Any air conditioner experts?

[ADisneygirl]

Yesterday I came home to notice that my central air conditioning unit - (the condenser I believe its called) the big thing outside, was roaring like an airplane. Maybe not that loud, but certainly loud enough to be noticed easily from inside the garage when it never was heard before. The air conditioning works fine, but the noise makes me think something is wrong with it. The only way to make the noise stop was to unplug the unit from outside. Turning the air off inside did nothing.

Any idea before I call someone for service and get a whopper of a bill? Anytime service works on that thing it is hundreds of dollars.

Thanks.

 

[olena]

Call several companies and choose those companies from a Homereports listing. When our unit started crapping out on us, we chose a reputable company that allowed us to sign up for a service agreement, which included the service call that day and regular maintenance and tune-ups that got the unti going again.

http://www.homereports.com/

We learned a hard lesson about having regular service for our unit. After 12 years, our cheap builder-model unti finally died and we just replaced it with a Trane. We had 8 estimates. That may seem excessive, but there's an astonishing difference between HVAC companies in the prices you get and expertise. That's why I strongly suggest doing research.

 

[ADisneygirl]

Thanks. My unit is a Trane. It is the builders model too, and 10 years old. I put in my zip code and the home reports site has no research from my area it said. I know the importance of selecting a reputable service company -- but there are so many reports around here about shady companies and rips offs. You don't know who to trust.

This morning we went outside and it was still loud. But this time when I turned the air off inside the unit outside stopped. Yesterday it did not stop unless I unplugged it.

I must head out to school now. Keep the advice coming please!

 

[olena]

That's a shame about no listings. Here in Atlanta, we have a web listing site where people log on to rate and give reviews of service companies. Hopefully, you have one in your area or region. The one here in town was helpful in conjunction with what we found on Home Reports.

Ask friends and neighbors about who they use. Check the Better Business Bureau.

 

[floridafam]

We started having problems with ours a few months ago. It would sound real loud and sounded like it was constantly shutting off and starting again. All that time, the air was working fine.

One day, it started to get real hot in the house.

I would call some local companies. We called a few. 2 of them were awful. They came out and said "we can't do anything today, that will be $100 for the estimate." (they knew before coming out they wouldn't be able to do anything on a weekend)

We had to replace the whole unit outside.

FYI, some power companies offer rebates when you are putting in a new air unit. You may want to give your local one a call to see if they have any special programs.

Good luck.