jwstewar
Active member
When we built the new house 2 1/2 years ago. The builder installed a 4-ton Heat Pump and 92% furnace. Both Lennox brand. It was installed by a dealer about an hour away.
This past spring we had an issue. It wouldn't switch from heat to cooling. I called the installing dealer. They were going to charge a fee for having to drive so far since labor was no longer warrantied. I called a local dealer that I thought was a Lennox dealer (they installed one in Mom & Dad's house in '05). We also had them install the heat pump in our house that burned also in '05. Was happy with their work then. They came out in the spring and said the "Expansion Valve" was bad. Charged about $250 to fix it, including a $30 warranty handling fee since they didn't do the install. The unit "worked" all summer, but just never the house temp never felt right.
Last week we flipped it over to heat. Heat pump came on. But then I kept hearing the furnace kick on. Now at 50+ degrees, we shouldn't be dropping back to the gas furnace. I called the same company. That is when I found out they are no longer a Lennox dealer. I scheduled an appointment, but then called another company that is a Lennox dealer. They were there within an hour. He started checking stuff and really starting getting confused. Said it was acting like the compressor was locked up. Kept checking stuff. Then he finally checked that expansion valve. He opened it up, said that they installed a R410A expansion valve (I saw the label) into an R22 (again I saw the label) and they burned the compressor up. He then said we were probably kicking a thermal switch all summer and that we probably had a high electric bill. We did. $400 a month and last summer was $200. Does this all sound feasible?
I then called the first company back. At first they were saying this wasn't possible to do. Then they were saying, it wouldn't hurt the compressor. Then when they finally came out on Friday. They were real apologetic and saying they will get a new compressor, change the valve, and cover all costs. Plus will give me 2 years of spring/fall service. So it sounds like they are being reasonable and fair. I just want to make sure, that what I'm hearing from company 'B' is accurate so that I can make sure I can hold company 'A' liable should they try to back out on something once they get their to actually do the parts. Just seems funny they denied it, then all of a sudden were yep, well do this, this, and this.
This past spring we had an issue. It wouldn't switch from heat to cooling. I called the installing dealer. They were going to charge a fee for having to drive so far since labor was no longer warrantied. I called a local dealer that I thought was a Lennox dealer (they installed one in Mom & Dad's house in '05). We also had them install the heat pump in our house that burned also in '05. Was happy with their work then. They came out in the spring and said the "Expansion Valve" was bad. Charged about $250 to fix it, including a $30 warranty handling fee since they didn't do the install. The unit "worked" all summer, but just never the house temp never felt right.
Last week we flipped it over to heat. Heat pump came on. But then I kept hearing the furnace kick on. Now at 50+ degrees, we shouldn't be dropping back to the gas furnace. I called the same company. That is when I found out they are no longer a Lennox dealer. I scheduled an appointment, but then called another company that is a Lennox dealer. They were there within an hour. He started checking stuff and really starting getting confused. Said it was acting like the compressor was locked up. Kept checking stuff. Then he finally checked that expansion valve. He opened it up, said that they installed a R410A expansion valve (I saw the label) into an R22 (again I saw the label) and they burned the compressor up. He then said we were probably kicking a thermal switch all summer and that we probably had a high electric bill. We did. $400 a month and last summer was $200. Does this all sound feasible?
I then called the first company back. At first they were saying this wasn't possible to do. Then they were saying, it wouldn't hurt the compressor. Then when they finally came out on Friday. They were real apologetic and saying they will get a new compressor, change the valve, and cover all costs. Plus will give me 2 years of spring/fall service. So it sounds like they are being reasonable and fair. I just want to make sure, that what I'm hearing from company 'B' is accurate so that I can make sure I can hold company 'A' liable should they try to back out on something once they get their to actually do the parts. Just seems funny they denied it, then all of a sudden were yep, well do this, this, and this.
