Hello,

I had a Rheem 15 seer heat pump installed in a rental house 2 years ago August. My tenants called and said that the a/c wasn't cooling very well, so I called my HVAC installer. They came out and checked out the system and stated that the TXV didn't look as though it was opening completely and it was causing the unit to poorly cool the house. He also said it looked low on refrigerant and added a little over 2 pounds while I was there. FYI- the air handler is running but the low pressure lockout was on.

He also did something with a bulb and a warm bowl of water. When I asked how much it would cost to replace the TXV he said that the part should be covered under warranty. When I asked how much labor would be involved he stated that it was at least 4-5 hours! Their labor rate is $150/hr so I'm VERY concerned that a 2 y.o. heat pump is breaking down so soon and going to cost a fortune to replace a covered part.

Any suggestions? Is 4-5 hours/rate reasonable?

Thanks!

First I would read your warrenty carefully or contact RHEEM and ask them about this situation. I believe your outdoor section has a 5 year replacement warreenty but I do not know about the coil/TXV inside as far as warrenty labor goes. It is always better to check before you pay.

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