post on the jobs forum what's he looking for, etc. Perhaps someone may know of some jobs that are a potential match to his background/experience? I don't believe that will hurt to do that. Good luck, meanwhile!
     
  7. Capricorn1964

    Capricorn1964 Well-Known Member

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  8. T8ergirl

    T8ergirl New Member

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    MAJOR shout out to Whitman Mechanical. Our main floor A/C has been out since last week. They came today and told us we needed a new motor. ($440 plus labor) I said OK. He went to work on it for about 20 minutes then asked me to turn it on. I did. Then he said, "Well, I'm not putting a new motor in. I fixed it." $178 later and the motor was cleaned up and oiled and working fine. He could have totally scammed us into a new motor.

    I am impressed and delighted.
     
  9. Mike-and-Kim

    Mike-and-Kim Member

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    I have a huge Panasonic window mount with original box that I've saved for 10+ years just in case. Used it for a few years when I lived in Chicago. Imagine it works, free if you want it. Maybe it will get you by.

    FWIW, I asked the repairman what it would have cost if we had to pay to get ours fixed and he said 1400 (it was thankfully covered by a warranty the realtor had bought us). So 1600 sounds like it might be in the right ballpark.
     
  10. sri_n

    sri_n Member

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    From what i understand it is typically transferable. Unless a separate warranty was purchased as an add on. In which case you have to let the company that provides the warranty (which may or may not be the manufacturer) know in writing that you'd like to transfer the warranty to the new owner, otherwise it may not be honored.
     
  11. Capricorn1964

    Capricorn1964 Well-Known Member

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    That is AWESOME!!! Thanks for passing that along...Seems like they are trustworthy with you! So glad it worked out for you all.
     
  12. boomertsfx

    boomertsfx Booyakasha!

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    ... he still said you needed a new motor though :)
     
  13. Chance3

    Chance3 New Member

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    Came home to find my main level isn't working today. Blows air, but not cold.

    I replaced the coils on the upstairs unit last August and that cost $1,640. Not looking forward to paying that again...

    Any suggestions?
     
  14. mdfiji

    mdfiji New Member

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    Call Sonny from Climatic. He came out for us without charging anything to look at our system the first time. Ended up bieng able to send a tech for a simple fix until the next year when we replaced the whole system.


    www.climaticva.com
     
  15. BzyCookn

    BzyCookn New Member

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    I second Sunny from Climatic. Our system was slightly over 5 years old when our coils froze over and ultimately molded. We've had A/C issues every summer since we moved into our Parkdale. We just paid to have a brand-new Carrier installed (main level unit), and even though we used our annual vacation fund to pay for the darn thing, I'm grateful we finally did it. Sunny's quote was by far the cheapest. He runs a family-owned business, and has been replacing many of the junky A/C units originally installed by VM. He's a genuinely nice and honest guy.
     
  16. luftinarr

    luftinarr Member

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    Last year when several neighbors' ACs started failing, I bought a home warranty through HMS just in case something happened to ours. I paid $600 ($100 extra for the extra AC unit) for coverage for all appliances in the house (lots of things covered). Well, lo and behold, at the end of May our upstairs unit failed. Paid the $100 deductible and the capacitor was replaced. Had my husband not heard the AC fail in the middle of the night we would have needed an entire unit. What really p***es me off is that at about the 5 year mark these units start failing. Our unit's failure was the 3rd in as many days. Since our unit failed, 2 additional neighbors' units failed. I don't want to hear the c*** about the units working harder because it's hot. That is its job!
     
  17. SW Hokie

    SW Hokie New Member

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    We replaced both Goodman HVAC units last summer after 2 years of constant freon refills and then worse (one died and the other was close on its heels). Liked Sonny at Climatic, but ended up going with McCarthy Services because we wanted Trane units (rated well in consumer reports) and they have been the best investment for us! Great company, as well!
     
  18. Capricorn1964

    Capricorn1964 Well-Known Member

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    How much did going with Trane Units set you back?
     
  19. SW Hokie

    SW Hokie New Member

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    Downstairs was $7.5K and upstairs was $8.5K.
     
  20. Capricorn1964

    Capricorn1964 Well-Known Member

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    *thud*
     

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