Please let me know if this isn't the correct subreddit!
So I just bought a house and within a month the AC stopped cooling effectively. It will not go below 80 on the thermostat. The house is 1500 sqft with a dual zone setup. Both units are identical R22, 1.5 ton, 13 SEER Goodman heat pump split systems setups that were new in 2008 when the house was built. From what I gather that's pretty typical contractor grade stuff.
I had an HVAC contractor come out to service it and was told the coils were totally fucked on both zones. I was told the upstairs coil was iced over and looking shitty, and the contractor showed me the coil in the crawlspace was leaking with a Halide torch (which turned green).
Great. R22 costs ~$120/lb here and is going up. They pumped in a pound upstairs and a pound downstairs and said it might last a month or two.
Heat pumps are the only option where I live as it's rural and there's no natural gas available out here.
I've gotten a couple quotes/estimates so far:
1. ~$2500 to replace both coils with new R22 coils.
Pros: Cheapest solution. Cons: R22 cost, unknown condition of outside units.
2. ~$5500/zone to replace with brand new R410A heat pump/coils (1.5 ton 15 SEER heat pump per zone)
Pros: It'll be done right, it'll be done quick, it will work, and work will be warrantied. Cons: Expensive.
3. $~2200/zone for each split system (1.5 ton 16 SEER heat pump per zone) + labor ($500ish?) for me to buy the split system myself, get it set in place, connected electrically, run new lines (not connect them!), do the adapter to the existing ducting, and finally have a licensed HVAC contractor out to do the final hookup (brazing, etc.) of the lines. There is a licensed local guy who said he could do it.
Why I think doing it mostly myself might be feasible:
- I feel comfortable doing the electrical stuff (I'm an electrical engineer, worked around 480V or higher) and everything comes with a wiring diagram
- Running new lines shouldn't be too bad as the existing lines are already run and the same size as what I'd be putting in
- The adapters to the existing ducting should be straightforward as it's all round ducting and I can buy the adapters premade or possibly even re-use the old ones as the new units' exhaust side are within an inch in width/height of the existing. I know this may require some fabrication
- I have a few friends who know HVAC and are willing to help for the cost of beer
Pros: reasonable cost, learning about HVAC. Cons: I could fuck it up supremely, no warranty on work, it will be very labor intensive (especially trying to finagle a 100lb+ coil into the attic).
I'm not sure what to do here. Any advice would be appreciated. I'm leaning towards doing it myself however I know it can end badly.
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