Friday I had a customer call.......... We installed his 90% American Standard furnace, uncased coil and 10 SEER A/C in 1999. I think we've been there 3 times since. Always for problems...never for maintenance. He says its not cooling, suction line frosting. I find the unit low on refrigerant. I search for the longest time at the outdoor unit. I see the oil spot but bubbles just are picking it up but the electronic is going nuts. Finally I find it about a 1/4" from the where the aluminum is covered with spiney fins. About 1" the other way is where the aluminum changes to copper. Right on the aluminum tube is a little black spot (several actually) and that is where the pinhole is. I tell the owner it needs a new condenser coil, or new unit with matching coil. I give him all the options and prices. As I button it all back up he comes out and asks to see the leak. I am happy to show it. Take the door off, spray it with bubbles and show him the leak. This is where the fun begins. He keeps going back and forth as to what to do but keeps repeating the number I gave him for a new A/C system. Then he tells me that is as much as his cruise will be with his wife for his 30 anniversary this year. (Oh, that breaks my heart..........NOT!) Then he tells me he just has to ask. "How much of that price is profit?" Again Im amazed but never shocked. I toss a number out of my as and tell him Im making $1000 on this install. (Its not an actual number but I thought it was my turn to shock HIM). He looks at me and asks, " Do you really need to make that much?". I told him, "Yes, I sure do!" This business isnt inexpensive to run and it costs what it costs. Then he asks me to lower my price by $400 and he will do the replacement although he wont be thrilled. I told him, "Nope, I cant do it". He tells me he has to think about it and to get back with him if I can do a discount and/or when I can do it. I call him back an hour later and he tells me he has an engineer friend that can patch aluminum but he doesnt feel comfortable doing it unless he can get the condensing unit to his shop where he can control the conditions. I told him, "Thats fine but here is my price to come out, leak check it, recover the refrigerant, disconnect the refrigerant lines, line voltage and low voltage. Then the cost to put it all back in running order after his buddy "patches it" and all with absolutely no leak guarantee from me. Needless to say, he is thinking it over for the weekend. Im sure he will find someone cheaper even though its 90 and humid here. It couldnt make me happier. :-) Bubba
- posted
16 years ago