If You Knew This, You Wouldn't Get an Air Conditioner Inspection
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- čas přidán 16. 07. 2024
- Let me tell you why you should not get an air conditioner inspection or an A/C tune up every year. Most HVAC companies will highly recommend getting an annual AC check up done but they are actually not needed and not necessary. Often times they even do more harm then good! Of course there are honest companies out there who provide the value intended when it comes to air conditioner inspections but there are just as many companies who simply see them as an opportunity to upsell something. I talk more about that in the video. Let me know what you think in the comments!
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#furnace #airconditioner #appliancerepair #heating #airconditioning #hvac #wordofadvicetv #acinspection #airconditionerinspection
After going through a few hundred comments I thought I should clarify a few things. Air conditioner inspections are a good idea and preventative maintenance does prevent future breakdowns. The reason I say that most people should not get them is because a lot of companies nowadays use these inspections or tune ups as simply an opportunity to upsell. For most people, your chances of not having extra problems or spending a lot of money are higher if you simply avoid inspections and do the basic maintenance yourself. Such as change your filter, wash the condenser coil, and flush the condensate drain. In this video I purposely did not go into details but every HVAC tech that has been in the industry for some time will likely know what I am talking about. Unless they worked their whole career in an honest company that was not sales driven and never got the chance to see the other side. Personally I know this firsthand because when I was a new tech I worked for a company like that and I had plenty of fellow HVAC guys who shared their stories with me as well. I was never comfortable writing up giant estimates after inspections (optional repairs or upgrades that were usually not really necessary) but it's what I was taught and urged to do. If the unit was over 8 years old, one of the options would always be a new unit. I was even instructed to use different names for parts so customers had a hard time looking it up in case they wanted to order the part themselves. (For example, a capacitor would be called something weird like a "high voltage storage device") I am not proud of participating in stuff like that and am happy that I left that place after a year. This was a huge reputable company by the way. Of course I am not saying that all companies are shady. There are great companies out there and good honest techs. And getting new parts or a new air conditioner is essentially great preventative maintenance. If money is not an issue and you can afford it, then these tune-ups are actually not so bad, even if they upsell you stuff.
When it comes to residential air conditioners, most breakdowns can be fixed by the homeowner themselves if they simply watched a few videos. It usually only gets too complicated when there is a refrigeration issue. Circling back to where I started, I think for most people AC inspections are not worth it. Do the simple preventative maintenance yourself and deal with the repairs as they come up. Here are a few videos that can help with that:
15 A/C Maintenance Tips: czcams.com/video/pBBnXHse-T0/video.html
Air Filter Questions Answered: czcams.com/video/uPaZvHp4L2Y/video.html
How to Clean Condenser Coil: czcams.com/video/pzwOvgjwm_Q/video.html
How to Replace a Capacitor: czcams.com/video/9ZGfvC-PMWU/video.html
How to Replace a Contactor: czcams.com/video/qHZc9wWAF4c/video.html
When Should A/C be Replaced: czcams.com/video/Z7vUOySOWbM/video.html
What SEER A/C is Best: czcams.com/video/yEo3wu1-J6I/video.html
Basic A/C Troubleshooting: czcams.com/video/wzAA4dlp_70/video.html
I was a service tech for 35 years and I agree 100%.
I’m an Air Conditioning Mechanic and after I install a new system I tell the customer that the only maintenance they need to do is clean the filter regularly and every now and then make sure the outdoor coil is not blocked up. So I agree with this video 100%.
Rip off people won't like this GENTLEMAN because he speaks and help with the truth
Great points made. I paid $130 for an annual service plan. I cancelled it after they kept trying to upsale or get me to buy one of their services during every visit.
Thank you God! I've worked residential HVAC for 14 yrs. and I've always felt and said everything you're saying. Thank you for this video.
I'm a retired Rf tech. I totally agree with everything you spoke about. I've always had plenty of work and never offered to do a preventative maintenance (scam) for a customer. Yes, we all know it's a scam. Good for you for speaking up about it.
I agree. My unit has been working for 25 years. I'm afraid that anyone who touches it will break it. Or worse, an unethical technician might break it on purpose.
A decade ago, my mom fell for a free inspection feeler. A few hours later (Friday afternoon, of course) her system was blowing hot, tried to sell her a new system (heat pump AC) as hers was 11 years old, claimed that was their lifetime. So I went over the next day and up onto her roof to look inside the unit's cabinet as no air at all was coming out of her vents; her evaporator coils were all frozen over with ice, blocking the air flow. I let all that ice melt, then system would operate, so I told her call that company and demand that they "fix" it for no charge as they accidentally or deliberately did something to cause that. They fixed it Monday, no charge. I agree with Jay on this topic; however in the "old days", many condenser fans did need their bearings lubed periodically.
27 years before mine had any kind of maintenance, & it’s a bottom of the line. Freon had leaked out.
@robsimmons7650 Thank you sir for sharing your knowledge. I'm studying for Section 608 certification. My goal is to replace the unit myself when the time comes.
The most important thing for the homeowner to do is 1- change the air filter on regular basis 2- don't close the registers to restrict the air flow. ACs are like people...If you choke them, they die :):).
Airflow in all important parts of the system and ducting is the most important thing in ACs. Correct.
Been an hvac tech for a while now. All very good points and the bit about getting in the door is not far off. It has been mentioned tho that they are required by the manufacturer for warranty purposes. Home warranty companies (atleast in my area, California) could also void warranty if maintenance is an issue. That being said. My best advice to a homeowner that wants to make sure a good job is done...follow the tech around. Ask questions and be engaged in the process. A shady guy will be uncomfortable. A good one will include you. I love it when homeowners join me and watch me. Gives me an opportunity to educate them on how to care for their ac systems, plus company is nice. One more red flag...as soon as the words " you need" come out of a techs mouth be careful. Our job is not to tell you what you need. You know what you need. We are there to inform and educate. You make the decisions.
Following us around is cool and all but sometimes it can get to the point of annoying as well
@@mikewhocheeseharry2459 I can agree with that. I'm just thinking from the homeowners perspective, especially one that has been burned by a..shall we say..perhaps less than qualified tech. When I have had a homeowner do that, afterwards they will call the company and request that I return for any future calls. When I come back, they leave me alone and just pet me work. But, again, I can totally see your point.
Hi word of advice. I shared this story here before on one of your other videos but I'll share it again long story short. I have 2 ac units. Local HVAC company come out and tells me the " it's old and needs to be replaced". $12k later, 1 furnace and 1 ac unit replaced. A year later, I started having issues with my other unit. Called them out again and the same trick, " it's old and needs to be replaced". They said another $12k. After watching your videos, I come to find out it was my blower fan that needed to be replaced which cost $260 and couple mins of my time watching your video. Just last month, I had them come out for the "yearly checkup" as they kept calling me to schedule which I did. All they did was wash my unit, which I just did, and made me turn on my furnace and said yea it's good so I don't need to do anything. 1 hr of washing my unit and $500 yearly maintenance. He did find a leak in the unit they replaced prior and tried to charge me to fix it but I told him they were the ones who installed so shouldn't there be some kind of warranty? Lucky I did mention that so they fixed it for no charge. I'm never going to call them again.
You saved me with a shady guy I used to install an expensive new Trane that never worked correctly. The coil had a huge hole in it, so it had to be replaced. Then the electrical totally burned out in the exterior unit. Luckily the warranty replaced them for free. Still, I had leaking inside and it constantly cycled off and on.He thought I needed a sump pump outside. Then I saw your video about turning the blower down. The problem created by him was solved. Thank you very much.
You are 100% correct. Friends and family ask me all the time to look at their unit, and I always ask why? Change your filter and let me know if it's not working. Otherwise, don't waste your money. Residential maintenance is usually a waste of money unless you have a dryer vent next to the condenser:(
Constant Teen… that’s funny!! Most people probably don’t know who Constantine was.
Thanks for all of your videos!! It’s so nice to hear an honest voice in the world. Mad respect. ❤
You are spot on. An HVAC tech inspected our old ac, a generic, and suggested it be upgraded because the fan was pulling at maximum capacity. I asked him what he would do if it were his unit and he said he would keep the unit and repair as needed.
Fellow HVAC tech here. Tune-ups definitely do very little for the life expectancy of a unit. What they really do is if you have a bad part, you get to change it at a prescheduled time and only have the AC off for an hour or so, versus having it fail while you’re at work and coming home to a hot house and waiting until tomorrow for a tech to come out and fix it (or pay a premium for after hours fees.) For some people, that’s worth it. I also think there’s a misconception, because with cars there a lot of actual maintenance to do like oil changes, air and cabin filters, MAF sensor and throttle body cleanings, greasing bearings, coolant flushed, etc. Most people know very little about their HVAC systems and assume it’s more along those lines when in all actuality the only “work” to do on an AC is change the filter, flush the condensate drain, and wash the coils. If you do want a tune up, my advice is to never get one that costs under $80 because the fifty dollar specials get you nothing but a salesman with a tool bag.
I agree, tho i dont normally touch anything under 10tons, pms are easy way to prevent future headache for the customer. Telling people to do this themselves could get em killed.
@@napalm3039 Well....if the homeowner has zero understanding of electricity and doesn't know what a mulitmeter is, sure. But the things that die the most are the cap and the contactor. Those aren't hard to replace, and you really need to hump the bunk to kill yourself doing it. The service compartment of a home AC is pretty simple.
Agreed 97% ish...
I built my company on being up front and honest. Which keeps long term clients and builds trust and referrals. The dishonesty prevently in the trade, keeps me busy. Maintenance done by a professional is recommended especially checking and replacing capacitors. Doing some of this themselves is dangerous and they don't end up keeping up with it to the detriment of the system.
The tech and the company are very important factors. There is no need for me to be dishonest where I work. The people who hire us, hired us because they care about quality and feel like it’s worth it. Of course if they can’t afford quality, they should learn to do it themselves. This video honestly ticked me off because I’ve seen so many different real life situations where a technician was really needed.
I'm an hvac maintenance tech and your spot on, my company says if we don't sell $1000 a day we are not profitable for the company! Tampa Florida.
I would find my way out of there fast.
My company wanted $1,200-$1,800 I was able to to $950-$2,000 a day but with repairs sometimes
You Must work for Bayonet?
@User-be5yj so if you're just maintenance tech and go to 5 tuneups for 99 dollars each. You find nothing wrong with 3 of 5 and the last two had maybe a pound of freon and capacitor. How are you suppose to make a minimum of 1000 out of that and not be vulture
With uv , surge protection, hard start, any extra add ons.
I think this true for most people who subscribe to your channel. Those are also some great tips at the end of the video about what the homeowners can do to maintain their own AC. ❤
Thank you, thank you, thank you. For over a half century, I have managed properties in Arizona, Texas, and Calif. Thousands of AC units. I 100 % agree with you. Thank you for being so honest. You are right on. 😊
Thanks for this! Friday our 2 year old AC not working everything running except the compressor. This was after a power spike. Turned all breakers off then on to reset. Let it set powered down about 4 hours. Called installation company, they can't come out until Monday. Long story short, powered it back up and it is working better than before. I surmise the Safe-T-Switch sensed a condensation water build up and shut down the compressor. Have been debating having the company come out anyway to inspect, but after this video I'm going to cancel the visit. I did clean out the drain pipe to prevent this again & I have 3M Filtrete filters delivered to the house every 3 months.
Thanks again for the advice and helping me save at least a $100 inspection/service trip charge.
So basically, we ended up paying to get scammed. Thank you for the ethics and your videos. Always great content.
Last time the. guy even cut the blower wire , and try to sell us a new unit, we get the other to find out , the first guy is owner son from the big company.
Hooking up gauges is the worst thing to do if your delta tee is good what’s the point..contactor and cap should be checked periodically.. you’re right about annual inspections are usually a waste of time.. I usually check my capacitor contactor like every other year.. i’ve been in the field 30 years.. I only did residential many years ago for a short time and we never upsell nothing it wasn’t the practice but nowadays it’s a common practice you’re right.
This guy is big time. I took his advice some years ago on testing pressure and charging a unit. He got me through a lot of successful service calls
Thank you for this presentation! I am now coming up on my second year with a substantial Mitsubishi split system (42k btu.) which is also my primary heat source as well. I LOVE my HVAC guys, they are very neat and complete about this install, and we had great conversation and they answered my questions during there couple of days at my home.
They offered their service plan a few days later via a phone call from the office. I asked how much that annual service was going to be, I simply said, "lets take a rain check on it".
There really isn't much to do when It comes to these modern / efficient systems. So, twice now, I have SIMPLY taken the front grill off the outdoor units, removed the single nut to the fan, and gently cleaned and flushed the coil from inside and out being careful to stay away from the electronics cabinet. Washed the fan, grill and damp wiped the outer case, and both units look like new as they are under protective panels, so they never get wet or snowed on. Inside, I keep after the filters in the four air handlers and that is about it.
Just this week, installed an MHK-2 remote thermostat to the main air handler, tested it's location in the long hallway, and found the sweet spot. Could not be happier. My HVAC contractors have not called since the original installation back in Sept. 2021 👍 Thanks for reading my longish story.
Honestly I think it depends on what company you have come out and do an inspection. The bigger companies are going to try and sell parts and equipment just like you said. Best thing to do as a homeowner is research on local companies. Also learning how to do simple seasonal maintenance on your AC/Furnace.
The world needs more technicians like you. I was thinking of arranging a tune up recently, last week to be exact. I'm trying to get my air conditioner to work again. Thank you.
Ugh! I wished you posted this a month earlier. I had my 6 year old ac unit inspected last month. No issues were detected. This week the AC stopped cooling. Called another company and they detected a small leak in AC coil. Pictures of the leak were provided. We have a 5 ton unit and most of the freon was depleted. Rather then replace the coil we opted for a leak sealant and replenished the unit with 5 lbs of freon (very expensive). The initial inspection did not detect a loss of pressure- due to a leak. They claimed to have inspected the coil last month. However, since this was a slow leak- I feel some indication of a leak should have been present. Anyway, I am not accusing or blaming the inspection of malfeasance (tampering with the coil) or incompetence but it did raise a question of why this went unnoticed since it was supposedly a slow leak. Thank- you for your excellent, informative videos.
Wish I'd seen this before shelling out over $1,200.00 last year for "maintenance" on an older unit that was working fine until I signed up for a contract, then suspiciously all kinds of problems were "discovered". I'm a senior citizen and we can be trusting, but I refuse to continue falling for this nonsense. Thanks for your honesty and information
You are completely right and honest. Anyone can replace a capacitor or contactor, which are those things who breakow mostly often.
Important to mention is once a year clan the pipe which carries the condensed watter.
Thank you for your video.
Thank you for being honest- Annual AC inspection is a scam/ Also, developers are installing knowingly undersized AC units for new developments with local agencies approval without telling the new buyers.
Bought my 1st house and had a company service for seasonal "maintenance" for $1500 a year. Then told me I needed a new capacitor etc. for my 3 yearold system and should take a loan for "premium parts" .... all i did was change my air filter and it went back to being just fine. THANK YOU FOR YOU VIDEOS
I believe it! My -use-to-be HVAC guy did a 'maintenace' check on my perfectly running central air unit. He said it needed more freon. A week or two later it stopped putting out cool air. He came back, said unit was shot, old. Gave price for new one. I called another HVAC guy. After checking it he said unit was fine but it had way too much refrigerant added. He took it out to normal level. Been over ten years and this old unit still running strong. Always question expensive 'fixes' or replacements.
I agree!! Some hvac companies must be trained like used car salesman.
I never got an a/c inspection. Mine lived for 24 years. I think the problem, based on YOUR excellent videos, is the fan motor. So I'm going to buy a new fan motor and put it on, hope to be back in business for another 24 yrs. Thanks so much Jay!
I don't think you missed out on anything. 😅 Good luck with the repair and just like you said, may it last you for another 24 years, problem-free! Stay cool! ❄❄
I totally agree with you. I was a licensed home inspector ant that is exactly what I told my clients. Did an inspection about 7 years ago AC condenser was approximately 31 years old. Just heard from the client a month ago the AC is now about 38 years and cooling (his words) like a meat storage freezer. 😅
I been in the business for a fair time now and he is spot on all big companies will basically force their techs to do so most small local companies will be honest get your local companies to do a service if you need to you will get an honest stimate
I agree with MOST of your stuff buuuut keep in mind manufacturers like Lennox, Carrier, Trane, and others do reserve the right to deny warranty claims IF units have not been maintained by a pro. That’s why we offer virtual inspections (VIMs) for a fraction of the cost of most companies. Keep cool folks 😎
EXACTLY! My unit is 25 years old and I just do the maintenance you have suggested, even got a spare capacitor. Now, I do have Home Heating Oil for my heater and have maintenance on that every year. We appreciate all your videos, many thanks!!!!!
You are 100% correct on NOT getting a annual A/C inspection, especially if they are going to hook up their gages to the unit. I had a guy come out, hook up his gages, check the pressures, & then vent all of the liquid refrigerant out of the high-side hose into the atmosphere! If this is done on a annual basis the unit will definitely become low on refrigerant. The biggest profit is probably in selling a new A/C unit. They can even willingly or unwillingly sabotage the unit & then recommend that you buy a new one from them. The age of the unit (in my opinion) only matters when there's a hole in the evaporator or condenser & you have to replace one or both. There really isn't that many parts that fail, you just need the expertise to troubleshoot the problem your system is having. That's where your videos come in! Keep up the good work because we DIYers need your tips to keep our systems working!
i always looked at maintenance as "pay me to come find something wrong with your condensing unit"
I wish you could have lived in my town. In fact, I have been following your word of advice and my 18 years-old unit is still working fantastic! Thousands of thanks to your honesty and caring heart!!
Jay is as honest as the day is long! GREAT advice from someone who REALLY knows!!!
I'm pretty sure I was defrauded last year after an AC inspection at our vacation condo. Happened while I was away. The building manager "took care of it" for us.
Inspection took place. All checked out fine. But then we get an alert a couple of days later from our utility company, saying our power usage had suddenly skyrocketed. AC firm comes back, says we have a freon leak. Says we need to replace a leaking freon line and refill freon for $2k.
We were away for several months, so we felt there was no choice but to say, "Yes, do it."
When I finally returned, damned if I could find where the freon line had been replaced. It looked exactly the same as the original line. No new welding, no shiny new metal.
The same firm did another AC inspection this year. I was present this time. The tech, who seemed like an honest guy, couldn't identify where the prior work was done. He called his supervisor to confirm that the work was done. Was told it was, but had no ability to identify where. Agreed with me that he couldn't find any evidence that a portion of the line had been replaced.
The lesson: Don't get your AC inspected. Do your own maintenance and repair what you can on your own.
Oh man.. Sorry to hear about all that AC trouble. Thanks for sharing your story. Unfortunately this type of thing is not rare so its good that people like you share their experience so that others will be vigilant.
I had angelic air inspect my air conditioning unit that was working great. When they left I had no air conditioning they said I needed new unit. Called a honest repair service and they fixed my unit and it's been 3 years and works great!!!! Never get an inspection
I'm a comfort advisor for an hvac company and can say this is Def true, lol. But, at times, can replace the ac if it's 15 years old and the home owner just wants to be proactive and get it replaced before it breaks down on the hottest day of the year. Taking old appliances apart and putting them back together you can certainly break down that system
The only big issue I have is that most manufacturers will require annual maintenance as a condition of their warranty. I have run into this as an issue once. The manufacturer didn't honor the warranty because the homeowner wasn't having the maintenance done.
@anthonydefex3465 I doubt the manufacturer would honor the homeowner doing it though.
@Kman-hw9pf there wasn't any maintenance being done whatsoever. I do my own maintenance as I am a certified tech. I even verified with the manufacture if that was an issue and they responded that it wasn't an issue as long as I am certified. I had to replace my board on the air handler. It was covered under warranty.
My installer implied that my Trane warranty required inspections.
@@mikebrock1965 I would call Trane directly and have that chat with them AND read your warranty paperwork
Trane/American Standard definitely requires routine maintenance to maintain extended warranty and I’ve had them ask for maintenance records for things like compressor failure. Mitsubishi also does as well.
20 plus years as a mechanical engineer who do HVAC on the side .. I believe maintenance is needed for all machines and HVAC equipment when is performed the right way. Is very important to be honest!!
You are 100 % right. I read this about 40 years ago. Thanks for being honest.♥️🇺🇸🇺🇸
Hey, thank you so much!!!! This video is so informative! We have an OLD unit that does a much better job than our other unit on other side of house. I’ve been thinking we should have it inspected because it’s so old but not now! I will be watching more of your videos. You are clear, go straight to the point, and give great info. Thanks again!!! 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
As usual , you hit all the nails on the head in my personal experience. Whatever I did not know how to maintain or fix , I learned from your videos. Save your money for when you really have a problem.
I own a ac company and yes I agree with you
Thanks for this video. My HVAC guy told me, while he was servicing my furnace this past winter and I mentioned about him doing the AC in the spring (furnace and AC original from 1985) he said, if it's working fine, don't worry about it. He didn't mention why and considering he serviced the AC 2 years prior and at that time mentioned it was a very good unit. Your video explained it well, thanks for honestly! New subscriber added!
Almost perfect, anti DYI I'm retired after of 35 years in the industry (mostly commercial) I still look twice when changing a cap.
They only want to get their foot in the door!!!!!😂😂😂
Thanks again for the videos!
😐👍🏻🍺🍺🍺🥃🥃🇺🇲
Thank you for being honest. So many people get hooked into buying new ac unit when they really don’t need it. It’s like going in to a car repair center for a free inspection and coming out with a huge estimate of what they think you need💙
Unfortunately there are so many shady companies/hvac techs that take advantage of people who just don’t know. Don’t ever leave there side. Make them prove something needs replacing. If they replace your unit do not let them have the old unit unless they want to pay you for it
Your video is spot on. I tell this same story to everyone who asks. Once your ac or heat pump has been commissioned by a qualified technician you should never have to repair unless you have a mechanical or electrical failure. Always check your temperatures before opening refrigerant system. Make sure indoor and outdoor coils are clean electrical connections tight filters clean and you should have years of use from system.
Thank you for the honesty. I have enjoyed watching your thorough and very knowledgeable videos. Its help me keep my 38 yr old ac running good.
Your video is counterintuitive but when you break it down it makes sense. Thank you.
Sir, You , you are very honest , sincere and couragous AC technician.
I have to explain this to so many people. Honestly tired of doing so. Going to save this video and send the link from now on.
Just like in anything you inspect your vehicle and start moving things around and few days later 💥 bam!! I have been there…and thank you so much for your advice to have a spare capacitor for when it quits working…that’s very appreciated and you are right storms it can damage your garage door opener, your motion sensor flood lights, any timer in your house 😢😢😢😢
Awesome advice I learned a few years ago from an AC tech friend. Prior to that, I once had an annual inspection done and six months later a wire burned through the copper tubing. I lost all of my freon and burned up the unit. A tie wrap failed on the wire bundle. I do my own inspections now and I replace the tie wraps if they look dry. That inspection I paid for was a waste of money.
Nice video. In some cases, the same can be said for your furnace. I have a capacitor and a flame sensor in my tool box. My heat stopped working and I called out a firm I had used the only time I had an annual inspection who had a special for the reason you mentioned. Coldest winter in my ten years here, in a fairly warm climate so not the end of the world. Heat would not work, they changed the control board $500, were trying to change the gas valve, would have been another $500 but technician couldn't get it off, they left and and then didn't hear from them for a month of using space heaters. Called the original installer of hundreds of units in my neighborhood and asked for a tech who had fixed a warranty issue two others had failed to fix. He pulls out the flame sensor, cleans it off and off we go, no problem. $10 part. I was getting bills for the control panel and called the original HVAC company and he agreed they had failed me. I offered to pay him $250, about his cost for the controller and told him I would stay off social media. He agreed and we parted ways. Finding an honest plumber around here is just as hard.
Most of the time the yearly tune up offer has the ultimate goal of getting your ac replaced with a new one. They will damage your system to get to that goal
Great video. I was on a Facebook group and said that in a hvac group and some of them got really pissed off lol. I think blow out the condenser, change filter, flush drain with hot water, and check the difference in temp between the return air and supply air. If it’s 15 degrees or more you are aok. I use a laser thermometer.
A decade ago, my mom fell for a free inspection feeler. A few hours later (Friday afternoon, of course) her system was blowing hot, tried to sell her a new system (heat pump AC) as hers was 11 years old, claimed that was their lifetime. So I went over the next day and up onto her roof to look inside the unit's cabinet as no air at all was coming out of her vents; her evaporator coils were all frozen over with ice, blocking the air flow. I let all that ice melt, then system would operate, so I told her call that company and demand that they "fix" it for no charge as they accidentally or deliberately did something to cause that. They fixed it Monday, no charge. I agree with Jay on this topic; however in the "old days", many condenser fans did need their bearings lubed periodically.
The only annual maintenance I perform is an outdoor unit cleaning I so I do not up sell the customer anything unless the part is bad. Great Information Jay! 👍
Thank you for always being informative and honest. Watching your videos provides much more help and value than any so called inspection would. I would never let them close to my a/c. Even if they paid me he-he.
hands down most useful guy on CZcams for DIYers as usual! Thanks for all the great videos. Keep it up man!
Home owners should learn how to clean the Air Conditioner Condensing unit (The part of the AC that is out side) and obviously replace their air filters. As an HVAC repair technician this information is 100% correct, I no longer work for a company that uses their technicians as sales people. There are some very crafty ways they teach technicians to convince people to invest in repairs that are huge money makers and not necessary. I will say that todays air conditioners are way more energy efficient than a 15 year old one. Inspections, especially FREE ones are a ploy to sell you something.
True! The repair guys cook up stuff, like you need a new AC 😮needs a refrigeratorant. Others change burnt wires without addressing the source of the problem and the wires get burned again. They try to sell you a new system for no reason. Thanks for the video advice. I’d love to learn how to service my 2 large Lennox ACs
I did post that hosing out the condenser and regular filter changes are absolutely necessary before I saw the part where you mentioned that. Great attention to detail, brother! I deleted that post after watching that part. Everyone should watch the whole thing.
Thanks Jay ! I trust your opinion ! Thanks for the honesty and trying to help people. I think you lose some refrigerant each time its checked as well.
You definitely lose at least some refrigerant anytime they hook up your gages to the unit, especially if they don't allow the high-side liquid refrigerant to be drawn into the low-side before disconnecting their gages!
Bro! I love your honesty, and I love your videos! Thank you for all that you do, and I wish you much success in all that you do!
Brother, they are going to hate and criticize you for this! You are totally right! All they want to do is: just sell you stuff and get more money from the customer, keep up with your videos!
You're the best! Thanks for your channel it has helped me and my friends dozens of times!
I'm 72. I agree with you completely! My present home (built in 1991) has a Carrier Tech 2000 A/C unit. It still works perfectly. Of course, it will "eventually" fail, but I'm not going to hasten that by disturbing it unnecessarily. If it ain't broke - don't fix it! Sure - I'd love to know how much debris "might" be partially obstructing my evaporator "A" coil's airflow, but once again, I'm not about to pull out that coil (which is still working just fine) and possibly incurring some leakage by disturbing it. You're wise beyond your years, young man - and honest, too!
Hey That’s the first thing one company and technician did at my House. Your capacitors bad. $300 dollars. Robbery. That was in furnace. I looked at my outdoor AC and purchased extra capacitors myself
Excellent video
I have a 25 year old YORK Stellar 92% HVAC system that has never had a professional "Tune Up". The installer told me that if it is leaking then all the refrigerant will leak out, it won't be just "low". He showed me now to clean the condenser coils which I do every spring using a foam gun and cleaner. On the advice of the installer, he also told me that at least a couple times during the cooling season to run the furnace for about twenty minutes to dry it out and to keep the gas valve and limit switches from getting stuck. During the heating season when it is a warmer day, I run the A/C to keep the compressor lubricated and trouble free. In the time I have owned it I have replaced one igniter, and both capacitors when they were twenty years old as a preventive measure. I did it myself thanks to YT vids. I have never had a set of gauges put on it because the air is ice cold (25 degrees less at the vent compared to the temp at the return). I do replace my filters every month during the time the system is operating and my heat exchanger or evaporator coils have never had any dust on them. .
I learned a ton from you over the years. God bless you Man
You are absolutely right. I have seen it myself. You are a good man speak the true.
I cleaned my outside condenser coils after probably 10 years of not thinking about it. It's a wonder how the unit was functioning with all the matted hair and debris on the outside. I powered down the unit and lifted the fan off to spray from inside out. It has to be working more efficiently now.
replacing contacts regularly is not a terrible idea to keep amp draw low. I'm not talking yearly but maybe biannually. It's also a good idea to tighten connections when the power is off to ensure proper transmission of current. Some condenser units have oil plugs on the fan motor (especially in wall mounts) that can be lubricated with a high-quality compressor or low viscosity grade automotive oil.
The only hvac component that needs annual maintenance is your gas fired furnace. Clean the flame sensor, blow out dust from the burners, test the blower motor capacitor if it is a PSC motor, tape air leaks in ductwork and clean the condensate drain. A dirty flame sensor is the number one service call. For a no heat call, I always go in with tools and a straight and angle flame sensor. Saves a trip to the truck
"just slightly off" is a broad statement. capacitors rating plate states usually + or - 5% is within spec. also the way the ac coil should be cleaned is inside out as its the opposite of the air flow. i do ac maintenance's and while i realize most companies do this to get their foot in the door we do not. when doing an a/c cleaning i check voltage drop across the contactor, amp readings on the condenser fan motor(s), amp readings on the compressor(s) and I also clean the condenser coil. then on the inside I check the furnace filter, the blower wheel for balance and cleanliness, I check a temp drop across the evaporator coil, and I check the amp draw on the blower motor. one thing i do agree with is applying service gauges, gauges do not need to be applied unless there is an issue, not only could this cause potential leaks but also small amounts of refrigerant be removed when using gauges.
Very to the point, thanks for taking your time and recording this.
Thanks Jay you tell it like it is been watching and learning from you for
awhile.
Hello word of advice, I want to say how much I enjoy your videos. Your videos are informative and very helpful. Everything you have stated in this video I agree 100%! Thanks for the information and keep making these awesome videos. I’m a big fan of your videos, they have helped me a lot. Looking forward to more in the future.
Thank you so much! Glad to hear you enjoy the videos and appreciate your comment!
HVAC tech here I agree somewhat but only because you're reasoning is basically because most ac guys are either incompetent techs or dishonest, if you have a trustworthy person that knows what's up getting your ac serviced is a good idea, it could save a condensate back up and prevent your ceiling from flooding, or a low charge to freeze up and another water damage issue, or tech could simply change a part that's ready to fail and now it didn't fail in the hottest part of summer and leave you waiting days or a week for busy ac techs to come out and charge you top dollar to fix. What I would recommend is having a trustworthy company do the service but not every year I would say every 3 years and don't do it in the middle of summer make sure it's in the off season but not middle of winter.
Thanks for the advice I declined my dual capacitor to be replaced when the tech told me a few days later he had to come back out ac stoped working 95 degrees out, now my compressor is shorted to ground. Only a $2500.00 repair so glad I didn't spend a little money on that capacitor! Awesome videos your doing such a service for the community! 😂
Right😂… this guy is on his high horse but he’s making big money on these diy videos
I wish I had a chance to view to this two months ago. Yes that’s exactly what my first call for AC tuneup two and half months ago end up. End up paying $1200+ to add 2 units refrigerant, add 2 start capacitor that I doubt is necessary. The worst part is now the noise is louder.
Great video! I love it! As a Service Technician, I absolutely loathe the sales-pitch that HVAC companies give to their customers. Most issues can be fixed without replacement from qualified service guys. The problem in many places is with competition, though. City and County ordinances limit the HVAC licenses to folks who have 'Master's Certifications' and the only way to get such certification is not only to pass the required tests but to also have a 'Master' sign off on it. It's basically a legal criminal racket in many places because it's designed to limit competition. This is bad for consumers. There exists an 'underground' HVAC economy where I'm at, though but many of these guys are also con-artists.
My 1997 Trane central A/C (26 years old) finally bit the dust when the original A-coil sprung a leak. Rather than put a $1,000 into a new coil I finally replaced it. The line-set was NEVER opened or charged. I agree, don't mess with a working system. I did clean the condenser every few years, with water.
Totally agree with you my friend about in everything you mention but having an spare capacitor the best idea salinas will be very significant!!!
Glad this video was recommended. Thanks for the insight.
Yup! They get commission on repairs and also new units - so they break stuff and make up fake repairs to charge you. Super shady trade.
LOL! I loved your joke about Emperor Constan-teen!
The old adage is so true, if it ain’t broke don’t fix it!! I used to maintain computer systems and I can’t tell you how many times things went wrong on a routine maintenance call, so we actually stopped doing them!
Not an AC tech but just a DIY homeowner. I agree with the AC checkups. When I had HVAC companies come do yearly maintenance it was always issues and upsells. When I stopped with the yearly checkups most of the problems went away. Even had the capacitor left disconnected by a tech once and believe some of them accidently leaked out my refrigerant a couple of times too. Anyways I am learning how to do some of the repairs myself and also did a Mini split myself last summer. Bought backup capacitors. Looking at your contact and fan motors videos and pretty sure I can repair those myself too. When we are 110+ in Phoenix, the AC repair guys are really busy. If I can get it running myself quickly that's a big win for me. Thanks for the videos.
Venting that high-side liquid refrigerant out of the hose when disconnecting the gages will cause the system to be undercharged. How many instances before it does I guess depends on the length of the hose, whether they are using low-loss connectors or the ones with valves on them, etc.
Thanks for the word of advice
Thank you for your honesty and the great video! ... I always kinda figured the AC companies were not doing free inspections just to be nice lol