a/c fan squeals

[George E. Cawthon]

Ah yes, but that 1/2 hour estimate assumes the home owner does it not a repairman. He is already there, tools are there, and he doesn't spend any time writing a bill. I'm probably full of it, as I said replacement, but I really meant removal only. Removal of 6-8 screw would get the top off in 2 minutes; I can't imagine not removing the fan motor would take 28 minutes. I've looked at my Carrier fan motor and never saw anything particularly magnificent about it. Seems to be about the same as any sub $100 motor.

It really doesn't make any difference how you distribute the costs, $350 to change a fan motor is ridiculous. $145 wholesale for the fan motor is ridiculous. Lots of things are ridiculous, including $20 a pound for steak, $300,000 automobile, $5000 TV, etc. Somebody(s) along the line are getting a rakeoff as equivalent motors in other machines are much cheaper, probably just a price upgrade because it is AD. Heck it might cost $3000 to change the fan if you live on a far off island, that doesn't make the $3000 not ridiculous. The simple fact is that a good motor doesn't cost $145 even if some cost $300. My attic fan (although less powerful) is the equivalent of a $50 fan (housing and all, probably a $30 motor) today and runs a lot more than my AC fan and continues to work just fine after 29 years since I change the thrust washers.

BTW, any business in my town can get to my house in less than 20 minutes, more than likely between

10 and 15 minutes as long as they don't stop for coffee. So I would suspect that changing the fan motor would take less than 1-1/4 hours from shop to shop, but why would he go back to the shop, the next call is just as likely only 5-10 minutes away or don't they preplan the maintenance route?. If the customer is 2 hours away, tell him upfront that travel time will cost a bundle, so he might want to consider other options.

No, the area is not depressed, it is actually one of the fastest (way to fast) growing area in the U.S. Why? Do you charge less in depressed areas? My experience is that stuff costs much more in little towns and backwater areas than they do in a growing city. Just the taxes seem to rise fast.

[George E. Cawthon]

No need to get nasty Turtle, just relating an actual experience. I've been screwed a few times but never at the costs that many on this relate. My gas furnace and water heater (no gas before) cost about $2200 5 years ago. A friend of mine at the same time had a much larger furnace unit installed plus he replaced his AC all for $3200.

BTW, anyone with the name of Bubba would have to show real initiative to live this far away from Bubba land. Don't think I would trust anyone with a Bubba name, or Billy Joe Bob either. Would just figure they got lost and couldn't find their way home. :)

[webmaster]

Because to properly charge a unit, its going to take 15-20 min for the temps to stabilize...in ORDER TO DO IT RIGHT, and he might have to do it more than one time.

He BETTER have gone inside. If he didnt, he raped you hard man.

I dunno man....I know I charged on tonight, was there for 3 hours to insure all was correct, (had to service the unit properly too) and the bill was under $200...we dont charge for R22.

You sure he added half a pound? What kind of scale did he use as he was charging your unit? Seriously...no flame here man...asking legit questions cause it looks like you got raped.

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[George E. Cawthon]

So what makes you think he didn't check the temps? All my wife told him was that it didn't seem to be cooling quite right after she heard a gurgle. (personally I didn't agree with my wife but it did seem to cool a bit better).

How do you check the subcool and the super heat? Do you go inside? I've never seen an AC guy check a unit by going inside the house! Hell I don't know exactly what he did.

Maybe he was here more than 25 minutes. How about

35 minutes, would that satisfy you? No? need to be 45 minutes, may an hour would be better. Not enough money yet for a simple problem? How about an hour and a half?

Ok, I would be more satisfied if he was here for an hour and a half and charged me $200 and added 2 pounds that I didn't need. Hows that!.

[TURTLE]

This is turtle

The words you speak about the Billy Bob that sends people to the cleaner i see everyday and they are getting bigger and bigger by being able to get away with it and no one is saying a ord to them. I have two in my town and they are well educated and can talk the walk about hvac equipment but they just change stuff that has no business being changed out.

just warn everybody you can when you see them again.

TURTLE

[Stretch]

Ok, one last time. I know nothing about AC, but am rather sceptical about the so called science of adjusting the units. First, I have never had an AC on a car that was fixed for some reason or other that provided really cold air.

Since you know nothing about AC, why are you plastering your opinion all over the walls of the internet? Second, you seem to go to companies whose techs don't know what they are doing as well. Do you think that doing things wrong should be the standard of the industry? Why?

Many times I hear "You can't buy anything good any more." The fact is that you can, but if you always buy on price alone, as you seem to do, you won't get the good stuff

Second, the house AC we are talking about was working adequately, just a problem with my worry-wart wife. (She also questions the water drip when the car is parked, and the gurgle from the freezer, all of which are natural) The home unit has worked slightly better (slightly colder temps by my perception) for nearly 2 summers since serviced.

You say it was working adequately, but don't know if it was working RIGHT! Your power company loves you, dude! I don't believ anything you own is ever fixed right!

Third, Before I retired I saw guys all the time working on building AC units-big AC companies, 3-8 story buildings (one was a Federal Courthouse, one was a brand new building that they kept fixing for years) and the units were always having problems. They dripped water inside, they didn't run, they didn't provide enough cool, the fans would quit, etc.

Again, low bid, not high quality gets the job. An d you think that that is the state of the art! Did you ever fly Value Jet? You don't always get what you pay for, but you don't get what you don't pay for! Stop buying cheap, then telling everyone that that is the best you can do! Buy better stuff and hire better techs, your life will improve in the long run!

"I know nothing about AC, but am rather sceptical about the so called science of adjusting the units."

Since you are sceptical about science, maybe you should go back to living in caves. No science there to bother you.

Stretch

[George E. Cawthon]

The unit had run for nearly 25 years with no service. Not much of a leak. Actually he was hesitant about the need to add any Freon but after repeating some test put some in. And no, he wasn't one of the guys that carrys a five pound can, squirts some in the air and then charges $10 per pound for for 2-3 pounds.

[George E. Cawthon]

Ok, one last time. I know nothing about AC, but am rather sceptical about the so called science of adjusting the units. First, I have never had an AC on a car that was fixed for some reason or other that provided really cold air. Three experiences, so far. I had one AC on a car that was leaking and just added Freon, I don't know how much, maybe a pound and it worked fine for about 4 months before, did it the next summer, with the same result and then sold the car. I currently have three vehicles ranging from 11 years to 5 years old with original ACs that have never been touched and continue to provide very cold air. That experience leads me to believe that many if not most auto AC mechanics don't know what they are doing. Note that, in one case it cost over $300 just to get one leaking unit sealed dryer changed, and working (but not well).

Second, the house AC we are talking about was working adequately, just a problem with my worry-wart wife. (She also questions the water drip when the car is parked, and the gurgle from the freezer, all of which are natural) The home unit has worked slightly better (slightly colder temps by my perception) for nearly 2 summers since serviced.

Third, Before I retired I saw guys all the time working on building AC units-big AC companies, 3-8 story buildings (one was a Federal Courthouse, one was a brand new building that they kept fixing for years) and the units were always having problems. They dripped water inside, they didn't run, they didn't provide enough cool, the fans would quit, etc.

Improperly serviced or not, it works and I didn't have it serviced every year at a cost of replacing every 10-15 years. Based on the Carrier Manual of what maintenance should include, maintenance is mostly just visual of electrical connections and cleaning filters and coils. Around here they want $50-80 for AC and if you include a gas furnace they want $80 each spring and fall.

[Dr. Hardcrab]

So I guess you blew him too?

[Odin]

Let's see.....1 squealing fan....or..... having a house in 90s° F with 100% humidity. I have no A/C. I'd love to hear a fan squeal.

I have to laugh at the weather channel making a big deal out of 110 temps in the south west. That is DRY heat and is nothing compared to having high humidity. Been out west when it's hot and dry and it's not so bad. The only thing is my skin feels like there are bugs on it because my skin is drying out.

[George E. Cawthon]

Stretch is a a good name for you. You really reach for conclusion with no data and you don't discern the differences in words and phrases. For example, "science" and "so called science" are miles apart. You like to set up statements and then show that they have poor support. But you can't discern that it is your statements and not mine. Bye.

[webmaster]

Obviously, hes not aware of the market in CA..LOL

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