$1800 for a heat pump compressor? Seriously?

[trbo20]

This is a follow-up to my original post.

The HVAC guys are down in my basement right now pulling out my old system and installing the new one. When they pulled the cover off the unit, the technician noticed right away that the previous installer rigged the evaporator coil with a side intake.

The way he had it going, only one half of the coil ever saw any use. This is evident by the amount of dust that collected on one side of the coil. That means my compressor had to work twice as hard to heat and cool my home over the last 10 years which is probably why it failed when it did. Frankly, I'm surprised it even lasted that long.

This experience reinforces what Bubba said about finding the right guys for the job. I can only wonder how many dollars the previous home owner wasted heating and cooling this place because the HVAC guys that put this system in either weren't qualified to do their jobs or just didn't care.

Thanks everyone for all of your input.

[HVAC Guy]

Which now seems like a waste, considering:

So by fixing it, and not forking out thousands for a new system, you'd be saving a ton of $$$.

No - it reinforces the fact that hvac contractors are criminals who only want to sell home owners new furnaces every time a $100 part fails, which is typically once every 10 years (or one furnace per home per owner). Live in 3 different homes over 30 years, that's 3 furnaces.

Both.

Because he marked you for a new furnace.

[CJT]

I'd be just as upset with the current guy who came out and diagnosed it as needing complete replacement without noticing (or noticing and failing to reveal) what you now know. For that matter, whoever did the periodic maintenance now appears incompetent, too.

In short, you seem to have had nothing but incompetent servicers, which confirms what I have suspected about the HVAC trade in general.

[trbo20]

quoted text -

I just bought this place in the spring, and don't know that it was ever maintained. Judging by the look of the crud built up in the ducts, I really doubt it.

The guy who came out to trouble-shoot it and the one who replaced it are not the same. Two different companies, actually. I don't really blame the original troublshooter for not spotting the shoddy install. When a heating system starts throwing breakers, you generally don't look to the evaporator coil placement to find the problem. He shot it down to an internal short in the compressor - which was truly the problem in this case.

I agree that it is a shame a compressor had to cost so much and this system couldn't be repaired economically. I still don't understand why compressors have to cost so much, but I'll rest a little better knowing I won't need to screw with it for a while. My total out-of- pocket for a new Amana 15 SEER system was $6550. The repair would have been $1800. As long as I had to cough up the green I figured I might as well get the biggest bang. The variable speed blower is nice too. This is the first heat pump I've ever seen that actually blows warm air.

BTW, not that this really matters to anyone other than mem but the new compressor has a lifetime warranty as long as I'm still the owner. At least there's that.

I really don't hold practitioners of the HVAC trade to any higher or lower standard than any other profession. I'm a programmer by trade and I've read some truly gastly code in my life. I've also seen work that's inspired the way I tackle problems. If you think about it, every profession has it's experts and hacks. It's up to the consumer to be educated in who he or she hires. That's not always an easy thing. Thank God for these groups.

[do_see]

And always remember that sometimes things look differently in person than they do as words on a newsgroup.

[HVAC Guy]

On average, you will own the house long enough to realize $4 or $5 in savings.

Yes, you were banged.

And there's the scam. The HVAC industry wants to scam every home owner into buying a new furnace for every home they own.

If the new shit was so good and reliable, then why not a transferable warranty?

Wouldn't it be nice when you put your house up for sale to tell potential buyers that your super duper HVAC system has a lifetime warranty? Or at least a 25 year warranty?

My house, which was built in 1976, has it's original furnace. That's

30 years.

Even though HVAC installers are mostly highschool drop-outs, they are not really the problem.

The problem is the shit that is made these days that passes for HVAC equipment. It's designed to have a 10 year life span, and it's designed to be very expensive to fix. It has way more electronics than it needs to have. The claimed efficiencies of a 90+ system is pissed away every 10 years because the system has some major $2k or $6k repair bill.

[Bubba]

quoted text -

Glad to see you arent following the "likes" of the two idiots of the group CJT and HVACgay. These two are hopeless homewhiners. One note about your lifetime compressor warranty. Dont take too much love for that. What you need is a 10 yr Labor warranty. Parts, compressors and the rest are expensive but the big cost is the labor. If you have a replacement compressor done on that unit you still get charged for Freight on both compressors, recovery, brazing, nitrogen, evacuation, refrigerant, bi-flo drier, copper and the lovely labor. You wont know you have a warranty compressor when its all over. Get a Labor warranty! Bubba

[trbo20]

quoted text -

The compressor warranty covers the entire outdoor unit. If my Lennox had that warranty and the repair guys wanted $1000 to replace it I would have told them to go ahead.

[do_see]

What's this vendetta against hvac techs? Were you raped by one? Were you in love with one and he made you mad by telling you he had no interest in a gay relationship?

[Noon-Air]

Naww.....he is still pissed cause he paid overtime rates for a service call because he didn't change his filter, and is just too ignorant to believe that a new furnace will *save* him money, and have a 10 year parts and labor extended warranty. You can lead a horse to water..........

[Bubba]

quoted text -

Okay, lemme try this one more time. The compressor warranty and parts in the outdoor unit have 2 different warranties. If certain conditions arent followed you will only have 5 years parts warranty and 5 years compressor warranty!! Go here and READ!

lastly.......... That is only a part warranty. If you are going to be there 5 or 10 years then you NEED to get a 5 or 10 year LABOR warranty. The part warranty is a drop in the bucket. Last time Im goina splain :-) Bubba

[HVAC Guy]

I've never called an HVAC tech or had service performed by one. Where have I ever said I did?

No, but lots of HO's apparently are.

Full-quoter No> he is still pissed cause he paid overtime rates for a service call

Believe that if it turns your crank.

If I keep the house long enough.

Or I can spend the money on more (or better) insulation, or new windows and doors.

That is transferrable to the next owner?

[Zyp]

My guess is since you won't be keeping your house that long, you must have an ARM mortgage since a fixed mortgage was too expensive for your $48k house. LOL

[Zyp]

trbo20;

Bubba's no lieing. It's good warranty, but to make it a "better" warranty, get the extended labor.

[HVAC Guy]

Bought my house 8 years ago, paid off the mortgage 4 years ago. And no, it wasn't $480k, but it was more than $380k.

[Noon-Air]

The average payoff just in energy savings for the new systems that I install is 3 - 5 years. Their bills drop by 2/3 on average. One customer had their power bill drop $300 in the first month. Their *high* power bill for the summer for 3800sqft, 2 story, with 2 systems was right at $200. I know that *most* of the other contractors and techs on here get the same kind of results when they install a new system. Proper sizing with an outstanding installation is a good thing.

I kinda wish that we could show these idiots what the new systems are supposed to look like, and how they perform when they are done right.

Nahhh....he has his mind made up and cant be confused by the facts....... never mind

[CJT]

Let me guess -- that's ignoring the time value of money?

Their bills drop by 2/3 on average. One customer had their

So the best saving you've seen is $300/month replacing a broken system with a brand new one?

Their *high* power bill for the

[cnc'sam]

Bingo, and sorry about that man.