Hey Houston HVAC guys, I have a question...

Should I call another company and get a second opinion on the evaporator coil and if they can repair it? Originally Posted by CurvyKatie
Up to you. Call several and discuss repair before deciding. It costs more over the weekend too, can be considered emergency repair, just saying.
If your ac is cooling okay, it might not be the evaporator coil, it could be overflow of water built up due to a clogged drain line.
BLM69's Avatar
  • BLM69
  • 06-03-2023, 05:12 PM
Clogged drain line you'll see the back up/leaking , repairs on a old rusted dirty unit isn't recommended, I had to refill my old unit every other summer, I finally bought the equipment and tank and started doing my own refills,

These guys are not cheap, specially at peak season. Hookers still charge more for labor and don't have work out in the attic or outside in the heat. Stop being cheap and get your AC working again or sweat it out.....
DEAR_JOHN's Avatar
Do not, repeat do not use John Moore. They will lie to you and try to get you to buy a whole new system. They tried this shit with me and I thanked the man as I was getting him out of my house. My freon was leaking and the second company fixed it and got the AC pumping cold again after putting in around 4 pounds of freon. Cost for new system around $16,000, cost for reloading freon around $600.



Get a second opinion.
CurvyKatie's Avatar
Do not, repeat do not use John Moore. They will lie to you and try to get you to buy a whole new system. They tried this shit with me and I thanked the man as I was getting him out of my house. My freon was leaking and the second company fixed it and got the AC pumping cold again after putting in around 4 pounds of freon. Cost for new system around $16,000, cost for reloading freon around $600.



Get a second opinion. Originally Posted by DEAR_JOHN
This is basically the same boat they put me in. Who was the second company?
DEAR_JOHN's Avatar
This is basically the same boat they put me in. Who was the second company? Originally Posted by CurvyKatie

https://www.bizapedia.com/tx/cheroke...nical-llc.html
  • pxmcc
  • 06-03-2023, 11:32 PM
for shit like that, i play it safe and use companies on the houston bbb site. it helps to know that they have a 2 tiered system, one for companies who pay them and ones who dont. when you search, search all companies, not just the ones they're pimping. an unpimped a/c co. with 20 years in business and zero complaints is a safe bet for little or no fuckery.

bbb "accredited" means they pay the bbb. the same rules apply for both, but i suspect some grade inflation for the "accredited" businesses.
I actually just encountered the same scenario last week. 1st Dorian is correct freon dose not go anywhere unless you have a leak. ( needs to get repair or face the fact that you have to keep charging at $$$ of dollars until the leak is too big and then you will have to replace.) 2nd the water that you state is from your evaporations. coil inside,Like you stated it was frozen so that is where the water is coming from but to be sure just pour clorox down the air hose on the unit to clear clogged pvc cause cold water will get slime that will clog the line. So like I stated just went through this last week, but I have a friend that is not license but works for AC company and basically does what the License HVAC dose without the license he is getting it soon though I believe. But basically I used him for years, and he tells and teaches me and I make an effort to learn so all these are Facts. I actually diagnosed most of my issues without him telling me. But yea last week he came out and charge my freon for 340. But did say I have a leak, this is the 1st time for this unit, its been about 7 years since I had it. But basically it started with an dirty filter, reason because I was out of the country for 2 months. But to tell you the good news is if the leak is small enough, then you can fix it yourself. Amazon and other places sell leak sealer for HVAC its sort of new but they had it for cars years ago, and finally decided to make 1 for HVAC. So to summarize yes you have a leak, yes keep your filter change, and yes if the leak is small enough then you can seal it without replacing. Good luck hope this helps.
Unique_Carpenter's Avatar
At post 1, yes the guy lied about fixing a freon leak.

But, freon is no longer used. Even R22, which replaced Freon is out as of 2010, except if there's any available can be used to reload older units.
If your HVAC is "older" the guy may have failed to explain this and just flat out shorted the discussion.
Regardless, do not use him as he should have clearly explained.

Note that Ara mentions these things can be a quick analysis. That is correct. Yes lines can be patched, but if the leak is in the inside or outside heat transfers "coils", those are costly.

Also, reloading the gas stuff, if gone, regardless of the old stuff, the new stuff or the in-between stuff also pricey.

You mention water, that's condensation from exchanger unit so yes as Ara mentions there is supposed to be a drip pan with a drain hose.

Conclusion:
For this situation, clearly get a second and third opinion as there's to many variables.

Background, I know 4 different HVAC outfits up here in KC Metro. One lives across the street and he and his SO were over for breakfast. If the guy you 1st talked to was his employee, he would have been fired.

Last, Ara gets a gold star for his comments.
To further clarify about the drain: there is a primary drain for the evap coil, and a secondary/overflow drain pan and drain pipe. If the evap coil drain becomes clogged, the water overflows into the secondary drain pan. If that drain is also clogged and the secondary pan overflows…big problem. In most homes where the A/C evap is located in the attic, the secondary drain pipe exits the house through the eaves….to alert the homeowner to the issue when water is exiting that pipe.
It can be repaired but because Freon (if that is what it uses as some people use "freon" as the generic term for the refrigerant) the cost of repairing the system might be high enough that it makes sense to upgrade to the newer stuff.
Dorian Gray's Avatar
^^^
25 Pfund MO-99 kosten nur 599 $.
: 25lbs of MO-99 is just $599 :
CurvyKatie's Avatar
Just to update you guys, I got a quote from someone else to fix the coils. So yes it can be done, and for THOUSANDS less.

So the first company did lie to me. I wrote them a negative google review and the owner actually sent me texts this morning being nasty and cursing. Seriously?

I'm glad I got y'alls advice.
Stafford services is pretty good, they have always been fair and never lied to me.
Unique_Carpenter's Avatar
Just to update you guys, I got a quote from someone else to fix the coils. So yes it can be done, and for THOUSANDS less.

So the first company did lie to me. I wrote them a negative google review and the owner actually sent me texts this morning being nasty and cursing. Seriously?

I'm glad I got y'alls advice. Originally Posted by CurvyKatie
Did he fire his employee?
Or was it he himself?
I can't resist asking.


Btw, harrasment over telco/text is covered by Texas Code 42.07 and is a class B misdemeanor if you were to report that.