Central Air Conditioner HELP!

Hello,

After four years of patients and frustration hopefully someone can provide some advise on a new central Air Conditioning unit. I will not bore the group with 4 years of problems (approx. 20 service trips from 3 different A/C companies) to try to fix my Trane. It is a XE-1000 3.5 Ton unit (about 2,300 sq. foot house) the builder installed new during the construction of my house. I was foolish enough to believe the marketing of Trane and felt great about the original purchase.

After a 4-year nightmare I have officially snapped. I will spend any amount of money to get this !@#$%&* unit out of my house. Don't ask about going up the ladder at Trane. Did that been there. Trane says it is the A/C company, (copper leaking) the A/C company says its the Trane unit leaking. Leak test, dye tests, hot days, hot nights, $300 electric bills that miraculously drop $100 when the A/C is freshly pumped up, compressor freezing up, blah, blah, blah? You get the picture?

Meanwhile I am now on a monthly pump and go plan to refill the Freon if you can believe that. I've had valves, misc. parts replaced until I can't stand it. I bought the 10 extended warranty because of all the problems. Tack on another $400 dollars to the hundreds already spent and I've had it. It has leaked Freon literally from day one. "Nothing can stop a Trane"? Mine never got out of the station!!

I will stop ranting now, my blood pressure is going up with temperature inside my house. (Oh we live in HOT, HUMID Florida!) Anyway, my dad just had his unit replaced. He is one of those Consumer Reports kind of guys, and settled on a Lenox saying it rated high in all tests, etc. He loves it so far, and I can't stand how cool and nice his house is now. The various A/C techs., friends & family have recommended everything from Carrier, American Standard, Lenox and yes Trane. (Ugh)

I can't seem to find anyone who can point to a ratings report or anything else other than their warm fuzzy's with their personal unit. I've even gone as far as to check the Lemon Laws in Florida. They only cove cars, but the guy said that is changing soon. He said I should file a complaint with the State Consumer division. Great, but meanwhile we are moving deeper into summer?

Anyone have any advise?

Corey

Reply to
C. Spann
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Reply to
Me too.

Thanks for the info. Of course I know it is a leak(s). It is not so much the ultimate cause, but the ultimate solution and everyone's apparent lack of willingness to work towards correcting the problem or take responsibility. I think most realize I am at the point of wanting a new unit installed and all are dodging the issue. A new lineset - yeah, get this I actually suggested paying them to replace the lineset, even though it has never worked, they (the A/C company) refused saying the if they did that it very well may not fix it and I will come back on them refusing to pay. To which I blew a gasket and assume that a leak is apparently better. Knuckleheads...

From what I understand my third A/C company is now arguing with Trane. The A/C company even suggested to Trane that if I pay to have the lineset replaced and it still leaks would Trane reimburse me for the cost. They said no. So here we are again with nothing done and no one willing to fix the problem.... I think people are realizing what a cluster this has become for so long, and that it probably needs to be replace at this point, which everyone is happy to do if someone else pays for it.

The BBB, State of Florida, etc. These will come in time in the form of letters later, but both have told me filing a complaint simply registers a complaint, they don't actually do anything other than put it on file. I hadn't thought of the licencing board.

As for now I simply research new units. Interesting what you had to say about Lenox.. Hmmm... Any suggestions on units?

Reply to
C. Spann

its not the brand of a/c unit, its the installer, if you have an installer that makes mistakes then you gonna have problems with it no matter what brand it is......... look for a reputable company and tell them what the problem is and that you want a new unit/ completely, dont use any old copper pipes that are in the walls, etc... start from scratch and have it done correctly....

Reply to
jim

The board is your first line of defense...they can help you get it resolved...really.

Ok..units..well...as everyone knows, I am partial to York...I sell them, and I could have picked any brand to sell. I own what I sell..I sold it in CA deserts and I sell it here... However, everyone has a favorite unit. If Rheem/Ruud had not sold out to the Japanese, I would like to also offer them....but wont. Goodman is garbage, altho, installed right, it will outlast, and outperform a Trane, Carrier, York..etc...

Lennox... oh...Goooooooood old Lennox.

Sheesh..where to start.. Garbage computer boards... Cant buy parts, even as a licenced tech, its an act of congress to get parts, and when you DO, they are 3X the cost of what they should be. They dont keep enough in stock here to meet simple demands. Design....seen better designs on 30 year old units...the 90%+ furnaces, have a computer board that mounts in a crappy location...one wrong move and you are out $400..the inducer motors are crap, the inducer proving switches are mounted in a bad location...and fail real regularly.. every units got issues... Some, use simple controls to do the same as much more complicated units, and can do it better..

Bottom line tho...its not so much thename on the machine, but the name of the company, and the quality of the install and upkeep.

Reply to
CBHvac

Thanks. Of course you are correct on the install. It is one of those situations that you can have a great product, but if all you have is problems for whatever reason you become soured on the product. I will look into my options one last time...

Thanks,

Corey

Reply to
C. Spann

Why ?

Reply to
Steve Fleckenstein

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