Need advice on broken air conditioning situation

[Anonymous]

spend a couple hundred bucks on a portable AC unit and stop wringing your hands. No one is going to be able to build a compressor for you out of thin air. It is not a problem with your HVAC company tbh. It stinks but come August you should be sitting pretty

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:From an HVAC contractor:

Unfortunately you and your contractor are at the mercy of the manufacturer and their distributor regarding part availability. This summer is honestly the worst we have seen and it doesn't seem like there's a manufacturer that's not struggling (we install Carrier/Trane/Mitsubishi and its a lot of the same situation). Its worth calling Lennox consumer affairs and opening a case with them. Its manufacturer dependent but they typically will authorize a unit replacement if a warranty party isn't available in X amount of days. I would also reach back out to your contractor to see if they have any window units available (its what we do in this situation).

OP here. Thanks for your perspective. I can try Lennox.

The HVAC company, which has really good reviews and I've used before without problems, is no help whatsoever. I can't get past the woman who answers the phone. She basically barked at me yesterday "I told you it would take two weeks." I asked if they could provide window units and she told me to buy one myself. I asked to talk to a manager and never got a a call back. This is really frustrating. I'm ready to switch to your company in the future!

Honesty I wouldn't be too hard on them; they are just are frustrated as you are and they really can't do more than keep checking in with Lennox. Its unprecedented, prior to this year I might have 1 or 2 repairs a year that had a part that took more than 5 days to source. I have about a dozen customers waiting on blower motors now that have to be OEM and the factory can't even give us a lead time.

wait, seriously?? how is that acceptable to have customers just SOL on blower motors in the peak of the summer? Lennox is supposedly a good company, too. That's really inexcusable for them to not have supplies available.

Long story but essentially COVID issues/ 2023 rating method and efficiency standard changes/ and the EPA fast tracking the 410a phase out has created a prefect storm.

[Anonymous]

OP back. But why would a compressor die in just a year? I never set the AC for under 75 degrees, so it's not working extraordinarily hard.

I'm accepting that I'll just have to deal with this zillion decibel portable air conditioner that wakes me up as it cycles on and off and a window unit in the living room that also makes the kitchen bearable, but barely.

I did call Lennox and I thought they were going to be helpful since the guy asked for my serial number. But then he just said I'd have to go through the HVAC company.

[Anonymous]

The compressor (the thing outside) and the air handler (the thing inside) are matched up so you can't mix up and put like a Carrier compressor with a Lennox air handler.

Sounds like they will get you a new compressor and it'll take 2 weeks. It's peak demand time, so not surprising.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP back. But why would a compressor die in just a year? I never set the AC for under 75 degrees, so it's not working extraordinarily hard.

I'm accepting that I'll just have to deal with this zillion decibel portable air conditioner that wakes me up as it cycles on and off and a window unit in the living room that also makes the kitchen bearable, but barely.

I did call Lennox and I thought they were going to be helpful since the guy asked for my serial number. But then he just said I'd have to go through the HVAC company.

HVAC Contractor: I would be persistent in bugging Lennox. Suggest compensation; if you want to really play hardball bring up a complaint with the state attorney generals office. As far as why a compressor dies after a year its all a guess. There's no question newer equipment is much more sensitive to power supply issues (typically thunderstorms). We have discovered more than one neighborhood transformer thats going bad in recent years for BGE/PEPCO from repeated equipment failures.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP back. But why would a compressor die in just a year? I never set the AC for under 75 degrees, so it's not working extraordinarily hard.

I'm accepting that I'll just have to deal with this zillion decibel portable air conditioner that wakes me up as it cycles on and off and a window unit in the living room that also makes the kitchen bearable, but barely.

I did call Lennox and I thought they were going to be helpful since the guy asked for my serial number. But then he just said I'd have to go through the HVAC company.

They just “don’t make them like they used to” is the answer.
Except for electronics.

[Anonymous]

Your situation is unfortunate and unfair. But I agree you need to go get a portable AC. In this weather it will be worth the cost.

[Anonymous]

OP back with what I hope is the final update. Yesterday the company called to say that Lennox would not have any compressors available and would just replace the entire unit. I thought that was going to be victory until they told me they couldn’t do that until at least July 23, four weeks after the AC broke. But somehow I talked them into doing it today, and my house is now blessedly cool.

I did borrow a portable air conditioner and a window unit, which kept two rooms (very noisily) cool and the kitchen a tolerable 80° or so. If I didn’t have those, I don’t think I could have survived without buying several units.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP back with what I hope is the final update. Yesterday the company called to say that Lennox would not have any compressors available and would just replace the entire unit. I thought that was going to be victory until they told me they couldn’t do that until at least July 23, four weeks after the AC broke. But somehow I talked them into doing it today, and my house is now blessedly cool.

I did borrow a portable air conditioner and a window unit, which kept two rooms (very noisily) cool and the kitchen a tolerable 80° or so. If I didn’t have those, I don’t think I could have survived without buying several units.

I am glad it worked out for you. Pretty nice company to replace the entire unit so fast.