Hvac

Cadence61

the rental condo I live in has an electric Bryant unit that is probably 20 years old or so. The outdoor unit freezes over completely around the grid when the temps drop and the coils get covered over with a couple of inches of ice. It doesn't melt unless the temps warm up outside and/or the sun comes out.
Inside the thermostat has to be set at a higher temp to get it to what you want it. The auxiliary kicks in often when the coils are frozen, causing my electric bills to go up.
Can you tell me if this is standard for these units?

Tator1076

It maybe low on freon or Defrost board is bad. You need to get it looked asap!! You will have a very high electric bill!!!

Tator1076

You need put on Back up heat for the night and call hvac company in the morning.

ben's plumbing

seems like bad defrost board...but at 20 yrs or so ..maybe time to get some estimates for replacement something more eff...

Cadence61

Thanks Tator. It has already been checked and they replaced the sensor board and added a couple of pounds of freon. It worked for about 10 days and it broke again. But the landlord doesn't want to do anything else to it.

Cadence61

That's what I've been telling the landlord :-/ but not getting anywhere. I just wanted to make sure I wasn't making and issue where there's none.

Thanks!

Tator1076

Will looks like you need find new place to go if he don't replace it. It has a leak and need replace system. You are going to have very high bills if he don't replace it.

REP

If he added a couple pounds of freon and didn't fix the leak then he might just as well have bleed the freon into the air.What he did has the same effect.
There are landlord,tennet laws in most areas .If your area has them then it will state what the landlord is responsible for and what you can hold back from the rent until he does his responsibility in a holding account.

Tator1076

Most company's are only allowed to fill it so many times. We fill it once then next time you must have leak check and repair done or replacement before recharge.

Cadence61

Thank you all for the great info you've provided me with.
I know exactly what I have to do and my landlord may not like it. Oh, well...!

Have a great evening!