URGENT! Repair guy here 3x's still having problems!

First, I am not a trained HVAC mechanic, just 58 yrs old, owner of homes now and for the last 30 yrs and have dealt w/ similar issues. I agree with you that there is a freon leak somewhere. Considering the age of the units inside and out and what you have stated thus far, I would consider replacing both and estimate the cost to be about $3,500 to $4,000 but that was my cost 8 yrs ago and I am total electric- they would be more efficient than the older units and thus you operating costs would be lower I would think than they are now plus fewer unexpected repairs hopefully and probably more comfortable. I would hate you can't recoup your expenses thus far so rethink your stmt that you will not call the same HVAC company back... Maybe talk with management not the svc mgr and see if you might be a cut rate deal on new units. Get a 2nd opinion also from another HVAC company and quote, etc. Then maybe a trained HVAC person will see your posts and give you there knowledgable opionion, ideas. Good luck.

A frosted refrigerant line may or may not indicate a low refrigerant charge, if your indoor fan is not running or a dirty filter or any thing to restrick air flow will cause iceing of the line, if the contactor sticks together and the indoor fan cycles off this will also cause the ice, a low charge this fast should be easy to find using soap bubbles (dish soap) in a spray bottle will indicate a leak by blowing bubbles. What you have is not a costly fix with a reputable dealer in comparison to replacing your equipment. Also look for oil, oil travels with the refrigerant and will indicate a leak, Good luck, Mike

Actec thank you for your answer. The guy that did the work IS the owner of the company. His company is only a year old. I know him and his wife through church and thought we could trust him. I told him the problem started after he replaced the contactor and he told me that the contactor wouldn't have anything to do with the outside line freezing up. Now you have me wondering if he knows what he's doing because you say it can..

The unit only needed 3 lbs of freon and does not have any history of problems. I am thinking of calling this guy out one more time and telling him what you've said. I will ask him to recheck the contactor and the inside fan and also to check to see if any freon leaked. I'm thinking that if the freon isn't low I will know for sure that something else is causing the outside line to freeze up. Also, when I restarted the unit last week when he added the 3 lbs of freon I had to wipe up a bunch of water inside the air return vent inside the house. I had opened it up for a neighbor to check my filter (it was brand new and clean) and just inside the vent cover was moisture. The repair guy said it was because the inside coil had frozen up also. What does that mean, if anything?

And any information about a new system if it comes down to that would be apprecaited. Should I replace the outside compressor and the inside coil at the same time? If so, what do 2.5 ton cost installed? What should I be looking for?

Any help you can provide is deeply appreciate.

Thanks,
The Elliotts



I really don't know what to do now. I assume that I will call a repair company tomorrow... Sunday... Or wait until Monday if I can hold out. We are having 90 degree weather but it may be wiser to wait to Monday.

2.. I plan on calling a few companies out to give me estimates for a new system. How do I know if

The water inside may have been from ice melting on the indoor coil, when this coil ices up the water melting off may not go in the drain but drip into the furnace. If you have been running your air, turn on your heat for 10 to 15 minutes to melt any possible ice on the coil, then restart your a/c and keep an eye on it to be sure the indoor fan is running constantly and does not shut off then watch your refrigerant lines out side to make sure they are not getting frost on them, if you see frost then it is most likely low on refrigerant. Mike

Can this really be as simple as a problem with the contactor? That's what I thought right after he replaced it and the freezing started up. The unit worked fine for the first 24 hours after he replaced the fan motor. Then the next day after he came back to replace the contactor is when the problem with the line freezing happen.

What I noticed first both that time and today is the outside fan just kept running and it never seemed to turn off. Now you have me wondering.

Can anyone else help me with this? Please.... Please help!

If he wired it wrong then if may be not shutting off at all, turn it off at the thermostat and go outside and see if it is running or not, let me know, Mike

Dave if you and acetc have cell phones why don't the two of you get on the phone and let him do some checking for you over the phone.
I actually think that you have been taken by a person that does not have much experience and if you call him again he will just replace another part, charge you for the part and labor and you will be in the same fix again.
On one post you said the outside unit kept running after you turn the thermostat off, if that is right sounds like he did a bad wiring job on installing the contactor that you probably didn't need in the first place but he just did not know what else to do.

Its true. Its not uncommon for a service tech to leave a jumper wire in place keeping the system running all the time even if the thermostat is not calling for heat or air. But if they had to add 3 lbs of freon you do have a problem. If they can't find the leak have them add die to the system, it does not lie and it will tell you the exact point of the leak or leaks.

You will probley find the leak in the condenser . Check fof oil as stated or put diy in system both are VERY good ways to find the leak. Sometimes if the service man don't know what he is doing or he adds freon into a unit he can overfill with freon and that's not good ,lotS OF COST OR NEW UNIT THESE GUYS ARE TELLING YOU RIGHT SO i'LISTENactec IS TRYING HARD TO LEAD YOU THROUH. HAVE a GOOD DAY . GOOD LUCK .::f.b.e.