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Heating & Air Conditioning

Central Florida suggestion

13 years ago

Hello all. My A/C had stopped cooling. I have a Nordyne 2.5 ton system with heat pump that is about 11 years old.

I had an A/C guy come out on "the side".

He said he added about 5 pounds of freon. He said he noticed a little oil around the condensor inside the handler but did not see any leaks. (This is my first problem with the a/c in about 5 years) That repair lasted about 3 weeks and it stopped cooling again.

He came out again and said the freon wasnt really down much. So he cut part of a line off and said he cleaned debris out of it. It was inside near the handler. He sniffed and found no leaks.

He said it is normal for debris to build up inside the line over the years. I cant remember what he called it. It was some sort of valve or something inside the line. It cooled for only about 1 hour and stopped cooling. In fact when I turn on the system it gets hotter in the house.

Does this make sense about the debris? Is it possible the line is clogged again so soon?

Also, if the condensor is leaking somewhere, can it be repaired vs replaced? He said it would be around $1000.00 to repair. I just do not have that kind of dough right now.

And lastly, I would like a second opinion. Does anyone know a good A/C person in St Pete area that can be trusted?

Thanks so much.

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Comments (6)

neohioheatpump
13 years ago
I wouldn't repair. 1,000 can go towards a new efficient system.
0
energy_rater_la
13 years ago
its time to invest in a pro instead of a guy on the side.
if a line is opened a filter dryer is installed
to collect debris and moisture.
did he siff with his nose or use a leak sniffer?
there are ways to determine leaks rather that with
your eyes and nose.
what issues did you have 5 years ago
and how old is the unit...

best of luck
0
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therealdeal
Original Author
13 years ago
Thanks for the replies. The unit is about 11 years old.
Years ago the lawn man ran over the line outside and it burst. It was welded repaired the next day and recharged.

The guy that was out recently works at an actual ac company if that matters. Also, he used some electronic leak detector when he looked for leaks.

It does make sense to use money towards a new system, but I was hoping for someone that is experienced to have an idea as I am out of work right now and everything seems to be going wrong and I just do not have funds for a major repair.

thanks for any thoughts.
0
energy_rater_la
13 years ago
didn't intend to come off as snarky,
but I do have a problem with techs who do side jobs.
this is in a sense ripping off the company that provides
his/her paycheck.
IMO it is a poor ethic.

if he opened a line to repair...did he install a
filter dryer??

Hope that you resolve your issues & get back to work
soon. Hard times all over, but keep looking.
I thought that it was all bad news when the company
I worked for 12 years ago moved all their business
to China. But when that window closed...doors opened
and now I LOVE my work. Work for myself making more money
doing a job I am excited to do, and while I enjoyed the
company $$..I hated hated hated my job there.

best of luck to you.
0
therealdeal
Original Author
13 years ago
No he did not install a filter dryer.
Thanks for the help.
0
tigerdunes
13 years ago
therealdeal

these are my minimum specs for a new HP system. both outside and inside units should be replaced to have a properly matched system.

15 SEER, 12.5+ EER, 9 HSPF
best matching VS air handler
full BTUs in both cooling and heating for your rated size
R-410a refrigerant(same as Puron)
scroll compressor preferred
electronic demand defrost preferred
thermostat with "dehumidify on demand" feature
staged backup heat strips
new and correctly sized refrigerant lineset

you want a thorough inspection of your ductwork system. size, overall condition, supply and return lines, insulation qualities, leak test, etc.

any hot/cold spot issues in your home should be addressed.

I would only use authorized dealers for the various brands that provide quotes. see mfg websites.

I would look at Trane/AmStd,Rheem/Rudd,Carrier/Bryant.

I would not purchase a new HP system that did not have electronic demand defrost.

IMO
0

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