AboutHoward Livingston Expertise Can answer questions on electrical control circuits, power supply,airflow & distribution, electrical components,refrigerant problems,gas, electric & propane furnaces.No boiler or refrigerator or oil fired furnaces experience.Just HVAC questions please.
Experience 35 years experience in residential & light commercial repair & installation.
Question QUESTION: I had and two ton condenser installed last year. When I turned the air on this year, the thermostat was going up instead of down. The company that installed it came out and said that my evaporator coil on the inside was never installed correctly about 27 years ago and has a leak. They say I need to replace it by the end of the summer. My questions are...
1. If I replace the evaporator coil, can it be any 2 ton
coil?
2. Is it best to replace the evaporator coil and the
furnace(mine is 27 years old) at the same time?
3. My neighbor can get me an evaporator coil and furnace,
but I need someone to install them. Will contractors
do that?
ANSWER: 1. Yes just find one that fits the case.
2. Not unless the heat exchanger is rusting out.
3. Usually not. Profit is made on the coil too.
If the leak is small, ie the amount of freon added is a couple of pounds, there is a liquid that can be added to seal a leak.Cost about $80. Don't understand the incorrect installation ??? 27 years ???
---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------
QUESTION: Thanks. The contractor that came out that installed the condensor unit did not even do any test to check for a leak. He just said that the coil was sautered and would need to be replaced by the end of the summer and that was why it was improperly installed. He said it is rusting out. And he was sorry that he missed it last year.
1. Can you determine a leak just by looking at the system?
2. How do I know if the heat exchanger is rusting out?
Answer 1. Only if enough oil has leaked out with the freon. Generally does.
2. Look below the burners for thick pieces of the heat exchanger.
The end plates on the evap. coil are made of cheap steel & rust out in a week. Thats no cause to replace a coil.
