Getting 2x a year mainenance? That 28 year old AC I replaced got maintenance once, when it was 10 years old and started blowing fuses. That resulted in a hard-start kit and another 18 years of service. Other than that, I changed the filter about once a year.
more efficient. Your problem now is to be sure it is A) sized correctly an d B) installed correctly. And get a good warranty.
. Too small, and you get warm two days a year when it can't keep up. But too big is FAR more common than too small. Some modern units have variable output built in but I'm not familiar with this in residential, haven't ins talled any.
recharged. Ideally they'd pull a vacuum and meter in the charge measuring superheat, but few techs know how.
I'll bet the manufacturer disagrees. Seems pretty dumb to ship the compressor pre-charged and then expect the tech to evacuate it and start all over as part of the install. Every one I've seen has procedures based on measuring temp and pressure to correctly complete the charge.
He comes around every
Does he evacuate it every year and weigh it again to make sure it has the right charge? I'm doing some math. 28 years x $100 a year = $2800. That 's how much I saved.
Precharged (in HVAC terminology) means that the outdoor unit comes with a couple pounds of refrigerant already in the unit. The installer solders or brazes the tubing onto the unit (tubing that goes to the indoor coil) and then opens the service valves.
What Tim suggests is that the installer vacuum pump the air out of the system, and put in "just the right" amount of refrigerant. Using temperature and pressure to know when it's got enough.
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IDK about that. You used to get that kind of life, but from so many reports I'm hearing now, based on what a lot of people here have said, it sounds like the typical life of a gas furnace, AC system, etc today is more like 15 years.
Might be less savings than that, if the outdoor unit is clogged with dust, and not running efficient.
Most HVAC techs (as well as techs from other fields) have a favorite diagnosis. Mine is dust clogged condenser. Other guys love to add two pounds of that free-zon stuff.
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Yeah. There seem to be 3 ways to charge. In descending order of correctness, 1) use temperature and pressure to get it exactly right; 2) weigh the charge a nd put in the manufacturer's recommendation; 3) add charge until it feels a bout the same temperature as a cold beer can. You'd be surprised how often 3) is used.
of correctness,
1) use temperature and pressure to get it exactly right; 2) weigh the charge and put in the manufacturer's recommendation; 3) add charge until it feels about the same temperature as a cold beer can. You'd be surprised how often 3) is used."need more freezon, Bubba!!"
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