HVAC Unit. Repair leak or replace?

[sparked1]

paging @captdave77

One of my units appears to have a serious leak. It’s 12 years old. Tech came out and recharged it but was low again a week later. Bought some Nu Calgon Easy Seal leak stopper and recharged again. This time it lost most of the freon in 24 hours!

I believe I could easily spend $1500 finding the leak (evacuate system, fill with nitrogen, patch leak, refill system, sounds complicated and expensive) plus what I already spent on R22 and service. And that doesn’t guarantee me anything. A new unit is around $4-5k. Seems I’m better off just buying a new unit.

What am I missing? Has anyone had success with finding and plugging a leaking A/C unit? I’m about 90% certain the leak is in the evap coil. What a racquet.

 

[Mr. Goodbar]

More than likely you can't fix the leak in the evap coil plus don't use that stop leak crap, usually makes it worse than better. I say new unit, r22 is getting phased out and only going to get more expensive. And yes I'm a hvac/r service tech not bubba handyman

 

[Marietta tony]

Replace. The unit is near the end of expected life and could spend 1/2 of replacement cost in the next two years.

 

[harrycalahan]

I am a bubba handyman and I agree with replacing it. You could try the leak stop (I have no experience with how successful that stuff is in a home AC) since you have nothing to loose and will be replacing the line set anyways (it gums up everything) when upgrading to 410 Freon.

 

[sparked1]

More than likely you can't fix the leak in the evap coil plus don't use that stop leak crap, usually makes it worse than better. I say new unit, r22 is getting phased out and only going to get more expensive. And yes I'm a hvac/r service tech not bubba handyman

Seems like a relatively short lifespan for a major system.

I use good filters and change them every couple of months. I opened up the evap coil panel and clean as a whistle on both sides. Condenser fins stay clean. Luck of the draw I guess?? Its the upstairs unit so I suppose its working a lot harder than downstairs. Plus its in the scorching hot and humid attic. How people get systems that last 20-30 years I don’t understand. Anyhow, thanks.

 

[Mr. Goodbar]

Seems like a relatively short lifespan for a major system.

I use good filters and change them every couple of months. I opened up the evap coil panel and clean as a whistle on both sides. Condenser fins stay clean. Luck of the draw I guess?? Its the upstairs unit so I suppose its working a lot harder than downstairs. Plus its in the scorching hot and humid attic. How people get systems that last 20-30 years I don’t understand. Anyhow, thanks.

More than likely happe in the u bins on the coil. Older units seem to last longer, almost like its a racket now only last 10 years or so.

Is their rust on the sides where the copper u bins are? Usually where it happens at, hell my mother in law coil only lasted 8 years and got a leak

 

[Mr. Goodbar]

Seems like a relatively short lifespan for a major system.

I use good filters and change them every couple of months. I opened up the evap coil panel and clean as a whistle on both sides. Condenser fins stay clean. Luck of the draw I guess?? Its the upstairs unit so I suppose its working a lot harder than downstairs. Plus its in the scorching hot and humid attic. How people get systems that last 20-30 years I don’t understand. Anyhow, thanks.

Whats the brand

 

[harrycalahan]

Seems like a relatively short lifespan for a major system.

I use good filters and change them every couple of months. I opened up the evap coil panel and clean as a whistle on both sides. Condenser fins stay clean. Luck of the draw I guess?? Its the upstairs unit so I suppose its working a lot harder than downstairs. Plus its in the scorching hot and humid attic. How people get systems that last 20-30 years I don’t understand. Anyhow, thanks.

Attic units work A LOT harder than basement/crawlspace air handlers. And they never achieve full cooling since they're always trying to cool the unit/ducts before ever cooling the home. 100% of the life of a unit depends on the quality of the unit itself. And another 100% depends on the guy installing it. If they pulled a quicky vacuum and left any moisture in the system, the acid will rot out the system in just a few years.

 

[Bonecollector]

Man I ain’t seen any activity from @captdave77 on here in over a year. That’s just me personally. Maybe I just been missing his activity on here.

 

[Mr. Goodbar]

Attic units work A LOT harder than basement/crawlspace air handlers. And they never achieve full cooling since they're always trying to cool the unit/ducts before ever cooling the home. 100% of the life of a unit depends on the quality of the unit itself. And another 100% depends on the guy installing it. If they pulled a quicky vacuum and left any moisture in the system, the acid will rot out the system in just a few years.

New thing now a days is to spray foam the attic and then have a small duct of supply air for it.

And yes i say it all the time, most issues result from poor installation