How much am I in for? - Contractor Talk - Professional Construction and Remodeling Forum

AAPaint · 02-07-2007, 10:39 PM

Hey guys...just wanted to get a heads up on here before I call the a/c guy tomorrow.

My a/c unit outside keeps freezing up the whole coil. Took me a while to figure it out too, doh. I hope the coil isn't shot, but I know the dang drain isn't working right because I found it full of water in the return once, so I cleaned the drain and it has worked good since.

Anyway...what advice can you guys offer when dealing with the a/c fella? I want it fixed right this time, but I don't want to pay an arm and a leg. How bad will the damage be if I have to buy a new coil or whatever?

Any help is much appreciated. This is WAY over my head.

#CARRIERMAN · 02-07-2007, 10:56 PM

Hi AAPaint

Sounds like to me you have a heat pump that is doing its job. As for the water inside you have got me. The condensor coil will ice up and defrost on a heat pump. If its not defrosting completely it probably just needs a $20.00 defrost terminator. It may be coming out of defrost too early or not going in at all. Let us know if I am on track.

Good luck
Rusty

AAPaint · 02-07-2007, 11:12 PM

Oh, it's a self contained unit. Guess I should have mentioned that part. It's freezing the coil and not blowing hardly any air at all. For some reason the little pvc drain is not draining off water good too....this I know, but if that is part of the issue, I don't know.

TheBigDog · 02-10-2007, 08:44 AM

I see you are in Florida. With the package unit there may be a few things. First is your filter clean, dirty filter=lack of air flow which will freeze the coil up. Second, the unit may be low on refrigerant again causing the coil to freeze up. Third item is if this is a modular home or mobile home and the unit has flex duct running off of it I have found that squirrels ans mice some times chew through the flex and it will cause the flex to collaspe again cutting the air flow to the coil and causing it to freeze. The lack of condensate is due to the coil being frozen.

AAPaint · 02-10-2007, 07:11 PM

Thanks guys. It turned out to be a dirty coil. It was full of DOG HAIR. I guess the previous owner never used a filter? It's clean now and blows better than ever before.