I have a problem. In the process of installing a new laminate floor I found water in my wife's closet. The back wall of her closet is also the back wall of the closet that holds the hot water heater and the hvac unit(furnice). I traced the watter all the way around to the front of the water heater closet.(10' dia approx.) I tore up tile and the soaking wet sub floor. I was in the process of looking for the leak when the drain from the AC condenser started spitting water out the top of the uncapped "T" and overflowing the resovour pan.(gallons of water) I just had a new condenser installed(just the outside unit). The company who installed it is claiming that its not there problem. That the drain is not trapped right and that the watersoftener is tied into the trap. I have never had this happen before the new unit was installed. They came out and put a cap on the "T" and glued the pvc pipe. Other than that they are telling me that they do not want to open a can of worms by getting the insurance company involved. They priced out the flooring materieals and offered me $350.00 bucks to fix it myself.

Anyone know if this it my responsabilty or theirs? I still am getting water from somewhere. Should this be part of the install of the AC? What moves should I make next?

Thanks for any help.

A plumbing problem beyond the condensate drain isn't the responsibility of the HVAC guy to fix as part of an A/C install

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Originally Posted by smoothy

A plumbing problem beyond the condensate drain isn't the responsibility of the HVAC guy to fix as part of an A/C install

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It is common practice to install a new unit and it not work/drain properly? I never had a single issue with the old unit. What could cause the changed? I am having a hard time wrapping my brain around the fact that I have a flood in my house and there is no lialabilty from the hvac installation. It is OK to just install the unit and tell the customer "good luck, hope it all works"?

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Originally Posted by oldfaithful182

it is common practice to install a new unit and it not work/drain properly? i never had a single issue with the old unit. what could cause the changed? I am having a hard time wrapping my brain around the fact that i have a flood in my house and there is no lialabilty from the hvac installation. it is ok to just install the unit and tell the customer "good luck, hope it all works"?

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Its highly likely the installer didn't see a proble when it was installed... first because perhaps the drain wasn't blocked at the time.. and even if it was... its going to take hours at least for "several gallons " to back up... even on a humid day with a single family home... longer on a smaller apartment. Much longer than they will be there after the unit is ready to go.

If they notice a simple problem they may fix it if they can out of expediency, a major one they notify the homeowner... but it boils down to it they didn't install it.. they aren't responsible for it. And I can see how they easily might not have known this would happen.

For example... in 16 years I've lived in my house its never backed up... years ago in a townhouse I was renting it did...

They don't want to get their contract liability insurer involved? That indicates to me that they are taking some responsibility but don't want to do something that might result in an increase in their premium, just like some folks do when they have a small fender bender. And they probably wouldn't offer $ 350 if they had felt no responsibility whatsoever. However they could be trying to maintain some good will and have no obligation too.
But, the problem may be coming to light now because the new unit is doing its job whereas the old one wasn't. Tough call without knowing more detail. Depends on whether the original drain was properly installed. If I could fix the problem for $ 350 or so, I would do so and drop it. smoothy is correct if they just removed the old drain and hooked the new drain to the original connection point, they acted reasonably, in my opinion.

Did you get a new a-coil also? I agree in less the indoor unit was installed wrong or the outdoor unit froze up causing the water it is really of no fault of the hvac company