Rant: Fuggin' A/C system (1 Viewer)

[Philip_G]

well, the short answer is, you can get EPA certified for refrigerant handling online for $15 in about 20 minutes.
Is the EPA going to track you down and fine you because you let a little R22 slip? Can't say I've heard of ANYONE getting fined.

Haunt enough pawn shops and fleabay and you can find everything you need fromr ecovery machines to gauge manifolds. I've seen some thousand dollar (new) recovery units go for pennies on the dollar on ebay, well used, but probably serviceable.

 

[Frank Zimkas]

Actually I know of a few contractors that have been sited buy both the state Health Dept. and the EPA.

I'm not saying that they are out there hiding in the trees and bushes waiting for you, but going into it blind is foolish.

Can the average Joe/Jane get the license and buy the tools, sure. Does that make him/her competent to do the jod? Not by a long shot.

 

[Philip_G]

I don't know about the contractors around denver (my old man is an HVAC contractor around portland) But from what I've seen out there an intelligent DIY'er that did his or her homework could probably do a better job than the average monkey that does a halfass job.

 

[Frank Zimkas]

Phillip,
I hear ya and understand your point of view. Too many tech's and contractors in my trade opt for the quick buck and forget that they will be better off in the long run if they apply themselves to learning something new everyday, treating their customers like gold (because they are that and more), and exceeding the customers expectations on each call.

Lousy techs are a dime a dozen, the good ones are hard to find, but they are worth the effort.

 

[Wayne Ernst]

Scott, while this may seem like a good thing, it could also be a PITA. It's kind of like doing computer work or building computers. You charge a family member $40 + parts to assemble a computer for them - and they think you'll be their tech support person for life, no matter which hour of the day.

I think it's best to invest in your current skillset or career area to ensure you can keep getting those promotions and raises. You can then pay the pros to work on things where you don't have the skills.

That's not to say that you shouldn't be interested in maintaining systems and appliances in your home. Heck, just changing the filters on time pays off quite nicely in extending the life of a product.

Finding proper service people takes time. Kind of like finding the right mechanic for your car.

 

[aaron campbell]

For ASE certification maybe but not for HVACR

Aaron

 

[MarkHastings]

Higher settings just mean the unit won't go on as much. Again, the key is how hot it is outside and how well insulated your home is. My home is VERY well insulated and will maintain a cold temp. for quite a long time, if not the A/C will just have to keep working to replace the cool air you're losing through the walls.

 

[Wayne Ernst]

Final Update: New fan motor arrived today. The wiring colors changed a bit with this newer motor and the person at the parts depot yesterday didn't tell the tech that 3 brackets were needed to hold the motor into the housing, so this created for one extra night of no A/C.

If anyone's familiar with the D.C. area, you'd realize that no A/C is quite painful. The first time the motor was wired up, the fan was not spinning fast enough and the coils started to ice up again. The unit was then wired properly by the tech. Plus, he added a bit more freon (I haven't had any added in 12.5 years) and now the air coming out of the vents is 48F.

My final price for this work was: $400. My neighbor with the same exact furnace/A-C had their fan motor replaced two days ago for $800. The company that replaced their motor was the company that was going to come out before I found this other guy to do the work. I just had a better feeling about the guy that did my work, and I saved $400 along the way.