Air Conditioners

[Dottie]

I have a Trane air conditioner that was installed in 2007. I did not buy t he extended warranty. I have had it checked every spring ... and until las t year there was no problem.

In April a technician came out and checked it -- spent a long time with it and also tried very hard to sell me on letting the company clean my dryer v ents. I declined.

In June the a/c started running long periods and dripping water... the drai n pipes were not clogged... the man who came out and diagnosed the problem said a valve was bad and that the refrigerant was over filled. He had to o rder the valve - and it took several days. He said the part rarely failed. Someone on this board told me later that "over-filling" could cause it to fail. Anyway, it has been working o.k. since then - until last week. (It costs me $1069 to fix). Last week it was hot and humid (Florida) and I tu rned it on... it started dripping water again, same as before. I turned it off -- the next day it was cold again and I used it to heat the house.

Yesterday I called the company and asked them to send someone out to check it (after making sure the part they put in was still under warranty). I as ked the name of the techie coming out and when I found out it was the one w ho started this string of events I asked her not to send him. Went to the grocery store and he was working on an a/c one street over -- I recognized him. Anyway, my question is -- how long should a Trane last and when does it become unwise to fix it -- appreciate help with this. Thanks.

[Bob]

uy the extended warranty.  I have had it checked every spring ... and unt il last year there was no problem.

t and also tried very hard to sell me on letting the company clean my dryer vents.  I declined.

ain pipes were not clogged...

Where exactly was the water dripping from? The evaporator? If yes and the drain pipe was not clogged, then it sounds like a leak in the pan.....

the man who came out and diagnosed the problem said a valve was bad and that the refrigerant was over filled.

I don't see how that results in water dripping.....

 He had to order the valve - and it took several days.  He said the part rarely failed.  Someone on this board told me later that "over- filling" could cause it to fail.  Anyway, it has been working o.k. since then - until last week.  (It costs me $1069 to fix).

Assuming that "valve" is a TXV, that sounds like a very high price.

 Last week it was hot and humid (Florida) and I turned it on... it started dripping water again, same as before.  I turned it off -- the next day it was cold again and I used it to heat the house.

k it (after making sure the part they put in was still under warranty).   I asked the name of the techie coming out and when I found out it was the o ne who started this string of events I asked her not to send him.  Went t o the grocery store and he was working on an a/c one street over -- I recog nized him.  Anyway, my question is -- how long should a Trane last and wh en does it become unwise to fix it -- appreciate help with this.  Thanks.

It's hard to say how long anything lasts. It used to be that AC eqpt lasted 25 years. I'd say now the consensus is probably more like 15, but it's going to vary. Part of the issue is whether it's installed right or not. There are plenty of hack installers and it's easy to compromise a system. Not using nitrogen when brazing, is one way to save a few bucks, do a hack job and later the system stops working because the debris formed utlimately clogs the TXV.

I'd ask around and see if you can find another HVAC company that people recommend. Check them out on the BBB too. Get them to give you an opinion.

[Dottie]

the extended warranty. I have had it checked every spring ... and until l ast year there was no problem.

t and also tried very hard to sell me on letting the company clean my dryer vents. I declined.

ain pipes were not clogged... the man who came out and diagnosed the proble m said a valve was bad and that the refrigerant was over filled. He had to order the valve - and it took several days. He said the part rarely faile d. Someone on this board told me later that "over-filling" could cause it to fail. Anyway, it has been working o.k. since then - until last week. ( It costs me $1069 to fix). Last week it was hot and humid (Florida) and I turned it on... it started dripping water again, same as before. I turned it off -- the next day it was cold again and I used it to heat the house.

k it (after making sure the part they put in was still under warranty). I asked the name of the techie coming out and when I found out it was the one who started this string of events I asked her not to send him. Went to th e grocery store and he was working on an a/c one street over -- I recognize d him. Anyway, my question is -- how long should a Trane last and when doe s it become unwise to fix it -- appreciate help with this. Thanks.

[Dottie]

the extended warranty. I have had it checked every spring ... and until l ast year there was no problem.

t and also tried very hard to sell me on letting the company clean my dryer vents. I declined.

ain pipes were not clogged... the man who came out and diagnosed the proble m said a valve was bad and that the refrigerant was over filled. He had to order the valve - and it took several days. He said the part rarely faile d. Someone on this board told me later that "over-filling" could cause it to fail. Anyway, it has been working o.k. since then - until last week. ( It costs me $1069 to fix). Last week it was hot and humid (Florida) and I turned it on... it started dripping water again, same as before. I turned it off -- the next day it was cold again and I used it to heat the house.

k it (after making sure the part they put in was still under warranty). I asked the name of the techie coming out and when I found out it was the one who started this string of events I asked her not to send him. Went to th e grocery store and he was working on an a/c one street over -- I recognize d him. Anyway, my question is -- how long should a Trane last and when doe s it become unwise to fix it -- appreciate help with this. Thanks.

I posted earlier and the message was deleted ... don't know why.

[The Daring Dufas]

Trane produces very good equipment and if installed and maintained properly should last for many years without trouble. I would definitely be suspicious of a $1,069.00 repair bill which leads n=me to believe the service company is taking advantage of you. I actually went to a deposition where a friend of mine was suing a service company that sabotaged one of his elderly mother's AC units. I repaired it for his mother at cost which was well under the $3,000.00 price the crooks gave her. Me and my friends in the service business don't like crooks who take advantage of older folks. O_o

TDD

[Ashton Crusher]

extended warranty. I have had it checked every spring ... and until last year there was no problem.

also tried very hard to sell me on letting the company clean my dryer vents. I declined.

pipes were not clogged... the man who came out and diagnosed the problem said a valve was bad and that the refrigerant was over filled. He had to order the valve - and it took several days. He said the part rarely failed. Someone on this board told me later that "over-filling" could cause it to fail. Anyway, it has been working o.k. since then - until last week. (It costs me $1069 to fix). Last week it was hot and humid (Florida) and I turned it on... it started dripping water again, same as before. I turned it off -- the next day it was cold again and I used it to heat the house.

(after making sure the part they put in was still under warranty). I asked the name of the techie coming out and when I found out it was the one who started this string of events I asked her not to send him. Went to the grocery store and he was working on an a/c one street over -- I recognized him. Anyway, my question is -- how long should a Trane last and when does it become unwise to fix it -- appreciate help with this. Thanks.

I think the shortest I've ever had one last was 12 years. It was a cheap unit I put on a rental. I've got a Goetel Unit on a rental that is 42 years old and still chugging away. At one time I had a rental with a Carrier unit that was so old it was a cast iron compressor with heads like you see on "real" air compressors.

[HeyBub]

Inasmuch as you're in Florida, did the technician try to sell you some swamp land?

An air conditioner cannot drip water. Water is not involved in the a/c piping system. Period.

What CAN happen refers to the condensate where warm, humid, air is cooled and the cooled air releases moisture.

The way an air conditioning SYSTEM often works - at least around here - is to capture this water and drain it into the house sanitary sewer system. But that drain can get clogged. Manufacturer's know this and almost always install a pan beneath the condensing unit to catch the water that can't make it down the house drain. This pan, in turn, has a separate drain, usually to the outside of the house.

In a catastrophic situation, here's the drill:

1. The primary drain (to the house sanitary system) clogs up.
2. Condensation then moves to the fail-safe backup pan.
3. Eventually, this pan/drain combo clogs up and the moisture overflows the pan.
4. If the condensing unit/pan is in the attic... goll-eey what a mess!

Well, what causes the clogs and how do you fix/prevent it?

The "clog" is almost always a big blob of algae. It's quite soft and can be removed by air pressure (just blow down the pipe) or a snake. Prevention is almost as easy. Here's how.

At the top of the condensing unit, just before the ductwork begins branching out, drill a 1/2" hole. At the start of each a/c season, pour a cup of household bleach into the hole (a funnel helps). Plug the hole with a cork or duct tape. The bleach kills the algae/fungi/mold/mushrooms or whatever is growing in the pipe.

This latter is one of the easiest DIY jobs.

Good luck.

[Stormin Mormon]

The tech trying to "sell you on" speaks volumes. Time to find a different service company. Most AC systems run 15 plus years, with maintenance.

Christopher A. Young Learn more about Jesus

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In April a technician came out and checked it -- spent a long time with it and also tried very hard to sell me on letting the company clean my dryer vents. I declined.

In June the a/c started running long periods and dripping water... the drain pipes were not clogged... the man who came out and diagnosed the problem said a valve was bad and that the refrigerant was over filled. He had to order the valve - and it took several days. He said the part rarely failed. Someone on this board told me later that "over-filling" could cause it to fail. Anyway, it has been working o.k. since then - until last week. (It costs me $1069 to fix). Last week it was hot and humid (Florida) and I turned it on... it started dripping water again, same as before. I turned it off -- the next day it was cold again and I used it to heat the house.

Yesterday I called the company and asked them to send someone out to check it (after making sure the part they put in was still under warranty). I asked the name of the techie coming out and when I found out it was the one who started this string of events I asked her not to send him. Went to the grocery store and he was working on an a/c one street over -- I recognized him. Anyway, my question is -- how long should a Trane last and when does it become unwise to fix it -- appreciate help with this. Thanks.