Home HVAC has a refrigerant leak
- Thread starter whizbyu
- Start date
Leak sealer is no good. Its known for killing compressors.
Did a gog wizz on it? The acid in pee eats the tubes.
His evaporator coil is leaking. The evaporator coil is on top of the furnace. The condensing coils are outside.
Dont waste your money.... You need a new evaporator or maybe a new complete HVAC....
You need a new evaporator coil and it doesn't have to be replaced by a Trane dealer. Find a reputable HVAC repair center (yea, I know. Good luck) and they can order a generic coil and replace yours. One of your biggest costs will be from the refrigerant replacement. Get some estimates from several shops, bringing in your Trane model number so they can cross-reference it and find a replacement. Or, if you are lucky to have a local shop that can do a house call and measure it themselves (I do), so be it. This advice will be if everything else is in good working order on your old unit.
That being said, since your unit is 21 years old, you might consider the cost replacing everything, provided your budget can handle it. The cost will be exorbitant, but it will be more efficient than your old unit.
That being said, since your unit is 21 years old, you might consider the cost replacing everything, provided your budget can handle it. The cost will be exorbitant, but it will be more efficient than your old unit.
Sounds like a great opportunity to explore options on a heat pump. R22 refrigerant is only getting more expensive. You can only buy recycled R22 and it can be ridiculously expensive (i.e. $150/lb).
I had a local guy that I knew from a previous home install install a new system in my existing furnace/blower. It is a Goodman and I know the reputation but a good installer is a huge difference. Ours has worked flawlessly for 3 summers now and has saved us on electricity since per killawatt has increased but our bill is less now than with our old unit.
I would think a new unit SHOULD work flawlessly for 3 years, but the fact is, most new systems are junk with most of the parts sourced from China at the lowest possible cost. My home a/c is over 30 years old and still works great. The system at my place in Florida is 8 years old and I've already had to replace the compressor and evaporator.
There are literally tons of virgin R22 available and the price is determined by the amount you purchase. I just bought 10 pounds for $359 delivered.
The 410 is no bargain at $95/pound that they charged me when replacing the evaporator a few weeks ago.
Which includes a hefty markup. You can buy a 25 lb. cylinder of R410a for around $320 delivered.
You think an hvac service company will use YOUR cylinder to charge the system?
Im not too familiar with house ac. Don't those pump backwards to make heat? They ones I have seen here did. And dogs peed on the thing.
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It doesn't matter what you can buy it for. What matters what the HVAC company is going to charge you for it and that cost is largely local.
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You're thinking of a heat pump. Traditional AC system is not much different than that which is found in a vehicle.
I'd simply replace the evaporator coil. The newer systems are not better, and they don't last longer.
Which if operated in reverse would heat the vehicle. The reason they don’t is because the waste heat from the coolant is easier.
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