Case Study: AC Inspection Prevents Problems Before Summer
AC Inspection Prevents Cooling Problem Before Summer In Linwood, NJ
Problem: A spring conditioner tune-up revealed a refrigerant leak and bad capacitor in a 19-year-old AC in Linwood, NJ. The lineset was also in poor condition due to a bad installation.
Solution: Replaced the lineset and installed a new Rudd three-ton condenser with a matching air handler in the attic.
Our homeowner deserves a tip of the hat for his excellent job caring for his air conditioners. His Linwood, NJ had two central air units, one for the upstairs rooms and another for the first floor. The second-story unit lasted 19 years before he needed a new one.
When you consider that most ACs only make it about 15 years, you can see that our homeowner did everything right regarding regular maintenance and upkeep.
But, like any mechanical appliance, it couldn’t last forever. And, this one may have even made it a little longer if it wasn’t outdated.
Our tech discovered a bad capacitor during our homeowner’s routine spring tune-up. That’s the component that delivers power to the blower motor. That’s a relatively minor repair, but unfortunately, it wasn’t the only problem.
The old system was also low on refrigerant. Usually, that’s not a big deal. But, since the system is nearly twenty years old, it would cost too much to recharge.
As a result, we recommended replacing the AC instead of repairing it. Even if the homeowner spent the extra money to recharge the coolant, he’d likely run into more problems with such an old unit.
He’d only get another season or two out of it at most. It didn’t make the cost to repair it worth the investment.
Our homeowner was disappointed but ready to make the most of a replacement. Along with upgrading to a more efficient model, he asked us to replace the entire lineset.
Years ago, he’d learned that it was installed improperly by a different contractor. That’s caused problems over the years.
With all that in mind, we helped him choose the best option for a new AC. And, we made sure we installed everything correctly the first time this time.
This case study covers:
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- Avoiding AC Problems With A Spring Tune-Up
- Replacing Older Air Conditioner That Use R22 Freon
- Problems With Bad Installation
- New Air Conditioner Installation in Linwood, NJ
And, if your suspect a problem with your air conditioner in South Jersey or want to make sure it’s ready for the summer, call Broadley’s at (609) 390-3907 for a free consultation or to schedule a tune-up.
Avoiding AC Problems With A Spring Tune-Up
Every HVAC manufacturer and contractor recommends a spring tune-up for your AC, and this is one of the big reasons why. With regular maintenance, you catch a problem early — before it gets worse and before your system breaks down in the summer when you need it the most.
In this case, the blower motor needed replacement — not unusual for such an old system. But, damage over the winter also resulted in a refrigerant leak from the outdoor condenser.
As a result, there was just about no coolant left in the system.
But, it’s not easy to spot a refrigerant leak. The coolant is a colorless gas when it escapes the system. There’s a soft hissing sound and a faint chemical smell at most. It’s really only noticeable if you’re right near the line and looking for a problem.
So, if our homeowners didn’t get a tune-up, they would have gotten a blast of warm air when they turned on the system during the first hot day of the season!
Instead, they knew about the problem weeks before their home would need any cooling.
Spotting this problem early was especially important since our homeowners had a nearly 20-year-old system.
Related: Four Benefits Of Replacing Your Air Conditioner At The End Of Summer
Replacing Older Air Conditioner That Use R22 Freon
ACs built more than ten years ago used R22, or Freon, as the refrigerant. But, manufacturers stopped making it in 2020 as part of a 10-year gradual phaseout led by the EPA.
Today, R22 is very expensive — so much so that it’s not worth repairing a system if it has a refrigerant leak. The phaseout occurred gradually, and no ACs after 2010 used Freon.
That way, most would be ready for replacement when Freon became hard to come by. In this case, our homeowner would have to pay to fix the blower motor, repair the leak, and then hundreds more just for the recharge.
It would only be a matter of time with a system this old before it broke down for good.
However, as it turned out, there was a silver lining to replacing versus repairing this AC.
Problems With Bad Installation
After our homeowner picked out his new AC, he asked if we could also replace the line sets for the system. Those are the copper tubes that run the coolant from the outdoor compressor to the condenser attached to the furnace.
He’d learned a few years ago that those lines weren’t installed right all those years ago. The contractor he used initially didn’t secure everything properly. So, the coolant couldn’t always flow smoothly through the system.
As a result, he dealt with on-and-off problems for years. Whenever there was a blockage, the house got too hot. Could we fix this?
Of course!
With a scheduled replacement, we simply ripped out the old lines and installed fresh ones with his new system. And we made sure they ran clean with no chance of leaks, blockages, or breaks.
Related: Six Reasons To Upgrade Your Air Conditioner
New Air Conditioner Installation In Linwood, NJ
Even with the extra lineset work, we installed the air conditioner in this Linwood, NJ home in just one day. And, since our homeowner had called for a tune-up, he could pick out a new system, set up the financing, and have it installed before he even needed it for the summer.
If you want to get the most from your South Jersey air conditioner, or if it’s time for a new one, click below or call Broadley’s at (609) 390-3907.