Mr. Whitefolks
Posts:63
 | | 07/31/2008 12:11 PM |
 Alert | Hello Forum Members, I live in a DR Horton home where my AC stopped working for the 3rd time in one year. I called out a local company who said that the Compressor is "locked-up" and needs to be replaced. The part is covered by a 5-year warranty, but they are still quoting $1,400 for labor and freon. Does this seem high / low / or just about right? Any opinions would be very helpful. Thanks. | |
"We are overcome by anguish at this illogical moment of humanity.” - Che
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JasonY
Posts:2421
| | 07/31/2008 12:19 PM |
Alert | | It depends on the size and brand of your A/C unit. Your unit should still be under warranty. I had my compressor replaced twice in two years and it was under warranty. | |
"My favorite health club is the International House of Pancakes" -- Lewis Black | |
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Mr. Whitefolks
Posts:63
| | 07/31/2008 12:40 PM |
Alert | | Thanks Jason, the Compressor is under warranty (5 years), but the labor and freon is no longer (1year)! | |
"We are overcome by anguish at this illogical moment of humanity.” - Che
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bigfatbulldog
Posts:43
| | 07/31/2008 1:00 PM |
Alert | | if you unit is over 4 or 5 years old it is not worth putting in a new comp you will be better off puting in a new unit in the long run i do ac work. a high seer unit will drop your bill the units we install have a 12 yr warr on parts and lab the units that are on the houses now are junk | |
who wants a wii | |
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Takingabreak
Posts:332
| | 07/31/2008 2:10 PM |
Alert | | $1400 is about right for labor, only call around a few other places or the mfg. For a while there the mfg's were offering a rebate on the labor charges to about $600. | |
Need a tax write off? Donate to the Maricopa SALVATION ARMY EMERGENCY SERVICES FUND. | |
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Cactus Rob
Posts:1017
| | 07/31/2008 3:02 PM |
Alert | Posted By Mr. Whitefolks on 07/31/2008 12:11 PM Hello Forum Members, I live in a DR Horton home where my AC stopped working for the 3rd time in one year. I called out a local company who said that the Compressor is "locked-up" and needs to be replaced. The part is covered by a 5-year warranty, but they are still quoting $1,400 for labor and freon. Does this seem high / low / or just about right? Any opinions would be very helpful. Thanks. How did the HVAC guys fix it the other two times? Is it tripping the breaker switch, but will run OK for awhile once it is reset (before it trips the breaker again)? | | | |
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Mr. Whitefolks
Posts:63
| | 07/31/2008 3:32 PM |
Alert | The other two times it was a leak in the coil and then a wire that burnt up near the Air Handler.
It trips the breaker immediately, i guess b/c it is locked up. | |
"We are overcome by anguish at this illogical moment of humanity.” - Che
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Cactus Rob
Posts:1017
| | 07/31/2008 3:52 PM |
Alert | Darn it! I was hoping you could be lucky like I was a couple of weeks ago. My problem was loose wiring connections to the breaker switches. The arcing electricity would heat-up the breaker switch, similar to what happens when there is a short-circuit somewhere in the system, and cause the breaker to trip. As information, the owner of Alternative Air (520-483-0364) told me that had I needed a new compressor (mine is under warranty) the cost would have been around $1200. | | | |
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Robert B
Posts:852
| | 08/01/2008 5:21 PM |
Alert | Posted By Mr. Whitefolks on 07/31/2008 12:11 PM Hello Forum Members, I live in a DR Horton home where my AC stopped working for the 3rd time in one year. I called out a local company who said that the Compressor is "locked-up" and needs to be replaced. The part is covered by a 5-year warranty, but they are still quoting $1,400 for labor and freon. Does this seem high / low / or just about right? Any opinions would be very helpful. Thanks. I think they are messing with you. You can add a few bucks and get a new out door unit. When they worked on it the first and second time the warranty should still be for only labor. | | | |
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Mr. Whitefolks
Posts:63
| | 08/01/2008 5:37 PM |
Alert | | Thanks everyone! I was actually able to find a friend of a friend who usually does commercial A/C work to replace the compressor for $600. I thought that was pretty fair! Our house is now slowly cooling down! | |
"We are overcome by anguish at this illogical moment of humanity.” - Che
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Robert B
Posts:852
| | 08/02/2008 12:57 PM |
Alert | He gave you a smoking deal. | | | |
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demons19
Posts:22
| | 08/02/2008 9:03 PM |
Alert | Posted By bigfatbulldog on 07/31/2008 1:00 PM
if you unit is over 4 or 5 years old it is not worth putting in a new comp you will be better off puting in a new unit in the long run i do ac work. a high seer unit will drop your bill the units we install have a 12 yr warr on parts and lab the units that are on the houses now are junk
What are the costs for some of the new AC units and what sort of a drop in bill could one expect?
My big fear is I spend 6-8-10K for a new unit and my bill is still $520 in July! These Ed3 people need to be taken away in cuffs | | | |
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poobaa
Posts:156
| | 08/02/2008 9:57 PM |
Alert | Up grading to a SEER 14 will help a little but the air handler will need up grading also not just the outside unit. Things you can do: Shade the outside unit but do not block air around it. Install solar screens a must on all sun facing windows. More Attic insulation R 39 to R 50. Set temp no lower than 78º. Use a program thermostat to raise temp to 88º when not home for more than one hour.
If two story home with separate unit for up stairs, set that unit to 88º in day time. There is no such thing as too much insulation. Keep filters clean, use cheep ones replacing every 4 weeks, much better than high cost clean and reuse filters. $200 ED3 for 2k sf house to $300 for 4k sf in normal in july and aug in Maricopa | |
"What me worry"
If you don't know where you are going, it matters less what road you take | |
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demons19
Posts:22
| | 08/02/2008 10:04 PM |
Alert | We have a 2K sqft house and its $520 this month, $400 last!
We have 80-90% solar screens on every window.
We are set at 78 all the time, anything higher and we are sweating.
Someone is always home so raising is rarely possible.
The unit outside does bake in the sun all day though.
Not sure about the attic insulation either.
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poobaa
Posts:156
| | 08/03/2008 9:29 AM |
Alert | You have something wrong with your home, if your numbers are correct.
You need a home energy survey, I know APS does this for free, maybe ED# does also.
Home inspection companies charge, but you need it. You might get an insulation company to give you a free estimate. You may have leaks in AC ducts in attic, something is not working correctly in your AC system | |
"What me worry"
If you don't know where you are going, it matters less what road you take | |
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bigfatbulldog
Posts:43
| | 08/03/2008 9:41 PM |
Alert | | a trane xl 19i can drop your as much as 60% if you leave your house do not turn it up more the then a few deg cuse when you get home your unit will have runlonger to drop it down 10 deg it will run for a long time to drop it back down only go up about 5 deg and get your inside coils cleand every few years and house off your out side unit a few times a year | |
who wants a wii | |
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ms_attitude
Posts:34
| | 08/04/2008 9:17 AM |
Alert | This is a prime example of why preventive maintence is so important. To many people think that because there unit is under warrenty they do not need to do said maintence. But if it is done situations that this one could be avoided. Further more if your preventive maintence is not done it can void you warrenty as well. | | | |
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bigfatbulldog
Posts:43
| | 08/04/2008 6:11 PM |
Alert | | where i work we have a 4 year maint program for $499.00 with 2 vists a year 20% off parts and labor 24 hour service gerintee we will be there whithen 24 hours to fix it, free indoor and outdoor coil cleanings 10% plumbing we have over 48000 houses in the valley that have a pma.we are the #1 hvac compeny in the nation and free r 22 and 50% off 419a | |
who wants a wii | |
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RayDizzle34
Posts:68
| | 08/05/2008 12:00 PM |
Alert | That maintenence program sounds pretty good, but since your purchasing the 4 year PMA if you happen to move to a new home after one year would that PMA move with you? What is this number one HVAC company in the nation? How the heck are you giving away free R-22 since prices are continually going up due the phasing out of R-22 by 2010? And what the heck is 419a? Do you mean R-410a? Are the free indoor and outdoor coil cleanings given after you purchase the PMA? I don't mean hound ya but this doesn't sound realistic. | | | |
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bigfatbulldog
Posts:43
| | 08/05/2008 3:05 PM |
Alert | | it is 100% tranferable you can take it with you can transfer it to the new owner of the house.it is 4-10a i hit thr wrong key. R22 will be maid till 2020 by 2010 thay will nolonger put it in new units.coil cleanings are done when they need it but yes they can be done on the same day as you sign up.you can pm if you want more info or to set up a check up for 39.99 let me know | |
who wants a wii | |
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