Home A/C repair or replacement Part 2

A

atikovi

Joined
Apr 27, 2010
Messages
18,423
Location
Suburban Washington DC
Here is an update on my original thread https://bobistheoilguy.com/forums/t...acement-im-i-getting-ripped-off.365912/page-4 A/C company replaced the evaporator coil today under the 10 years parts warranty. Total bill, $1425. They charged me 3 1/2 hours labor which is fine. The rest seems to be padded. $150 service call when they already charged me that originally. They came back just to do the replacement. Why are they charging me beyond 3 1/2 hours labor? And why are they charging me for 9 pounds new freon? Aren't they supposed to recycle the old freon? No it didn't all leak out in 6 weeks. Is $95 a pound reasonable? Running this by here first before I ask them.

Today's invoice,
4-19 invoice.jpg


Previous invoice,

2-28 service.jpg
 
I would check to see if the warranty paperwork covers labor and service calls. Ask for the documentation and the manufacturer / parts warranty phone number of the manufacturer to verify before you pay anything. Maybe it the parts warranty pays the shop directly and they are double dipping?

If you want to get ballsy accuse them of double dipping nicely and that you need proof otherwise, guilty until proven innocent right? Also mention that you really want to leave a positive Google review but that you think you are being taken advantage. A smart owner will understand their reviews are life and death for a business, so you might want to escalate above the secretary to someone who cares.
 
For $1425 you're getting awfully close to a new unit. They shouldn't have charged for the service dye. I've never seen a company do that. R-410a from what I've read is two different materials mixed. My friend does hvac and has told me the costs of R-410a are just going up. I was seeing 25lb containers going from $380-$400. So 16 plus dollars per pound. Some companies charge a service fee every time they come out but many will waive it if repairs are made. Id be looking for a different company for future repairs.
 
$95 a pound for 410A is not bad. Everyone around here is $150 per pound. Yes you can buy a jug for 300-400 if you have an epa cert. I just paid $390 for a jug today. But no company is going to sell it to you for what they paid for it.
 
As mentioned above - check to see if the part warranty covers labor and service call. Additionally, I would also see if the warranty covers the cost of the replacement refrigerant as well.

Also, is the warranty for the evaporator coil from the AC system manufacturer (Rheem, Carrier, Trane, etc.) or is it from the manufacturer of the evaporator coil itself, or the company that installed the system?
 
FYI, "recycling" refrigerant doesn't mean they evacuate from your neighbor's home system and use it in yours after they've run it through a cute filter. It's sent off to a refrigerant manufacturer or major recycler.

$95 is pretty cheap for 410a today.

$1425 won't even come close to a new unit today. Maybe in 2018. More like $3000 today and that's not installed.

I have tried and tried to warn people across the internet for a few years about the coming of massive price increases in HVAC and Plumbing. It's here. You're looking at a culmination of no labor pool, government mandates that don't need to be, inflation and almost tripling raw material prices.


Nobody gives a crap about stuff like this in late October of an even-numbered year. Maybe some will start.
 
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