Air Handler Replacement : Is this estimate within reason?
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Air Handler Replacement : Is this estimate within reason?
Arcoaire Air Handler (4 ton) - 2050.00
Labor - 600.00
Company diagnosed unit with leaking evaporator coils. Strongly advised replacing entire air handler for warranty purposes.
Warranty on new evap. coils - 1 year
Warranty on new air handler - 10 years
Estimate for coil replacement - 1850.00 (including labor, no breakdown given)
Company called manufacturer, unit no longer under warranty.
Unit manufactured in 2008
Installation: 03/2010
Labor - 600.00
Company diagnosed unit with leaking evaporator coils. Strongly advised replacing entire air handler for warranty purposes.
Warranty on new evap. coils - 1 year
Warranty on new air handler - 10 years
Estimate for coil replacement - 1850.00 (including labor, no breakdown given)
Company called manufacturer, unit no longer under warranty.
Unit manufactured in 2008
Installation: 03/2010
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So , the diagnosis is a leaky A-Coil ?
I would seek a second opinion ?
How bad is your leak ? How often must refrigerant be added ?
Is your current unit an Arcoaire Air Handler (4 ton) ? Or is that just the unit they want to replace the current unit with ?
Is your current system a R22 or a R410a system . Is it cool only ? Cool & heat ? What type of heat ?
Up flow , down flow , horizontal flow ?
How difficult is the current unit to get to ?
Sounds like he is only offering a 1 year warranty on the new coil ? From the rest of your description , that is the only part you are having trouble with ?
God bless
wyr
I would seek a second opinion ?
How bad is your leak ? How often must refrigerant be added ?
Is your current unit an Arcoaire Air Handler (4 ton) ? Or is that just the unit they want to replace the current unit with ?
Is your current system a R22 or a R410a system . Is it cool only ? Cool & heat ? What type of heat ?
Up flow , down flow , horizontal flow ?
How difficult is the current unit to get to ?
Sounds like he is only offering a 1 year warranty on the new coil ? From the rest of your description , that is the only part you are having trouble with ?
God bless
wyr
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Thank you for replying!!
Our home is a new construction, purchased 3/2010, built 2009. Current unit is an Arcoaire 4 ton. Manufactured 2008.
We've had to have R410 refrigerant added every year.
The unit is heat also. Not heat pump.
Horizontal right flow. Located in attic. VERY easy to get to.
A coils are reallly rusted. As are the mounts and drain.
Called new service company this year bc it has been difficult to get a company to do anything but charge and run. Had to request the last technician do maintenance 3 times. (which he still didn't do!!) Anyway, after the new company came out and left...water began POURING through my ceiling and kitchen pendant fixtures. Suddenly, the condensate wasn't reaching main pain (no clogs!) and the secondary drip was uneven and one corner was pouring water. In addition, the plenum was leaking. These are issues we fixed ourselves.
They'd already suggested we change air handler at this point.
I'd also like to note that I've since called ICP and learned this unit IS under warranty because the home is a new construction. Warranty begins from date of purchase. I plan to tell company when they arrive to start work tomorrow. The warranty will cover the coils, but not the entire handler as only the coils are diagnosed faulty. How much should I expect to save when coils are warrantied?
Our home is a new construction, purchased 3/2010, built 2009. Current unit is an Arcoaire 4 ton. Manufactured 2008.
We've had to have R410 refrigerant added every year.
The unit is heat also. Not heat pump.
Horizontal right flow. Located in attic. VERY easy to get to.
A coils are reallly rusted. As are the mounts and drain.
Called new service company this year bc it has been difficult to get a company to do anything but charge and run. Had to request the last technician do maintenance 3 times. (which he still didn't do!!) Anyway, after the new company came out and left...water began POURING through my ceiling and kitchen pendant fixtures. Suddenly, the condensate wasn't reaching main pain (no clogs!) and the secondary drip was uneven and one corner was pouring water. In addition, the plenum was leaking. These are issues we fixed ourselves.
They'd already suggested we change air handler at this point.
I'd also like to note that I've since called ICP and learned this unit IS under warranty because the home is a new construction. Warranty begins from date of purchase. I plan to tell company when they arrive to start work tomorrow. The warranty will cover the coils, but not the entire handler as only the coils are diagnosed faulty. How much should I expect to save when coils are warrantied?
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I can not remember if we are allowed to talk cost / price on this forum ?
Would need more information ( model numbers , etc. ) to get a very close cost for an A-Coil . And I have no idea what the A/C contractors use as a mark up for profit and overhead ?
Since you mentioned rust and drain problems , a new cased unit might be worth wile ? If I had to guess , I would guess some ( but not all ) of the rust may be from the poor drainage ?
A little rust probably is not going to prevent the coil from working OK , as long as it holds its shape . And air flow is OK .
The coils are usually copper ( not terribly prone to corrode ) , but newer units may have aluminum coils . The fins are pretty much aluminum .
If you were going to pay the whole bill , out of pocket . Were it me , I would just charge the system every year . But I am able to do that myself . I have EPA certification and the tooling to do it .
The next question is , I hope that replacing the A-Coil fixes the leak ? There are lots of places a system can leak .
Has anyone injected florescent dye in with the refrigerant & tried tracing the leak with a UV lite ? Or tried using a refrigerant detector / sniffer to try to trace the leak ?
I have seen more than one leak from the Schrader valves on the service valves / fittings . On the outside unit / condenser . An inexpensive repair .
Best of luck .
Wyr
God bless
Would need more information ( model numbers , etc. ) to get a very close cost for an A-Coil . And I have no idea what the A/C contractors use as a mark up for profit and overhead ?
Since you mentioned rust and drain problems , a new cased unit might be worth wile ? If I had to guess , I would guess some ( but not all ) of the rust may be from the poor drainage ?
A little rust probably is not going to prevent the coil from working OK , as long as it holds its shape . And air flow is OK .
The coils are usually copper ( not terribly prone to corrode ) , but newer units may have aluminum coils . The fins are pretty much aluminum .
If you were going to pay the whole bill , out of pocket . Were it me , I would just charge the system every year . But I am able to do that myself . I have EPA certification and the tooling to do it .
The next question is , I hope that replacing the A-Coil fixes the leak ? There are lots of places a system can leak .
Has anyone injected florescent dye in with the refrigerant & tried tracing the leak with a UV lite ? Or tried using a refrigerant detector / sniffer to try to trace the leak ?
I have seen more than one leak from the Schrader valves on the service valves / fittings . On the outside unit / condenser . An inexpensive repair .
Best of luck .
Wyr
God bless