Home A/C Repair/Replacement quotes are very different. Which one to go with?

Question

I recently have been having issues with my A/C unit on my Condo which was built in 1986. This unit might very well be the original A/C unit. It has two components, the fan outside and the air handler in the attic. I had the A/C maintenanced last summer and was told it was leaking Freon. They filled it up to spec but told me it would just continue leaking, which it has 1 year later.

Company A (big A/C company) told me to replace the whole unit because the fan was going to go out soon and both components are leaking freon, he didnt actually check for a leak, and gave me a quote for a 2 ton A/C for a 900 sqft condo costing about $5100 for unit and install with warrenty.

Company B (mom and pop shop A/C company) told me the leak is most likely in the Air Handler, just a guess and still needs to check, and they can replace just that part of the system for about $2000 while replacing the fan's capacitor and other parts for about $100.

I have a lot going on this year and would not like to dip into savings to fix so option b looks better and while I would rather replace the whole thing, I wanted to know if what Company B told me is true, I can replace just the Air Handler and not worry about the fan till later, which he said was in decent shape.

Answer 1

I would call a third company. They should actually try find the leak, not just sell you a new system.

What brand is your A/C system (Lennox, Carrier, Trane, etc)? Find the local HVAC company that is an authorized dealer for that brand. They will be most familiar with your system.

Once you find out where the leak is, you can make an informed decision from there.

Common techniques an HVAC company would use to check for a leak:

1. Spray soapy water on the fittings and look for bubbles.
2. Use an Electronic Nose to "sniff" around all the fittings (it can smell the refrigerant).
3. Add a UV dye to the coolant, let the system run for a week or 2, then go over the system with a UV light (if you see the dye, there's your leak).

(Expect to pay for the leak testing. It can take a good hour or two to go over the whole system, and time is money.)

Once the leak is found, the HVAC company should be able to give you an estimate for the repair. If the leak is something simple like a fitting on a coolant line, the repair can be cheap/easy.

If the leak is in the coils or the compressor, expect the bill to be steep ($thousands). At that point, I would think about replacing the system.

Reasons to consider replacing:

• You fix this leak, but what else is going to go in the system? If the system has been running for a while without enough coolant, there is increased wear and tear on the compressor.
• R-22 systems will be getting progressively more and more expensive to service.
• Newer systems are way more efficient, so expect a lower electric bill. You should be able to calculate the "pay back" period of the new system (how many years of reduced electric bills will it take to offset the cost of the new unit).
• Check for Tax Credits and Rebates. The Energy Star Tax Credit expired at the end of 2011. However, you might be able to get a tax credit on your state or local taxes. Also check with your power company. My power company had a rebate of ~$300 for a high-efficiency AC.
• Newer features on the new system (variable speed fan, quieter scroll compressor, touch screen programmable thermostat, etc).

Answer 2

Forget them both! Find a company that will fix the leak and not try to sell you something new! Small leaks on the system are not terribly uncommon, but need to be fixed. I found my own leak in my new house after getting the run around from the contractor. I took some dish detergent mixed with water and brushed it on all the fittings I could get to, both in and outside the house. I found the return line to the outdoor compressor had a small leak. You will see it makes a bubble with the soap. I called the contractor who sent his HVAC guy to my house and I showed him. He refitted the fitting and topped off the freon. All is good now.