I have had my hvac unit die. The compressor has shorted out. The roof mounted unit was installed in 1976. I have had a contractor come out and his estimate was for a payne unit and did not break down the labor and unit cost. I can do the job myself but I am not having any luck in finding a supplier for a unit. The contractor that gave me an estimate told me that it was illegal for me do do an install myself? I am located in CA. The difficult part will be getting the old unit down and the new unit up on the roof. Gas heat horizontal output. My home is 1600 square feet, well insulated, 6 thermal pane windows, 2 thermal 8' doors. My calc shows me a need for 2.5ton and contractor shows 3 ton unit needed. Where can I look and find a unit to purchase? What can I expect to pay for a 2.5 or 3 ton unit,
If you *own* your home in Sunny California [todays *Sunday* temperature in So. Cal was 115º] then you are living in an expensive home.
Why would you want to violate a federal law, by venting an HCFC refrigerant in to the atmosphere just to save a couple of bucks? And then, try to purchase, without the proper credentials an HCFC refrigerant?
Wouldn't you want your air condenser installed by a professionally trained, licensed, insured and bonded company? Wouldn't you want the equipment to perform at it's best and reduce your electrical consumption?
Consider, this appliance is the *Single Most Expensive* piece of equipment and uses the largest amount of energy in your home. Don't you think, that you might need some fairly expensive test equipment to guarentee it's correct and proper installation? To guarentee it as efficient as it can be to reduce your monthly cost?
Or would you prefer to violate the law, install somthing that *may* work and will cost you more to operate than it should.
Call your HVAC mechanic back, and try to work out some plan. Maybe he'll give you a break. :)
I'd suggest you call the local building department, and see if it's legal to do this one yourself. Some commercially made roof units are all one piece. It's lifted up by crane, and bolted in place. then wired, and fastened on. If your unit has a separate condensor, then you'll need some soldering and brazing skill.
j, No problem. I can fix you right up. I will setup the crane that will come to your home. I can have the unit delivered to your home. Its really simple. Just send me your address, the day/time you want the unit and crane at your home and send my pay-pal account $25,000 and I will fullfill your request. Bubba
Yes a well thought out reply, Not looking for a free one just looking to buy one and install it myself, There is very little a contractor can do that I can not do. As it is I do my own building, electrical, pluming, mechanic work. In the last 40yrs I have hired one contractor to do a 1000' addition. I fired him after 6 months and no work by him, did it myself, including the electrical, and pluming. Took my car to a mechanic and ended up doing the work myself. Yes maybe tight but why pay for the labor when I can do it.
No need to vent refrigerant to air it is a not that kind of unit being removed.
My thought is that the present unit was installed and all I need to do is place a new unit that is the same configuration heating and ac in one unit, horizontal output modify the present stand if need be and form the sheet metal to direct to the ducting in place.
The unit being will be self contained and when bought new should be guaranteed to work. Many of the things you say could applied to the work I have done here such as new thermal pane windows I installed, I removed a 6' slider and put in a 10' french door, replaced a swimming pool filter and pump. Removed 400+ sq' of deck and arbor and built a steel arbor and placed cobble stone. Oh I did hire some work it was new wall to wall carpet.
I may call him back but when I get an estimate that shows NO breakdown on equipment cost and labor I get a bit concerned. In my opinion at the very least the estimate should have showed me a cost for the hvac unit, and labor also the labor should show if it included checking ducting. Which I have already checked with a infrared temp gun when ac did work, I also checked it in the winter when I was using heat.
Pluming? Is that the present tense of "I did such a hack job of installing my sewer lines that I get a plume of sewage down my driveway every time I flush"?
I will replace the unit I have with a like kind unit which is ac and heating in one unit. So electrical and gas is already in place so as I see it getting the old one down and new one up is the challenge and for that matter I will probably go to united rental and rent equipment to remove and place a new unit.
I want to know what it is on a rooftop uint that Stormy is bolting and fastening even though I know he's never installed a rooftop unit in his Mormy life. Now of course CA probably has a reg where it may have to be bolted but Stormy aint in CA. Bubba
Ok so lets see the job I did was inspected by the inspectors as required. Why is it that people such as you can not comprehend that it does not take a licenses to do a job.
I guess your mind is made up. Good luck then. But don't expect a contractor to help you when this *is* their / my trade, and although I'm not in your neck of the woods, I feel it would be more prudent if you hired a licensed, trained *contractor.*
BTW: In the state of California, when you are a licensed contractor, we are required to *write* a contract when the *total* job is over $750. That contract is to spell out the materials & equipment for a *specific price.* Also, under the State Board of Equilization, it is also required that way since contractors are selling a *completed system* including labor. The Sales Tax paid is technically a *use tax.* Not a sales tax, and therefore is generally calculated differently. If you find a contractor who *will* break the price down, he's not doing it correctly [according to the Department of Consumer Affairs for the State of California & The State Board of Equilization.] He can, it's just not correct.
The other issue is the refrigerant contained within a self-contained package unit is not of a insignificant quanity. The refrigerant within the equipment is an inrigal part and it won't run without it. So, one of the reason(s) you can't seem to find a distributor who'll release a unit is because you are not EPA certified. Nor do you have a resale permit for sales tax. Most distributors may not want to handle the sales tax for you [since it's going to be only one sale in 20 years.]
Did ya notice they don't sell these things at Home Depot? They direct you to a licensed contractor?
FWIW: The Goodman unit warranty specifically states there is "No Warranty" when purchased through the internet. It *must* be installed by a licensed and trained contractor.
The OP could just get that Goodman condensing unit from the Ebay link that was provided. Just set it on the ground and run a lineset up to the package unit. It wouldn't be the first time it's been done. Larry
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