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Message
AC evaporator coil replacement costs - home warranty related
Posted on 7/5/23 at 4:29 pm
Posted on 7/5/23 at 4:29 pm
One of my AC units is 34 years old (!) with a slow leak in the evap coil. I had it charged up last summer and it worked really well up until this heat wave. I believe I could pay a couple hundred bucks for a recharge each spring and get a few more years out of it.
Anyway, we have a home warranty contract and the diagnosis was of course a leaky evap coil, which is covered. What pisses me off is they have an exception for "modifications" required to install equipment and somehow they're racking up over $2,000 in costs for this.
I'm not spending $2k on a 34 year old air conditioner, so I have a different contractor coming out for a second opinion/estimate soon.
I know there are a lot of variables here, but am I wrong in thinking $2k is absurd for whatever modifications need to be made to change an evap coil when supposedly the cost of the coil itself and the labor to remove the old and install the new coil are covered?
I know this company replaces entire systems when necessary, so in the meantime I'm just letting it run its arse off hoping it somehow dies a natural death. I don't know what it will take to kill this thing.
Anyway, we have a home warranty contract and the diagnosis was of course a leaky evap coil, which is covered. What pisses me off is they have an exception for "modifications" required to install equipment and somehow they're racking up over $2,000 in costs for this.
I'm not spending $2k on a 34 year old air conditioner, so I have a different contractor coming out for a second opinion/estimate soon.
I know there are a lot of variables here, but am I wrong in thinking $2k is absurd for whatever modifications need to be made to change an evap coil when supposedly the cost of the coil itself and the labor to remove the old and install the new coil are covered?
I know this company replaces entire systems when necessary, so in the meantime I'm just letting it run its arse off hoping it somehow dies a natural death. I don't know what it will take to kill this thing.
9
Posted on 7/5/23 at 4:47 pm to Korkstand
Looks like spend $2k or buy a new one which is much more. I'm guessing part of your problem is the refrigerant. Not sure they can install new coils that use the old stuff. Maybe I'm wrong but I think it's the government you should be mad at not the warranty company.
This post was edited on 7/5/23 at 4:50 pm
Posted on 7/5/23 at 4:47 pm to Korkstand
I hate that I can't help you, but just wanted to stop in and say frick home warranty companies. The real slimy cocksuckers of the world.
Posted on 7/5/23 at 4:49 pm to Korkstand
honestly, just bite the bullet and get a new unit 
I just did it for a 2.5 and 2 ton unit and best decision ever. My units were 20 years old and struggled with last years heat wave similar to this years.
I just did it for a 2.5 and 2 ton unit and best decision ever. My units were 20 years old and struggled with last years heat wave similar to this years.
Posted on 7/5/23 at 4:54 pm to Korkstand
We had a home in the Dallas area with a 2 year old Goodman AC system. The evap coil froze up and had to be replaced. It was under warranty but labor and refrigerant were not included. My costs???? $1500.00. I later learned the POS evap coil was less than $500.00.
I hate Goodman and swear I will never own another. We have Lennox systems here in La and hope they perform better.
I hate Goodman and swear I will never own another. We have Lennox systems here in La and hope they perform better.
Posted on 7/5/23 at 4:55 pm to LEASTBAY
quote:They haven't said a word about the refrigerant or the cost of the coil. Seems to be strictly sheetmetal modifications in the uncovered costs.
I'm guessing part of your problem is the refrigerant. Not sure they can install new coils that use the old stuff. Maybe I'm wrong but I think it's the government you should be mad at not the warranty company.
Posted on 7/5/23 at 5:04 pm to Baers Foot
quote:I agree. As a rule I never buy extended or additional warranties for anything, but in this case when we bought the house this AC unit was already 29 years old and we had confirmed with multiple people that this company does indeed replace whole systems when needed, so I thought it would pay off.
just wanted to stop in and say frick home warranty companies. The real slimy cocksuckers of the world.
This is the line in the contract that they are sticking me with:
quote:
Partial Exclusions from Coverage and Certain Additional Fees
4. .....
b. Costs of construction, carpentry, or other modifications necessary to remove, relocate, or install equipment
That after claiming to cover this:
quote:
1. AIR CONDITIONING INCLUDING DUCTWORK
COVERED: All components and parts of the following air conditioning systems: Ducted central electric split and package units – Geothermal – Wall
air conditioners – Mini-splits. With regard to ductwork, except as otherwise noted herein, the following are covered: Plenums – Dampers –
Damper-only controls – Leaks or breaks in ductwork (sheet metal, duct board, and flex duct including vapor barrier) from heating and/or air
conditioning unit(s) including registers or grills.
But they are saying they don't cover sheetmetal modifications that may be required in order to install a new covered item. And apparently those modifications cost two thousand dollars.
Posted on 7/5/23 at 5:05 pm to gaetti15
quote:That is what I want to do, but I want the warranty company to pay for it.
honestly, just bite the bullet and get a new unit
Posted on 7/5/23 at 5:09 pm to Korkstand
quote:
They haven't said a word about the refrigerant or the cost of the coil. Seems to be strictly sheetmetal modifications in the uncovered costs.
A 34-year-old unit (that would be circa 1990) is probably originally R-22 so I am surprised they aren't recommending you change out the unit. I would recommend that, personally, and not simply repairing the evaporator coils if you can afford it.
Posted on 7/5/23 at 5:18 pm to Korkstand
Just to clarify, excluding the modifications they say you need, does the home warranty contract actually cover the part (evap coil), labor and refrigerant, and not just the part?
ETA: My bad you said labor is covered. Is refrigerant? I could visualize for unit that old that was built like a tank, that a replacement evaporator coil might be much larger in size requiring a new cased coil, that does not match in size the old one requiring a good bit of sheet modification to the supply plenum to make the system fit. But……
ETA: My bad you said labor is covered. Is refrigerant? I could visualize for unit that old that was built like a tank, that a replacement evaporator coil might be much larger in size requiring a new cased coil, that does not match in size the old one requiring a good bit of sheet modification to the supply plenum to make the system fit. But……
This post was edited on 7/5/23 at 5:36 pm
Posted on 7/5/23 at 5:21 pm to mdomingue
quote:It was and still is R-22. Talking "off the record" with the contractor that came out, the warranty company makes them do things a certain way, and if I were a regular cash customer the recommended course of action would be to replace the whole thing. Because of course spending $2k (plus like $1k that they are covering) to still be left with a 34 year old compressor and 34 year old condenser coil and 34 year old furnace and 34 year old blower and using a refrigerant that is no longer made wouldn't make a whole lot of sense.
A 34-year-old unit (that would be circa 1990) is probably originally R-22 so I am surprised they aren't recommending you change out the unit. I would recommend that, personally, and not simply repairing the evaporator coils if you can afford it.
Posted on 7/5/23 at 5:21 pm to Korkstand
Home warranties are a complete rip off. When I bought my first house many years ago, the seller paid for a home warranty at the closing as an incentive for the deal. I thought it was great until I discovered a gas leak in the gas line leading into the fireplace. The made a huge hole in the sheetrock in the adjoining bedroom to get to the gas line and fix it, which they didn't repair when they were done. When I said something about it, they pointed out the contract did not require them to repair the damage they caused to get to the problem.
Posted on 7/5/23 at 5:28 pm to CrawDude
quote:It covers the coil, labor (past the $125 service fee), and $10/lb for refrigerant. I'm just finding out that they only cover the labor for very specific tasks.
Just to clarify, excluding the modifications they say you need, does the home warranty contract actually cover the part (evap coil), labor and refrigerant, and not just the part?
Posted on 7/5/23 at 5:31 pm to jfw3535
quote:That is my view of all extended/additional warranties, otherwise they wouldn't sell them. I just thought this one would pay off.
Home warranties are a complete rip off.
quote:That is crazy
When I bought my first house many years ago, the seller paid for a home warranty at the closing as an incentive for the deal. I thought it was great until I discovered a gas leak in the gas line leading into the fireplace. The made a huge hole in the sheetrock in the adjoining bedroom to get to the gas line and fix it, which they didn't repair when they were done. When I said something about it, they pointed out the contract did not require them to repair the damage they caused to get to the problem.
Posted on 7/5/23 at 5:37 pm to Korkstand
(no message)
Posted on 7/5/23 at 5:54 pm to Korkstand
quote:
It covers the coil, labor (past the $125 service fee), and $10/lb for refrigerant. I'm just finding out that they only cover the labor for very specific tasks.
OK - not sure how much much refrigerant your system uses, but older units used more refrigerant than modern units, and R-22 is over $100 a pound, and if only $10 per pound is covered you easily be in for $1K in refrigerant alone not covered by warranty.
Also older unit coils, built like a like a tank, were smaller than todays higher efficiency coils, so I can visualize a good bit of sheet metal work to the supply plenum required to fit a new, larger size cased coil - assuming that’s the case - into a unit that is 30+ years old.
Clearly, I’m only speculating, but I could potentially see where you have a couple $K of legitimate costs not covered by warranty.
This post was edited on 7/5/23 at 5:56 pm
Posted on 7/5/23 at 6:19 pm to CrawDude
quote:I don't know much about refrigerants, but the unit says 78oz R-22 which I assume means about 5 lbs. Regardless, they spelled out that the out of pocket refrigerant costs will be on top of the $2k for repairs.
OK - not sure how much much refrigerant your system uses, but older units used more refrigerant than modern units, and R-22 is over $100 a pound, and if only $10 per pound is covered you easily be in for $1K in refrigerant alone not covered by warranty.
quote:I can't see $2k worth, but that makes sense that it might be a lot of work. However to me that's all the more reason to toss the whole thing. As noted above, they claim to cover plenums / sheetmetal ductwork. Wonder if they would cover it if for some reason it rapidly oxidized...
Also older unit coils, built like a like a tank, were smaller than todays higher efficiency coils, so I can visualize a good bit of sheet metal work to the supply plenum required to fit a new, larger size cased coil - assuming that’s the case - into a unit that is 30+ years old.
Posted on 7/5/23 at 7:15 pm to Korkstand
If they replace the evaporator coil, that new coil can work with either freon
22 or 410a, with either a txv change or a piston change.
Therefore, you are good for the future.
If they have to put a 22 txv valve in, SAVE the 410a valve that they take out, for the future.
You do not need to buy more R22.
Recover remaining 22, change the liquid line filter/dryer, test with nitrogen for gauge drop 100 psi. If no leak, let nitrogen out. Vacuum deep 1-1.5 hrs
Refill with R 427a. Excellent freon.
I assume you have Gas heat, because the evap coil is a separate component.
To do it right, they will need to get a sheet m adapter made ( furnace-to-coil) , and a new cold air plenum, and recut all them circles. No junky patch work make fit crap. Not by me.
22 or 410a, with either a txv change or a piston change.
Therefore, you are good for the future.
If they have to put a 22 txv valve in, SAVE the 410a valve that they take out, for the future.
You do not need to buy more R22.
Recover remaining 22, change the liquid line filter/dryer, test with nitrogen for gauge drop 100 psi. If no leak, let nitrogen out. Vacuum deep 1-1.5 hrs
Refill with R 427a. Excellent freon.
I assume you have Gas heat, because the evap coil is a separate component.
To do it right, they will need to get a sheet m adapter made ( furnace-to-coil) , and a new cold air plenum, and recut all them circles. No junky patch work make fit crap. Not by me.
This post was edited on 7/5/23 at 7:19 pm
Posted on 7/5/23 at 7:24 pm to EF Hutton
Good info, thanks.
So now I have a follow-up question... if I do this and I'm on the hook for $2k sheetmetal work, then later (next year?) I end up needing to get a new furnace or blower or whatever, how much will I have blown up the cost once I get it all new in the attic? Like am I doubling the total cost of replacement doing it piecemeal vs all at once?
I do. For replacement though I'm kind of considering a heat pump, but that would require a different coil right?
So now I have a follow-up question... if I do this and I'm on the hook for $2k sheetmetal work, then later (next year?) I end up needing to get a new furnace or blower or whatever, how much will I have blown up the cost once I get it all new in the attic? Like am I doubling the total cost of replacement doing it piecemeal vs all at once?
quote:
I assume you have Gas heat, because the evap coil is a separate component.
I do. For replacement though I'm kind of considering a heat pump, but that would require a different coil right?
This post was edited on 7/5/23 at 7:27 pm
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