I have a central air unit that sits just outside my living room window. Well, that’s what it was until about two weeks ago; now it’s just an incredibly large doorstop. It was there when I moved in 12 years ago, so I am seriously considering replacing it rather than just repairing it.
What I don’t know is,
(a) How do I go about it - do most cities have “Central Air Unit Stores” where they will sell and install this sort of thing? Is going to Home Depot or Lowe’s a valid option? (I got my new hot water heater through Home Depot, and despite warnings about some of the contractors they used for installation, I have had no problems with it…yet, anyway.)
(b) Are some brands recommended more than others? I am familiar with Trane and Rheem, but is that just “brand recognition” and not necessarily a decent product?
Make sure you use someone who is factory certified for the product they’re installing, i.e., Trane, Carrier, etc., and don’t get oversold on a unit that is too large for your home.
At 12 YO, I’d replace it. I assume you checked to make sure you haven’t just popped a circuit breaker?
Get several quotes. My experience with HVAC guys has been…not great. You can buy the unit yourself (we bought ours on amazon, so check prices quoted) but you’ll need tools you don’t have and a license from the EPA to buy the refrigerant to install it. We went with a Goodman unit, which is the cheapest brand. The guy who installed it for us said they’re just as good as the more expensive ones.
eta: one more thing; the guy that installed ours was an appliance repair guy who had the license and equipment. You might want to call a few of those, too. Replacing an outdoor unit is really simple. If we’d had the tools, we would have done it ourselves.
The problem is probably a blown capacitor, assuming you’ve verified power is getting to the unit. AC caps are pretty easy to replace, and for the capable DIY-er, almost worth replacing without further testing - they usually cost about ten to twenty bucks. Please note that I said “capable” as you must know how to disconnect power to the compressor and be aware that a capacitor can hold enough charge to still shock you when the power is off.
Capacitors do die spontaneously, with little if any discernible warning, and the cruel irony is that being hot shortens their lifespan.
If you can get the AC running, the bids for a replacement unit won’t have the “Holy crap it’s hot and I just want air conditioning again as soon as possible” fee. Just kidding, (hopefully!) but it’s usually cheaper to replace things on your schedule than the thing’s schedule, and you may have more options to pick from (more brands, quieter unit, better energy efficiency, etc.) than what the dealer has on hand.
If you can get it running for $20 drive it into the ground. Mine was old when I got the house 20+ years ago and it’s still going. I replaced the fan motor for $90 and the compressor was replaced under warranty right after I got the house.
My furnace is a frickin Delco. The blower fan has bearings that would be at home on a steam ship drive shaft. Give them a little oil every year and there is no reason why it will ever fail. Everything on it is easily serviceable.
Search for HVAC or AC in yelp to get an idea of the AC companies in your area. Have a few come out to give you an estimate. Likely, your unit can be repaired. If it failed suddenly, it may be just a matter of swapping out a minor part. When the compressor itself starts going bad, it draws too much current and will burn out the other parts in the unit. That’s when you usually have to replace the whole thing. But it could just be a wire or capacitor.
Unless you’re really good with DIY, it’s best to go with a pro. There are lots of components between your thermostat, blower unit, and compressor and it’s tricky to know where the fault lies.
If the compressor is bad, you don’t necessarily have to replace the whole system (inside and out). Likely, the blower unit inside will still be okay. As long as the system has modern freon, you may be able to just get a new compressor for outside and leave the rest of the components as is.
Find out why the current one died. It may be a $20 (part) fix, it may be a $100 (part) fix.
First:
Have someone stationed beside the (outside) compressor with the A/C off. Have someone inside adjust the thermostat to call for A/C.
What happens? Does it make any noises? If not, check circuit breaker (yes, this IS on the level of ‘make sure it is plugged in’).
If it does make noise - does a motor run? Is there a loud hum? Then the unit is trying to run. The start capacitor is cheap enough to replace as a precaution.
You may not be getting the low-voltage current from the thermostat and the compressor is fine.
For the techies/brave: jump red to yellow on a traditional furnace/central air unit). The red is the 24v in, and yellow is ‘call for cooling’.
A voltmeter at the control wire will confirm if the 24v is getting there. Check yellow to white - should be 24v.
If the compressor runs, come back and let us know.
If the compressor is getting both line voltage (usually 220v AC) AND control (24v), you have a dead compressor.
There has been a recent (last 10 years) change in refrigerant used in US residential units.
Find out!
The new stuff requires new (and expensive) gauges and other equipment. The old units cannot use the new ‘freon’. If you deal with a ‘Mom and Pop’ HVAC shop, you may find one who got a ‘bargain’ on an old unit and has been trying to unload it.
This should not still be an issue in 2015, but…
Big Box vs Independent: the big box does not have installers on the payroll. All they do is what you can do: call somebody. And then they add their (sizable) commission to the installer’s bill.
The quality of work will vary - especially during the ‘busy season’ of whatever business is involved.
If you trust yourself to find a capable and honest pro, you don’t need to pay the big box for the referral (which the pro is also paying).
I generally advise against buying a big-ticket item and expecting a pro do install it.
If I were in business and someone called and said “I just bought a new Heat Pump! I need it installed” I’d be real tempted to ask “Who sold it to you?” “Fine - have them install it - think of how much more you’ll save!”.
AIUI, the actual practice to to simply add the lost mark-up to the labor charge.
Update:
The local HVAC contractor came out to look at it, and said that if I replaced the unit (which I did), I would have to replace the part that goes right above the furnace - and since the furnace is at least as old as the AC unit, and I was offered a $1000 discount on a package deal, I replaced the furnace as well. Both are now Lennox (the old furnace was Armstrong Air; not sure about the AC). No problems so far, but I haven’t put the heater through its paces yet.
I am thinking about getting one of those Nest “learning” thermostats, but is it really worth $200? Besides, I would rather have a thermostat that didn’t require batteries.
Nest’s sensing and learning ability is cool, but I went with a Honeywell that’s programmable and controllable via smartphone app. I work from home and it could be hours before I walk anywhere near the thermostat, so a Nest will think I’m gone, when in reality, I’m in my office wondering why it’s too hot or cold.
IIRC, it cost about $100. If you’ve ever installed a thermostat before, it’s easy. Just follow the directions carefully on logging into the thing to register it and get it on your wifi.