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        New Message Board Archives >> 2006 General Board Posts >> Need help with my Air Conditioner!
        
(Message started by: Dixiedelight on Jul 25^th, 2006, 11:15am)

Title: Need help with my Air Conditioner!
Post by Dixiedelight on Jul 25^th, 2006, 11:15am

For the last two months my electric bill has been really high. $364 one month and $401 the next, God only knows what it will be this month. I had the electric company come do a audit and they said my air condition was causeing the problem. I called a company they came out said nothing was wrong. Paid them $72 . Well then the electric company came back out said yep its the air. I noticed it runns all the time. So I went and took the panel off the air condition unit inside the house. There is a lot of water in the bottom of the unit, there shouldn't be any water in the bottom. I called the air condition people that did the work, and told them the guy never even open that panel. They said they would send someone back out for a sevirce charge of $58 A HOUR, BUT SHE WOULD HAVE TO BACK HER SERVICE MAN.

I figure they robbed me one time I don't want them back.

Does anyone have any idea what could be wrong?

It runs all the time and it doesn't seem as cool in here as it use to be.

Title: Re: Need help with my Air Conditioner!
Post by JeffB on Jul 25^th, 2006, 11:20am

Maybe a thermostat problem or a condenser?

Title: Re: Need help with my Air Conditioner!
Post by thomas on Jul 25^th, 2006, 11:21am

If there is water in the bottom, that means the evaporator drain is clogged. You should be able to find it and clear it.

Title: Re: Need help with my Air Conditioner!
Post by alchemy on Jul 25^th, 2006, 11:22am

Take that panel back off and see if you hace ice packed around the grilles, or dirt. these should be cleaned every year. the service man should have checked. I'm not an ac expert and I wish my guy traveled cause I'd send him out. Hope you get it fixed
jim

Title: Re: Need help with my Air Conditioner!
Post by Mattrf on Jul 25^th, 2006, 11:31am

If it came with the house it was probably undersized for your house as well, it is an old trick in construction, they save a lot of money by under sizing the AC. The normally will over charge the Freon so it seems to be working really good but as soon as the Freon goes down or you have it recharged they will set it to the manufacturers recommended pressure then it doesn’t work near as well. I know this because I had one of these houses and my neighbors AC went out and when they came out and went to replace it the guy told him the original was not big enough for the house and when they put in the right size his house cooled down twice as fast and his electric bill went way down as well.
Sucks when they pull that crap to save a couple bucks.
Mine also ran all the time when it was hot, don’t have the house anymore but I am sure the new owners are probably having a similar problem as you.
Hope they fix it for you and you can cool off and it cost you less.

Matt

Title: Re: Need help with my Air Conditioner!
Post by zwibbs/Scott on Jul 25^th, 2006, 11:32am

If it is Central Air Conditioning----find the Air Intake Vent -- and make sure that the filter is clean !!! If the Hot Air is not coming in true it was cause an enourmous condensation problem. Thomas is correct --you have to find where the clog is---also could be caused by a dirty filter--clumps of dust sometimes break off and travel to the pan---move along with the water in the pan--then clog the release pipe. The third thing could be that you are low on freon ---if that is the case you'll have alot of frost--even frozen pipes on the compressor inside/out.-------------Another important thing is to check your fuse box--or fuse switches. When the A/C blows it, the A/C will still run but it will blow out warmer air. Let me know what happens---or PM me and I'll give you my phone number.

Title: Re: Need help with my Air Conditioner!
Post by Dixiedelight on Jul 25^th, 2006, 11:54am

It is not froze, I checked that. Now the outside unit the air condition man did clean out and the inside unit looks clean didn't see any dust just water. OK I will check for a clog, now there is a clear maybe 1 inch tube that looks like it is caved in at the top wonder if that is the drain?
Would that make the fan run all the time?
I took used a out side thermoator and brought it in the
temature is right on the button. I kind of rulled out the thermosate.

How can I get a aircondition repair person out here and know he is doing what he should? I know so little about heat and air. I don't know what to look for. I can't aford to pay someone to just come look and say everythings ok and the problem keep on. Some times I wish I was a man LOL

Title: Re: Need help with my Air Conditioner!
Post by thomas on Jul 25^th, 2006, 12:02pm

on 07/25/06 at 11:54:09, Dixiedelight wrote:

How can I get a aircondition repair person out here and know he is doing what he should? I know so little about heat and air. I don't know what to look for. I can't aford to pay someone to just come look and say everythings ok and the problem keep on. Some times I wish I was a man LOL

Check the better business beareau for a/c repair people in your area, or talk to people in your area to see who is any good. Do you know any builders? They would know who is good.

Title: Re: Need help with my Air Conditioner!
Post by Dixiedelight on Jul 25^th, 2006, 12:11pm

I know one Thomas didn't think to ask him. I dod have one name of a company that someone gave me, I just guess I will have to take another shot at it.

When Buddy gets home I will get him to help me look for the drain.

Title: Re: Need help with my Air Conditioner!
Post by zwibbs/Scott on Jul 25^th, 2006, 1:19pm

please check your fuses---one may have tripped

Title: Re: Need help with my Air Conditioner!
Post by marlinsfan on Jul 25^th, 2006, 1:24pm

Check your thermostat. It should have a switch marked:

Auto Off On

I bet it's set to ON so the fan runs all the time. Move it to Auto and it will turn on/off when the right temp hits.

Check also your temp setting. If it's too cold, the AC will never get your house cold enough so it will run all the time.

Title: Re: Need help with my Air Conditioner!
Post by cootie on Jul 25^th, 2006, 2:00pm

All the aicr condtioners I have ever seen had water in them and made water noises......even the new one we have now which isn't a big one and basically here to cool the rec room where the kennel runs inside in one section. We don't get an entire summer of terrible heat so we don't use it all the time. Mine has a thermostate on it I can set the temp I want the room....so that way it gets it to there then goes on low or just the fan works till the temp goes higher. That way I can set it better NOT to run all the time. It broke the other day cuz of a storm and it has a plug that is a box with two buttons. Dam thing would not come back on when the power was back on......then here all it needed was time to be unplugged and 'reset itself' cuz it is ok now. Storms and alot of lightening seem to mess stuff up....we get alot of issues with lights dimming when storms pass thru the county cuz of all the power lines thru woods and on hills gettin hit and draws I guess but heard that is NOT good for electrical stuff. I have had alot of stuff go CRAZY on me or stop workin and figure that is why. Hope ya get it fixed and lower that electric bill..........bills that kill Pam