A/C Line Set Problems

This purpose of this posting is to describe what happens when the A/C to a unit stops cooling as a result of loss of coolant. Recently we encountered this problem in a 1st floor condo in Countryside. The owner had a service contract with a well known company so we contacted them and gave them access to the unit so they could troubleshoot the A/C. They determined that the line set that carries coolant from the outside compressor to the inside air handler was leaking allowing the coolant to escape. They isolated the problem by cutting each end of the two coolant lines, sealing them off at both ends (inside & outside) then installing a pressure gauge on one of the lines. After this was done they pressurized the lines until there was 400psi in the lines. They returned a day later to see if the pressure was being maintained and it wasn't...it had dropped to 235psi indicating that the line set would have to be replaced at a cost of $4500! Why so costly? Normally they would have to run the lines up the outside wall to above the third floor through the wall into the attic crawl space, then down through the 3rd floor unit, then the 2nd floor unit then and finally into the 1st floor unit. When the owner told us the price that the A/C company had given him, we suggested that he get a second opinion which he did and they in turn confirmed that the line set was defective however they gave him a price estimate that was 1/3 less than the first  estimate  given. Instead of running the lines the way the first company suggested they decided to run the lines in a ditch underground, along the
outside of the condo, then up the wall (see photo #1) then into the condo, across the bedroom ceiling (see photo #2), then re-connect them to the air handler (see photo #3) all of which could be done far less costly than the first estimate. He elected to go with the more economic estimate and ended up with a significant savings. This line set problem, although not a common every day occurrence, seems to be happening more often as buildings and A/C units get older. The moral of this posting is to "always get a second opinion" and don't rely on the first estimate. 
Meanwhile we just added a photo below of what the bedroom looks like after the A/C line set was enclosed. Great job huh?

Casrport Disaster

BEWARE!...If you live in a condo with carport parking be very, very careful when backing out of a parking space or you'll end up with the cost of replacing the carport support (see photo) to say nothing of what the cost of getting the damage to your car repaired. The photo left shows the results of what can happen if you're not careful however they had to tow the vehicle away before we had a chance to take a photo of the damage to the car.

A/C Drain Problems?

Came across this flyer on the bulletin board at one of the condo buildings where we check units. It's an offer from Service America at two price points. During the course of checking units, over time, we have encountered a number of clogged drain lines which can cause one of two problems...the condensation from the A/C fails to drain properly and backs up into the condo causing a flood or it causes the kill switch that many of the newer A/C units have and shuts down the A/C completely. If you haven't had your A/C serviced for awhile it might be worth looking into by contacting them at 1-800-314-4621.

Car Left in Garage

One of our clients in a home at Lely Resort leaves a car with a convertible top in their garage with the battery disconnected and windows and doors tightly closed. Because the garage isn't temperature controlled with A/C we regularly poke our nose inside the car to make sure there are no problems. Because of the lack of air conditioning in the garage it has always had a musty odor but there was nothing we could do to improve the situation. Several weeks ago we checked the car as always and we discovered the start of mold/mildew on the center console as shown in the photo. We contacted the owner and decided the only course of action was to leave the doors open and place a Damp-Rid container inside. Fortunately allowing the car to air out along with adding the Damp-Rid all signs of mildew have subsided. Keeping our fingers cross that things stay that way!

Mystery Water Intrusion

Checked in on a condo at the Naples Boat Club and discovered a small puddle of water on the floor. Tried to determine the source but was mystified. Since we have had a few driving rain storms the only conclusion we could come to was that it came from the slider doors. We're keeping a close eye on any reoccurances but since we first discovered the problem things have been staying dry.