The Chit Chat Chit Chat Thread

[StarWarsGirl]

I've had a similar situation last year. My central AC conked out. A repair guy came saying the air handler compressor was the culprit, the item was hard to get in a timely manner and pushed for a new unit to buy and he can install next day. I thought about it and just paid him for the service call $80. He kept trying to scare by saying if you fixed this then another part will go kaput later. He said I was better off purchasing a new central AC with a warranty. I called around and a AC company could get the item that needed to be fixed. My AC was fixed by another company who said the part is all what was needed to fix my AC. Paid $1.5K for part and labor as opposed to the upsell of the first mechanic trying to sell me on a new central AC unit at $14K.

Yeah, thankfully this guy we're using seems pretty reliable. Plus I have a cousin who works in HVAC, so we call him to verify what the guy is saying. It's just a matter of what the parents want to do.

 

[Cesar R M]

Parents are trying to decide if they just replace the part that's broken or if they get a whole new unit. The repair guy is recommending a whole new unit, but obviously that's pricey. So since it's been cooler (and since we relocated my office downstairs and that's where I've been spending my time) they're taking their time on the decision.

I've just been sleeping in shorts pajamas under my weighted blanket with no other blankets for now.

The problem is repairing when something critical does fail.. like the logic card.
IS that there is no guarantee it wont fail later.
There might be another part that was already failing and took the logic card.

And that happened to my mother.
She fixed hers over and over and over and continued to fail after specified amount of months.

At the end, just bought another and all good.

 

[donaldtoo]

26th consecutive day of 100+ degree heat…!!!

 

[Lilofan]

The problem is repairing when something critical does fail.. like the logic card.
IS that there is no guarantee it wont fail later.
There might be another part that was already failing and took the logic card.

And that happened to my mother.
She fixed hers over and over and over and continued to fail after specified amount of months.

At the end, just bought another and all good.

It is difficult to say there might be another part that was already failing. It is a gamble when you replace one part then eventually sooner or later another part may go wrong similar to a car. I took my chances and am very happy when an honest mechanic said all you needed was the part he could get and installed it. The other mechanic was up selling me on a new unit that could be installed next day. He lost my business the honest mechanic gained business from me.

 

[Cesar R M]

It is difficult to say there might be another part that was already failing. It is a gamble when you replace one part then eventually sooner or later another part may go wrong similar to a car. I took my chances and am very happy when an honest mechanic said all you needed was the part he could get and installed it. The other mechanic was up selling me on a new unit that could be installed next day. He lost my business the honest mechanic gained business from me.

It all depends on the sunken cost imho.
Regardless, almost all new equipment nowadays is used to be throaway.

 

[donaldtoo]

My guess is that your electric bill for a/c at home will be very high this month. I really hope you all get a temperature break down there very soon.

It actually has never been too bad. Since, normally, we’re all at work during the week, we set the AC at a bit higher temp during the day with just the dogs in the house.
But, with Matthew having been home for a while with his destroyed leg (he’s been back at work for about a month), and MIL living with us now, it needed/needs to be set to a cooler temp all day, of course.
So, yes, the electric bill has been a bit higher recently than in the past.

 

[Figgy1]

 

[Lilofan]

It actually has never been too bad. Since, normally, we’re all at work during the week, we set the AC at a bit higher temp during the day with just the dogs in the house.
But, with Matthew having been home for a while with his destroyed leg (he’s been back at work for about a month), and MIL living with us now, it needed/needs to be set to a cooler temp all day, of course.
So, yes, the electric bill has been a bit higher recently than in the past.

Do you have ceiling fans? When my home was built in 1994, ceiling fans were installed in all of the house except the bathrooms. High vaulted ceilings in all rooms except bathrooms and laundry room. I run them 24/7 with the AC. I have Hunter ceiling fans and I never had a problem with them in 29 years. I just turn them off to clean and dust off the exteriors monthly and change light bulbs every few years. I set the AC even a little higher because the fans do a great job cooling the home.

 

[MinnieM123]

It actually has never been too bad. Since, normally, we’re all at work during the week, we set the AC at a bit higher temp during the day with just the dogs in the house.
But, with Matthew having been home for a while with his destroyed leg (he’s been back at work for about a month), and MIL living with us now, it needed/needs to be set to a cooler temp all day, of course.
So, yes, the electric bill has been a bit higher recently than in the past.

First of all, glad to hear that Matthew is back at work. I hope he paces himself, and that his boss gives him breaks, so that he can rest his leg a bit. With your MIL living at your house now, I understand how the a/c would need to be set a bit higher during the day, when others are away at work.

We've been prudent with our (2 window units) a/c, and cut back on running them. But you know, I despise summer, and sometimes I have to put them on blast. (Checked last years' bills against current ones, and we have used less power, overall.) Still, in summer, the usage kicks up the price big time, and this month was $100 more than a month ago, when we didn't have much hot weather.

 

[MinnieM123]

 

[Cesar R M]

Do you have ceiling fans? When my home was built in 1994, ceiling fans were installed in all of the house except the bathrooms. High vaulted ceilings in all rooms except bathrooms and laundry room. I run them 24/7 with the AC. I have Hunter ceiling fans and I never had a problem with them in 29 years. I just turn them off to clean and dust off the exteriors monthly and change light bulbs every few years. I set the AC even a little higher because the fans do a great job cooling the home.

This is something that boggles my mind. On how many houses I've seen in the USA with no ceiling fans. At least in houston. Most houses I've seen in florida def had ceiling fans.

 

[FutureCEO]

No fans in my place. Of course, I don't have a house but I would have liked a ceiling fan but I have central AC. Which I've used a few times this summer. Not now, the temp is 56.

 

[rshell68]

 

[Goofyernmost]

It is difficult to say there might be another part that was already failing. It is a gamble when you replace one part then eventually sooner or later another part may go wrong similar to a car. I took my chances and am very happy when an honest mechanic said all you needed was the part he could get and installed it. The other mechanic was up selling me on a new unit that could be installed next day. He lost my business the honest mechanic gained business from me.

AAA is famous for that. At one time I was a loyal customer and then they changed. I took a vehicle with only about 15K miles on it to fix a punctured tire. They came out with a list that totaled over $550.00 which included two new tires and alignment for a having a nail in my one tire. What upset me is that I know something about auto mechanics and could call them on that, but it bothered me when I witnessed the same type of upsell to an older lady that didn't have any knowledge about cars. I could catch it because I knew better, they would end up paying through the nose for something they didn't need. To tell me that I needed an alignment because I ran over a roofing nail sealed the deal for me. I found another place that to this point has been honest with me.

 

[93boomer]

AAA is famous for that. At one time I was a loyal customer and then they changed. I took a vehicle with only about 15K miles on it to fix a punctured tire. They came out with a list that totaled over $550.00 which included two new tires and alignment for a having a nail in my one tire. What upset me is that I know something about auto mechanics and could call them on that, but it bothered me when I witnessed the same type of upsell to an older lady that didn't have any knowledge about cars. I could catch it because I knew better, they would end up paying through the nose for something they didn't need. To tell me that I needed an alignment because I ran over a roofing nail sealed the deal for me. I found another place that to this point has been honest with me.

AAA lost our business years ago. They tried to overcharge our DD for services that no way cost that much! One and done.

 

[Lilofan]

This is something that boggles my mind. On how many houses I've seen in the USA with no ceiling fans. At least in houston. Most houses I've seen in florida def had ceiling fans.

For ceiling fans you have the blades spin counterclockwise to help with cooling breeze
In winter you have blades spin clockwise to circulate warm air in the room, up draft , while you have the heater on
Both items don't stress your central AC and heat to work overtime
And of course change your filters on a regular basis.

 

[Figgy1]

 

[Figgy1]

 

[Figgy1]

 

[Figgy1]