# Home HVAC experiences **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 1, 2011, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/home-hvac-experiences/591031 "2011-08-01T13:35:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Unintentionally\_Blank](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/unintentionally_blank/32/5418_2.png) [@Unintentionally\_Blank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Unintentionally_Blank)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2011, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/home-hvac-experiences/591031/1 "2011-08-01T13:35:08Z")
We have a crap Lennox A/C unit. In the 8 years we’ve owned it, it’s been fixed three times and is awaiting a compressor repair…we’re short on funding, really REALLY hot, and really REALLY cranky. I found a website online that showed that a LOT of dislike for Lennox and have had bad experiences with them…then I started looking around that site and it seemed like EVERY brand had a lot of polar customer experiences…the ratings broke down to 1 star, or 5 stars, nothing in the middle. Thinking that the only people that would be going there would be the people with bad experiences, I’m wondering if I just got a lemon…or perhaps ALL HVAC units need some king of periodic maintenance. Poll forthcoming ---
**Author:** ![Balthisar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/balthisar/32/2825_2.png) [@Balthisar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balthisar)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2011, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/home-hvac-experiences/591031/2 "2011-08-01T14:12:33Z")
Excellent experience with WaterFurnace. ---
**Author:** ![Khendrask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3e96dc/32.png) [@Khendrask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khendrask)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2011, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/home-hvac-experiences/591031/3 "2011-08-01T14:21:51Z")
A lot depends on the installer, to be honest. I’ve had a Lennox heat pump for 12 years, and aside from one starter cap failure and one transformer failure (both under $150 to fix, or less then $25 each in parts since I do my own repairs), there have been no problems. I’ve never even had to add refrigerant to it, and I run it all the time, year round. ---
**Author:** ![thelabdude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dc4da7/32.png) [@thelabdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelabdude)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2011, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/home-hvac-experiences/591031/4 "2011-08-01T14:31:19Z")
I did much of the work of installing a Bryant furnace and A/C my self in 1995. Since then, it has needed one new circuit board at $300. I blame an electrical spike. Keep thinking I should have a routine service sometime. ---
**Author:** ![Unintentionally\_Blank](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/unintentionally_blank/32/5418_2.png) [@Unintentionally\_Blank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Unintentionally_Blank)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2011, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/home-hvac-experiences/591031/5 "2011-08-01T14:41:19Z")
> [@Khendrask](#): > > A lot depends on the installer, to be honest. I’ve had a Lennox heat pump for 12 years, and aside from one starter cap failure and one transformer failure (both under $150 to fix, or less then $25 each in parts since I do my own repairs), there have been no problems. > > I’ve never even had to add refrigerant to it, and I run it all the time, year round. Within the first 12 months, they replaced the Starter Cap. Then a year later they did it again. Last summer, the condenser fan wouldn’t kick-off, and a hard start kit didn’t help. So, new cap, new motor, and a week after that, the compressor stopped running. Hard start kit THERE didn’t help, and I’m not equipped to swap in a new compressor. I figger by the time I’m done, it’ll be a new system as all the moving parts will be new.