AC issues

[sonocativo]

summer of 2011 our central ac went out, I called a big company local here in town to repair it. They did, half assed. After a week it went out after replacing a $300 part, upon calling them they didn't want to come out unless I paid a $75 service call fee...BS this is under warranty. So, I just reported it to the BBB as I got tired of dealing with the morons... They were quick to offer to pay for the parts after I repaired it myself, but no, I wanted a refund since they didn't do it right. I have concrete proof, and 2 friends in the HVAC business to back it. Even with pictures they deny it, But the BBB begs to differ as they see it themselves. So Im still waiting on the outcome, at least we have ac this year. I will never do business with them again, ever.
They replaced the capactitor but failed to secure it, just sat it on the bracket on the bottom of the unit, they also failed to replace the old contactor switch as the new found power dr=estroyed the old one, actually blew the contacts right off the switch from arking.

 

[whatdidyousay!]

If the work was still under warranty and you did some work yourself on the A/C wouldn't that cancel out the warranty?

 

[Saavik]

BBB sucks and they will never do anything, at least in my experience with reporting to them.

 

[sonocativo]

If the work was still under warranty and you did some work yourself on the A/C wouldn't that cancel out the warranty?

no, I didn't touch the part they replaced other than secure it. They didn't follow protocol for replacing that part. The contactor switch must be replaced in unison to the capactitor and they didn't do that, also they would come to even look at it. We went all summer without it last year as I borrowed a big window unit from my parents and we all slept on the floor in the living room ( camped out) they had 4 months before I repaired it myself, I have a case, the BBB is backing me now but the company is pissed as they have a mark on them and I wont take it off for the $30 switch I bought to repair it along with the wire, crimps I replaced that burnt up. I want my $300 back as well for a service not done correctly nor repaired ( I mounted the capactitor myself ) I have 2 friends in the HVAC business and they are backing me as well since my bucket holds water.
Not just the fact I repaired it myself, but the suffering we endured and discomfort. Besides I had to buy 2 circuit breakers, wire, plug and route a new line for the window unit as it was 220V, so I was actually out more money to get my family comfortable, and we had a newborn baby

 

[sonocativo]

BBB sucks and they will never do anything, at least in my experience with reporting to them.

They did put a mark on them, and the company is pissed about it. I told them make it right and Ill drop it, but they refuse so I do the same.

 

[Saavik]

They did put a mark on them, and the company is pissed about it. I told them make it right and Ill drop it, but they refuse so I do the same.

I bought a zune years ago, it lasted only a few months and died. I went to get a replacement, but microsteal told me the warranty had expired a year before I even bought the zune. I wanted a replacement so bad, I was willing to pay for it. They told me only zunes under warranty could be replaced at the storage capacity I had and they would have to give me a lesser one, but I'd still have to pay them.

I reported microsteal to the BBB and the BBB sided with microsteal, despite the receipt and everything. I guess the difference between our claims to the BBB is the size and power of the company or in my case, the corporation, that the BBB finds it easier to just ignore the complaint.

I got my money back in my own way, through good old fashioned vigilante justice, which I won't specify how exactly. That and as much as I hate Apple, I went with an ipod, which I still have.

 

[sonocativo]

I bought a zune years ago, it lasted only a few months and died. I went to get a replacement, but microsteal told me the warranty had expired a year before I even bought the zune. I wanted a replacement so bad, I was willing to pay for it. They told me only zunes under warranty could be replaced at the storage capacity I had and they would have to give me a lesser one, but I'd still have to pay them.

I reported microsteal to the BBB and the BBB sided with microsteal, despite the receipt and everything. I guess the difference between our claims to the BBB is the size and power of the company or in my case, the corporation, that the BBB finds it easier to just ignore the complaint.

I got my money back in my own way, through good old fashioned vigilante justice, which I won't specify how exactly. That and as much as I hate Apple, I went with an ipod, which I still have.

Sounded like a 5 fingered discount....lmao

 

[Saavik]

no, I didn't touch the part they replaced other than secure it. They didn't follow protocol for replacing that part. The contactor switch must be replaced in unison to the capactitor and they didn't do that, also they would come to even look at it. We went all summer without it last year as I borrowed a big window unit from my parents and we all slept on the floor in the living room ( camped out) they had 4 months before I repaired it myself, I have a case, the BBB is backing me now but the company is pissed as they have a mark on them and I wont take it off for the $30 switch I bought to repair it along with the wire, crimps I replaced that burnt up. I want my $300 back as well for a service not done correctly nor repaired ( I mounted the capactitor myself ) I have 2 friends in the HVAC business and they are backing me as well since my bucket holds water.
Not just the fact I repaired it myself, but the suffering we endured and discomfort. Besides I had to buy 2 circuit breakers, wire, plug and route a new line for the window unit as it was 220V, so I was actually out more money to get my family comfortable, and we had a newborn baby

If you're near the Ozarks, I feel your pain, I spent about a year or so worth of my life in the Ozarks, almost all of it summer and no AC and constantly out in the weather during the day. I live with my parents and there is an old central air unit outside, but it has never worked since they have lived here. I'm lucky to have a tower fan in the attic, I used to have nothing to cool me.

In the winter, we have no heat, so it gets damn cold in the house. I can see my breath every time I exhale and the moisture from my breath causes the window to ice over badly. Every time I want to look outside, I have to wipe the window clear and I feel like I'm in the Apollo 13 capsule, but I digress.

 

[Saavik]

Sounded like a 5 fingered discount....lmao

Not exactly, but it could be considered that, depending on how you see things..lol

 

[sonocativo]

If you're near the Ozarks, I feel your pain, I spent about a year or so worth of my life in the Ozarks, almost all of it summer and no AC and constantly out in the weather during the day. I live with my parents and there is an old central air unit outside, but it has never worked since they have lived here. I'm lucky to have a tower fan in the attic, I used to have nothing to cool me.

In the winter, we have no heat, so it gets damn cold in the house. I can see my breath every time I exhale and the moisture from my breath causes the window to ice over badly. Every time I want to look outside, I have to wipe the window clear and I feel like I'm in the Apollo 13 capsule, but I digress.

Window units and wood burners are your friends. Now you can get pellet stoves that burn so clean they don't need flues.
Kerosene heaters work too, as I can relate from some past experiences.

 

[Saavik]

Window units and wood burners are your friends. Now you can get pellet stoves that burn so clean they don't need flues.
Kerosene heaters work too, as I can relate from some past experiences.

Too expensive

 

[whatdidyousay!]

no, I didn't touch the part they replaced other than secure it. They didn't follow protocol for replacing that part. The contactor switch must be replaced in unison to the capactitor and they didn't do that, also they would come to even look at it. We went all summer without it last year as I borrowed a big window unit from my parents and we all slept on the floor in the living room ( camped out) they had 4 months before I repaired it myself, I have a case, the BBB is backing me now but the company is pissed as they have a mark on them and I wont take it off for the $30 switch I bought to repair it along with the wire, crimps I replaced that burnt up. I want my $300 back as well for a service not done correctly nor repaired ( I mounted the capactitor myself ) I have 2 friends in the HVAC business and they are backing me as well since my bucket holds water.
Not just the fact I repaired it myself, but the suffering we endured and discomfort. Besides I had to buy 2 circuit breakers, wire, plug and route a new line for the window unit as it was 220V, so I was actually out more money to get my family comfortable, and we had a newborn baby

I do not blame you for reporting them to BBB. I hope you win your case.
I called a plumber as I had leak in my bathroom sink. The company send over a guy the had thick eyeglasses and he could not find the leak and I had to show him where it was . Two days later it was leaking again and I called the plumber back and told them not to send the blind guy again and they did. He made a mess out of sink and when I got the it bill it was for over $200
and I only paid half of it and I never heard back for the rest of the money!
I should had reported that company to BBB.

 

[Saavik]

I do not blame you for reporting them to BBB. I hope you win your case.
I called a plumber as I had leak in my bathroom sink. The company send over a guy the had thick eyeglasses and he could not find the leak and I had to show him where it was . Two days later it was leaking again and I called the plumber back and told them not to send the blind guy again and they did. He made a mess out of sink and when I got the it bill it was for over $200
and I only paid half of it and I never heard back for the rest of the money!
I should had reported that company to BBB.

Check your credit report, depending on how long ago it was. Our toilet is still only being supported by the 60-something or so year steel pipe and the plumber my father called used a urinal part on our toilet and it would not flush much at all. He refused to pay and they took it out on his credit.

 

[Foxrac]

Last Thursday, the AC in attic broke and we thought it was fan motor. I started smell the burn - feel like candle went fell on floor and I checked entire room - no fire. On last Friday, my uncle didn't think it was fan motor but he went ahead to buy to try it - he worried that AC coprocessor may break for good. On Saturday morning, we found capacitor was bad and it was easy replacement than fan motor. The AC turned on it and it took several hours to cool entire room.

There is picture of our bad capacitor - it was big.

I suffered from heat exhaustion - headache, sweating and feel illness after exposed to hot room.

 

[sequoias]

Good thing the central A/C hasn't failed on me for the whole summer. It has been running almost non stop. The furnance did fail me a few times, HIVAC repairman came 3 times and found the problem...was a simple leaf stuck in the intake pipe. 0.0 How can a simple problem cause it to shut down? LOL that was hilarious, though.

 

[Foxrac]

Good thing the central A/C hasn't failed on me for the whole summer. It has been running almost non stop. The furnance did fail me a few times, HIVAC repairman came 3 times and found the problem...was a simple leaf stuck in the intake pipe. 0.0 How can a simple problem cause it to shut down? LOL that was hilarious, though.

Funny to say, in west coast - turn AC on when I was indoor but turn AC off when I left - it was normal to me but not anymore in southern state.

 

[sequoias]

Funny to say, in west coast - turn AC on when I was indoor but turn AC off when I left - it was normal to me but not anymore in southern state.

My parents does that as well.

 

[Saavik]

Last Thursday, the AC in attic broke and we thought it was fan motor. I started smell the burn - feel like candle went fell on floor and I checked entire room - no fire. On last Friday, my uncle didn't think it was fan motor but he went ahead to buy to try it - he worried that AC coprocessor may break for good. On Saturday morning, we found capacitor was bad and it was easy replacement than fan motor. The AC turned on it and it took several hours to cool entire room.

There is picture of our bad capacitor - it was big.

I suffered from heat exhaustion - headache, sweating and feel illness after exposed to hot room.

I should take a picture of my parent's ac unit that has never worked, they are just letting it rot outside. Actually, because it never worked, my father got the commissioner of revenue's office to lower the property value based on the fact we don't have a working central air unit, lowered his property tax by a significant amount.

 

[diehardbiker]

Capacitor life usually 8 years. I wouldn't mess with Capacitor until I know how to De-energize them. If not properly De-energize them, it CAN kill you. I let the contractor deal with it. My AC has two Capacitors, found one already bad. I called the contractor that I know and trust. He asked me how do I know it is capacitor the issue? I told them I wanted both capacitors replaced because it is cheaper to have both replace at same time, than two separate times. How I know? The fan just simply quit spinning, so I turn system off, then turn back on. Fan won't spin I gave them kick, and it spun right afterwards so I know it is capacitor. Contractor said yeah, right. Common issue. Came here done in just 15 minutes. The cost is almost same as if I do it myself. I rather not mess with Freon 22 compressor otherwise I will cry.
So far, no issue after they replaced both capacitors. (about 4 years ago)

I see old relays, that is one of these relays I used for doorbell and phone ringing signaler.

 

[diehardbiker]

Windows AC is way way cheaper than Central AC! If you want Central Air installed, average cost is about $3K. Window AC, you could get a room AC for 89 dollars at home depot, and maybe you just need 4 of them, 400 dollars including sales tax. Still cheaper

For Pellet stove, well it depends on where you live. If you don't have access to Natural gas, and don't want kill your back with woodstove, then Pellet stove is cheaper in long run. Pellet stove is far cheaper than propane or oil heater, including Kerosene heater.

Too expensive