Please, please, help!
I sure could use some advise, because I'm disabled living in AZ (115 degrees) and I've had 2 different companies come out both telling me the compressor is bad/going/needs to be replaced, but differed in other things they said (One contradicting what the owner told me when I scheduled the call.) In essence, new compressor, new fan, new blower motor, and reversing valve (not sure about this one, but it was mentioned). What else is there?
The unit is a Goodman heat pump that was put in through the housing rehab program because I'm low income and disabled. I have a lien against my house for the costs. (I had no choice in what unit was put in.)
The problem occurred yesterday when what ended up being a piece of insulation that came loose and blocked something restricting airflow intake from the return? I first called the original installer who'd been out in Dec. 2008 to repair a loose thermostat wire, but from the invoice checked freon and other stuff. - all was ok. They couldn't come out until Monday, so I had to call someone else. But he did tell me the insulation falling out was probably what happened which I immediately told to the first contractor that came out. I did use the a/c when it got to 85 degrees, but when it cooled bit I'd shut it off. Both technicians said this is NOT what caused the compressor to fail. (one said it was the fan, the other said they just sometimes go.)
After looking at the unit, Tech. #1 tells me the fan didn't work until after he hit it, the compressor is shot. We monkey around with the warranty and scheduling, because this needs to be done tomorrow. So I sign the contract and give him half ($714) on a credit card. Then he sees the unit is still not sucking well from the return and tells me I might have a collapsed duct and can he get in the attic. I know I have galvanized duct work and not that flexible stuff and tell him so. He takes the cover off the AC unit and, sure enough, there's the piece of insulation! I have him test it again and he says the readings are actually worse now! I need a new compressor and fan (Labor is over $1400, parts are warrantied.)
The 2nd company (BBB listed) that came out was even worse. I spoke with the owner to schedule the app't and replace the insulation and check the compressor. He said " compressors either work or they don't". I looked at his website and it states "FREE second opinions on compressor replacements", and FREE service call with any A/C repair" (which I thought would go towards replacing the insulation and is why I called him).
The tech comes out and says I needed a new compressor and blower motor ("it felt hot" but was working - jeez, it's on the roof and it's 115 degrees outside - everything feels hot up there). I asked him if was going to replace the insulation and he says it needs a metal strip which he doesn't have because it can't just be reglued for a cost of $120, I said I hate to pay for another service, I thought they could fix it now. Then he says $90, then walks to his truck and brings out some tape and says he'll tape if another $60 (or total of $120 for a repair that he says won't work.) To be honest, there was some language barrier, but it wasn't making sense, so I called the company while he was here and said I'm not comfortable paying $60, and then another $60 to have him come back and put the insulation back on and needed clarification. The girl I spoke with said she couldn't make that decision, the owner wasn't available, but she'd have him call me. I said I'd be more than happy to work it out and pay , but not until I understood what I was getting or what should be done.
I explain all this to the poor tech and he calls and speaks with the owner. Then the owner calls me up screaming how "He hears I don't want to pay!" I attempt to calm him down and ask him, well you told me earlier a compressor either works or doesn't, the a/c is working as good as it ever did as far as I can tell, so do I need a compressor? He says thats up to me to decide. Then I mention what is on his website and he says the $90/$120/whatever already has the service call deducted from that. (Not that I want to, but I think I could reattach the insulation w/o too much problem.) But $180 to reattach a 31" x 31" piece of insulation seems excessive. I ask the owner, well how much is it to correctly attach the insulation because I got 3 different prices and he can't tell me and mentions a kit needs to be used? Elsewhere on the unit, I saw another piece of insulation attached with 4 sheet metal screws with large washers to hold it in place (The first tech said that was bad for some reason.)
So I'm paying $39.95 for someone to take the piece of insulation out and hook up some gauges - that's okay - though I should have been giiven the option to get it reattached w/ a quote. (If the company is honest and refunds my credit card, which I think they'll do.)
But now I get charged another $60 for nothing except get yelled at because I couldn't make sense of what they were saying.
And I still don't know if the compressor is really bad and should be replaced, if it's the fan, blower motor, reversing valve, etc. too?
I did go up and read the gauges the 2nd guy used and he did do a more thorough check with a temp gauge at the return and registers (said temp difference should be 20 degrees but it's only 15 degrees difference) and it did look like the readings were less than what was on the Heat Pumps label.
But it seems to be working fine now, but I'm terrified it will suddenly break in this heat. I can't keep paying $60-$75 for someone to come out nor can I afford to basically pay for all that labor on 3 year old heat pump (the unit was line itemed at $5457 when installed). I did buy an extended warranty for $100, but that only covers $800 in labor, which would help if the work is truly required, but still, the reason I got this is because I'm low income, disabled, and living in a crappy neighborhood. I never had a problem in 11 yrs. with my old 1970's heatpump nor has my electric bill dropped, but I'll have to look at the kilowatts I was using.
Believe it or not, this is the short version of what happened and the stuff I was told.
Can this possibly be right and happening!!! Please help, I'm terrified my AC will break and I can't take days in this heat (I have no where else to go and have 2 elderly dogs) to get quotes to repair or keep paying for the service calls! I don't know who to believe. What should I do - I'm panicking?
I'm thinking that if it goes, I will put everything in my car and go to my Mom's in WI until fall when I can take my time to deal with this, but this option presents several problems, too.
WARNING: Beware of The Housing Rehab Programs (HUD money given to cities to help low income people in bad neighborhoods.) They put a lien against your house, make you have work done that's not needed, and you get a bunch of junk and shoddy work!)
I sure could use some advise, because I'm disabled living in AZ (115 degrees) and I've had 2 different companies come out both telling me the compressor is bad/going/needs to be replaced, but differed in other things they said (One contradicting what the owner told me when I scheduled the call.) In essence, new compressor, new fan, new blower motor, and reversing valve (not sure about this one, but it was mentioned). What else is there?
The unit is a Goodman heat pump that was put in through the housing rehab program because I'm low income and disabled. I have a lien against my house for the costs. (I had no choice in what unit was put in.)
The problem occurred yesterday when what ended up being a piece of insulation that came loose and blocked something restricting airflow intake from the return? I first called the original installer who'd been out in Dec. 2008 to repair a loose thermostat wire, but from the invoice checked freon and other stuff. - all was ok. They couldn't come out until Monday, so I had to call someone else. But he did tell me the insulation falling out was probably what happened which I immediately told to the first contractor that came out. I did use the a/c when it got to 85 degrees, but when it cooled bit I'd shut it off. Both technicians said this is NOT what caused the compressor to fail. (one said it was the fan, the other said they just sometimes go.)
After looking at the unit, Tech. #1 tells me the fan didn't work until after he hit it, the compressor is shot. We monkey around with the warranty and scheduling, because this needs to be done tomorrow. So I sign the contract and give him half ($714) on a credit card. Then he sees the unit is still not sucking well from the return and tells me I might have a collapsed duct and can he get in the attic. I know I have galvanized duct work and not that flexible stuff and tell him so. He takes the cover off the AC unit and, sure enough, there's the piece of insulation! I have him test it again and he says the readings are actually worse now! I need a new compressor and fan (Labor is over $1400, parts are warrantied.)
The 2nd company (BBB listed) that came out was even worse. I spoke with the owner to schedule the app't and replace the insulation and check the compressor. He said " compressors either work or they don't". I looked at his website and it states "FREE second opinions on compressor replacements", and FREE service call with any A/C repair" (which I thought would go towards replacing the insulation and is why I called him).
The tech comes out and says I needed a new compressor and blower motor ("it felt hot" but was working - jeez, it's on the roof and it's 115 degrees outside - everything feels hot up there). I asked him if was going to replace the insulation and he says it needs a metal strip which he doesn't have because it can't just be reglued for a cost of $120, I said I hate to pay for another service, I thought they could fix it now. Then he says $90, then walks to his truck and brings out some tape and says he'll tape if another $60 (or total of $120 for a repair that he says won't work.) To be honest, there was some language barrier, but it wasn't making sense, so I called the company while he was here and said I'm not comfortable paying $60, and then another $60 to have him come back and put the insulation back on and needed clarification. The girl I spoke with said she couldn't make that decision, the owner wasn't available, but she'd have him call me. I said I'd be more than happy to work it out and pay , but not until I understood what I was getting or what should be done.
I explain all this to the poor tech and he calls and speaks with the owner. Then the owner calls me up screaming how "He hears I don't want to pay!" I attempt to calm him down and ask him, well you told me earlier a compressor either works or doesn't, the a/c is working as good as it ever did as far as I can tell, so do I need a compressor? He says thats up to me to decide. Then I mention what is on his website and he says the $90/$120/whatever already has the service call deducted from that. (Not that I want to, but I think I could reattach the insulation w/o too much problem.) But $180 to reattach a 31" x 31" piece of insulation seems excessive. I ask the owner, well how much is it to correctly attach the insulation because I got 3 different prices and he can't tell me and mentions a kit needs to be used? Elsewhere on the unit, I saw another piece of insulation attached with 4 sheet metal screws with large washers to hold it in place (The first tech said that was bad for some reason.)
So I'm paying $39.95 for someone to take the piece of insulation out and hook up some gauges - that's okay - though I should have been giiven the option to get it reattached w/ a quote. (If the company is honest and refunds my credit card, which I think they'll do.)
But now I get charged another $60 for nothing except get yelled at because I couldn't make sense of what they were saying.
And I still don't know if the compressor is really bad and should be replaced, if it's the fan, blower motor, reversing valve, etc. too?
I did go up and read the gauges the 2nd guy used and he did do a more thorough check with a temp gauge at the return and registers (said temp difference should be 20 degrees but it's only 15 degrees difference) and it did look like the readings were less than what was on the Heat Pumps label.
But it seems to be working fine now, but I'm terrified it will suddenly break in this heat. I can't keep paying $60-$75 for someone to come out nor can I afford to basically pay for all that labor on 3 year old heat pump (the unit was line itemed at $5457 when installed). I did buy an extended warranty for $100, but that only covers $800 in labor, which would help if the work is truly required, but still, the reason I got this is because I'm low income, disabled, and living in a crappy neighborhood. I never had a problem in 11 yrs. with my old 1970's heatpump nor has my electric bill dropped, but I'll have to look at the kilowatts I was using.
Believe it or not, this is the short version of what happened and the stuff I was told.
Can this possibly be right and happening!!! Please help, I'm terrified my AC will break and I can't take days in this heat (I have no where else to go and have 2 elderly dogs) to get quotes to repair or keep paying for the service calls! I don't know who to believe. What should I do - I'm panicking?
I'm thinking that if it goes, I will put everything in my car and go to my Mom's in WI until fall when I can take my time to deal with this, but this option presents several problems, too.
WARNING: Beware of The Housing Rehab Programs (HUD money given to cities to help low income people in bad neighborhoods.) They put a lien against your house, make you have work done that's not needed, and you get a bunch of junk and shoddy work!)