Ac ?

[Mudslinger]

We bought this home in Jan, but have only been able to spend more than a day or 2 here since we bought it up until this past Wednesday. Anytime we have been down for maybe 1 or 2 nights, the AC has worked like a champ, up until Thursday night. It would not cool properly and the piping leading into the house looked like it came straight out of the freezer. We were given a warranty by the seller, (common with a house purchase nowdays) and called about getting this AC looked at. Tech came out this afternoon, looked at the unit outside and up in the loft/attic at the main unit and said it looked like a huge block of ice as it was frozen. Said he could do nothing until it thawed. He told me that more than likely it was low on freon and he would be back tomorrow. He turned the fan on to "run" and when we got up in the AM to turn the unit off, but leave the fan running. He said it would not cool like it needs to, but it would not hurt the unit. I ask about the freon and he said it uses R22 that was $75 per pound but the warranty only covers the first $10 of each pound. He also said it would only take 1 maybe 2 pounds and that they would also add a sealant for any leaks the system had for no extra charge.
I know nothing about AC units, but figured it was low on freon. Is this a common cost for R22 freon and is letting this unit run like this going to destroy it? The up front cost for the service call was $75 and the only other cost according to him would be for freon.

Thoughts?

i did not pay for the warranty, I guess in todays wacky world if you sell your place you have to buy a 1 year warranty for the buyer.

[BonesandArrow]

Turning the fan to run will thaw the ice. I used to rent a house and the AC froze here and there. I always ran the fan for 2-3 hours to thaw and then would turn the AC back on. Doing so doesn’t hurt anything. I’m sure the AC guys will chime in with a process of elimination list to figure out the issue. Those home warranties aren’t worth a dime.

[txbowhunter08]

yes if the unit is low on refrigerant it could burn up the compressor! if just running the fan it wont hurt it I don't recommend running it all night but just enough to thaw the system out. I'm not a expert but if there is a leak, sealant is just cause for bigger problems down the road. He should do a electronic leak test, find the leak repair it then pull a vacuum. That's my 2 cents sure somebody more active in hvac will chive in

[Uncle Saggy]

All else aside, if you have an R22 system with issues it’s time to replace it.

Running the blower is not an issue.
As said above, they need to find the leak and repair it before charging...... and yes, a leak sealant is not good for the system.

I bought some R22 today, my cost was $10.20 a pound, that’s contractor cost


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[cva34]

Man way back when I fst became a shift worker ..I could not sleep well so I ran Blower 24 / 7 for years probably 5 to 7 years.....Then I came into a small window unit that I installed in my BR window with it in (cont blow mode) 24/7...and then and only then did I ever give that blower on central unit a break (put it in auto )....
Its been many years since I started running those small windo units probably replaced 6-8 in my years of working and now retired ...There's one in the BR running 24/7 right now...and I sleep like a baby! and I have never had a Electric bill over 200 buck..last few years its hit 165 (all time HI) though..

[bowhntrmatt]

He’s probably right about it being low on Freon.
Running the fan won’t hurt anything.
Refrigerant is coolant for the compressor as well so running a system that’s low could cause damage.
As Uncle Saggy said, R-22 is outdated and unless the system is otherwise perfect and fairly new, it may be worthwhile to look into upgrading. If you do this, call reputable contractors and not the guys the HW sends out.

The best place to start is with a leak detection. Find out where the leak is and what it takes to fix. It might be something relatively simple and fixed for a few hundred bucks.
It also might be really bad, like a coil, that could cost a few grand, in which case system replacement is probably your best long-term solution.

[double bogey]

Leak location first, if its low. If it is in a coil, replace coil or system. If lines rubbed or something like that, consider repair.
Defrost as instructed, then run it and see if it ices again. You can defrost it in under a hour if you catch it before it is a block of ice. Check filter, low indoor airflow will cause icing. Also, cooler outside temps and long run times can cause icing.

Even if you fix it, start budgeting money for replacement.

[kmitchl]

Would seem to me that the HW should include finding the leak and repairing. Just adding freon and sealant in just kicking the can down the road.

[Mayhem]

R22 is outdated and expensive.

If you are low on Freon, you have. A leak.

I tried that leak stop stuff once on a leak in the evaporator coil and it didn’t work. Ended up burning up a compressor and have to replace the whole system.


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[critter69]

Man if you guys were up here I have several Brand new jugs of r22 I would sell pretty cheap. Most people will run the fan to thaw, but if it’s frozen solid and you run the fan it will over amp the motor and could cause it to go out. But again most people do it with the fan on, and most don’t have issues with the blower motor. If your filter Is dirty it could cause freeze ups, or any thing that restricts the air flow across the coll. But filter is first and easiest to check.

[Smith]

Running the indoor fan doesn’t hurt a thing and uses very little power. Running the whole system with low refrigerant won’t hurt anything either (compressors cut out on thermal limit and protect themselves if they get too hot) but it’s not going to be very efficient and will likely freeze up again. I’m not a big fan of the fix-a-flat stuff. You should push really hard to get them to find the leak and repair/replace whatever is leaking and get as much of it covered under the warranty as possible.

[Rick]

Would seem to me that the HW should include finding the leak and repairing. Just adding freon and sealant in just kicking the can down the road.

Home warranty companies in general try to fix things as cheaply as possible. If they can add Freon and get it cooling, they are happy. Also adding leak seal may get it working good enough to work until the warranty expires, win for the HW company

[Marco]

Running the indoor fan doesn’t hurt a thing and uses very little power. Running the whole system with low refrigerant won’t hurt anything either (compressors cut out on thermal limit and protect themselves if they get too hot) but it’s not going to be very efficient and will likely freeze up again. I’m not a big fan of the fix-a-flat stuff. You should push really hard to get them to find the leak and repair/replace whatever is leaking and get as much of it covered under the warranty as possible.

Using compressors thermal limit as a safety is NOT good for the compressor. DO NOT DO THIS. Have leak located and repaired or replace the system. These are your ONLY options. Careful as doing leak check and repairing isn't a $200 fix unless its a simple leak at a Schroeder valve or leaking safety device. $75 a lb for R22 is a great price for refrigerant that is no longer made. Just weigh out cost to repair and age of equipment vs replacing equipment. Been in the buisness 30 years.

[double bogey]

A real professional wouldnt use the fix a flat products.

Like i said last night, find the leak(s), consider repair/replacement options.

If it is an easily repaired leak, consider repair and budget for replacement, if you dont have money in your budget now. Most contractors also offer financing, its just like auto financing, it's a profit center also.