ChrisRU
Well-Known Member
This makes sense to me, which is why I fired up my system at the end of March and started making calls in early April. Calling around to the smaller local guys now I'd expect to be turned away or scheduled for August.
A/C repair and replacement
- Thread starter Patrick
- Start date
xc62701
Well-Known Member
Yea I just put two calls out yesterday as our central air isn't working. And with an infant in the house it's more of a concern now. I was told by one guy that they can probably come out the end of next week but they will get back to us. The other hasn't returned a call yet. Hopefully we can get this resolved before the next heatwave. Thankfully we had a ductless system put in our one family room last year so that's getting us by for now. That works well but our central air needs some help. Help or replacement...
AJ Perri - $22k
American Air - $8k
Mike @ American Air (973) 715-7399
Only difference between quotes was those UV light thingys and the brand of units. SEER/Efficiency rating and tonnage was identical.
Installed 2 months ago.
American Air - $8k
Mike @ American Air (973) 715-7399
Only difference between quotes was those UV light thingys and the brand of units. SEER/Efficiency rating and tonnage was identical.
Installed 2 months ago.
I'd stay away from AJ Perri. They quoted us $20K for a plumbing job that we didn't need. They have since been sued by other's with the same complaint. Thankfully we didn't fall for it.
http://www.nj.com/business/index.ssf/2017/02/bamboozled_state_plumbing_board_to_take_up_fraud_c.html
Roadie
Well-Known Member
I would second this. Had to have some sewer work done at the in-laws place. Perri gave me a quote of $8k. Totally over spec'd and over priced the job. Local guy did it for $800.
was one an air handler replacement and one a coil replacement?
Nope.
Only difference was brand and the UV light.
AJ Perri can SAD
how do you really feel?
O have cool-o-matic coming out to nitrogen test my larger system. Even the dispatcher started in with
the scare tactics. Oh, they only last 15 years, and R22 is so expensive, and you could spend more on......
if the tech starts, i'm sending him home.
The Cool-o-matic tech came today and put 375psi of Nitrogen on the system. bubble tested the usual places, nothing.
the needle didn't move in the hour the gauge was on it. checked the schrader valves, all good. no sound of air leaking.
he suggested i look around, and he'll come back on friday morning and put the gauge on it. see if it leaked.
if not, he's going to put in dye, and r410b (which replaces r22 at 1/2 to 1/4 of the price) - and see what happens.
here for less than an hour - so $100 - fras-air charged $100 to tell me it didn't work, and that it needed replacement.
the guy had a solid road map to making decisions.
he said theft of r22 - especially since both systems were down - would not be unheard of. also, a kid playing with the
shrader valve isn't unreasonable. so is my kid snorting freon?
I thanked him for being a tech and not a sales guy. and he said here is how some of them work....
the aj perry people work on commission. the techs are not really techs, they are sales people.
the needle didn't move in the hour the gauge was on it. checked the schrader valves, all good. no sound of air leaking.
he suggested i look around, and he'll come back on friday morning and put the gauge on it. see if it leaked.
if not, he's going to put in dye, and r410b (which replaces r22 at 1/2 to 1/4 of the price) - and see what happens.
here for less than an hour - so $100 - fras-air charged $100 to tell me it didn't work, and that it needed replacement.
the guy had a solid road map to making decisions.
he said theft of r22 - especially since both systems were down - would not be unheard of. also, a kid playing with the
shrader valve isn't unreasonable. so is my kid snorting freon?
I thanked him for being a tech and not a sales guy. and he said here is how some of them work....
the aj perry people work on commission. the techs are not really techs, they are sales people.
ryderX
Well-Known Member
Huffing refrigerant is a real problem. Locking access caps are now required on new installations of HVAC equipment. Did your tech lock up the condenser king valves after he pressurized with nitro ? Locking down the condesor makes the leak search a bit more precise. When they recheck the system after 24 hours if the pressure doesn't drop when they hookup the gauges you then open the KV's and see if the pressure drops. If it does your leak is in the condenser. Also for the record 410A systems need to be brazed not soldered
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thanks for the note - he didn't lock out the compressor - I think he is convinced there was theft. I did have a heroin addict next door.
he mentioned the locking caps too. of course the key is available on amazon, but it will stop stupid people.
brazing copper seems like work ! hopefully only the high side.
And the verdict is...
puts the gauge on, and none leaked out. 48 hours. I'd even guess that nitrogen molecules are smaller than R22 (Chlorodifluoromethane)
he is evacuating the system now - even ran to another job while the vac pump is running. guy is good.
More when he finishes up.
i think that gif may cause seizures. don't stare at it.
puts the gauge on, and none leaked out. 48 hours. I'd even guess that nitrogen molecules are smaller than R22 (Chlorodifluoromethane)
he is evacuating the system now - even ran to another job while the vac pump is running. guy is good.
More when he finishes up.
i think that gif may cause seizures. don't stare at it.
Wrong thread. #Cleansing
Cool-o-matic
Update on the replacement refrigerant - it is R-422b, works at R-22 pressures with a 5% efficiency penalty. it was $49/lb.
Since he didn't look for a leak, there was no additional charge over the initial diagnostic service call.
Back in business for under $600. That was the same amount that Fras-air charged for installing 3lbs of R-22 into the other system.
a net savings of about 1 supersix evo disc black inc.
Update on the replacement refrigerant - it is R-422b, works at R-22 pressures with a 5% efficiency penalty. it was $49/lb.
Since he didn't look for a leak, there was no additional charge over the initial diagnostic service call.
Back in business for under $600. That was the same amount that Fras-air charged for installing 3lbs of R-22 into the other system.
a net savings of about 1 supersix evo disc black inc.
hotsauce
Well-Known Member
Should have just bought high end cured meats for that price per lb!
throw in this little bonus - at my condo, the air handler was firing up, but not the compressor.
I could manually make the contactor, and it was fine. Told this to the tech, and he said check the thermostat.
sure enough - a wire was off. Damn, he is good.
I could manually make the contactor, and it was fine. Told this to the tech, and he said check the thermostat.
sure enough - a wire was off. Damn, he is good.
ChrisRU
Well-Known Member
AC dude is supposed to finish the job at my place tomorrow morning. With rain in the forecast, I'm going to go with a 25% chance he shows. Though I haven't paid him on his previous two invoices yet, so maybe he'll be more motivated than usual.
Are any of you guys doing anything to try to prevent mice or chipmunk damage? Mothballs? Poison?
Are any of you guys doing anything to try to prevent mice or chipmunk damage? Mothballs? Poison?
hotsauce
Well-Known Member
Speaking of thermostats, I nabbed a few Ecobee 3's on sale right after the 4 was announced. Those suckers are great. Extremely happy so far. I can control it from my phone, it has a sensor to tell when I'm in the room plus a remote sensor to put in another room/direction to pick up temp and occupancy. Amazon has them on sale for $185 right now, quite the steal.