comfortmaker problems-hvac

[rick]

Help!!! Have lived in new home 1 1/2 yrs; began having a/c problem (Comfortmaker, dual zone) last summer-unit will come on and immediately turn off, or will come on, run 5 seconds and then cut off; unfortunately this happens only in early am (~5-8) and late pm (~10-12); during the day the unit will run, usually with a 2min on/2min off cycle; in our opinion we are still under warranty since the problem began last summer and has re-occurred this summer; however the hvac company assigned by the builder feels there is nothing more they can do and have referred us back to the builder's warranty dept.; hvac company states they replaced every electronic part on the unit and can't do anymore.....problem is, the unit is still doing the same thing!!! We didn't notice this in the winter with the heat coming on and off. Could it be a wiring problem-or caused by humidity?!? We live in SC and heat/humidity are rough. One more question...unit is extremely loud in the house; is it true that if you place your hand on the inside wall of the room the unit is outside of, and feel vibration, that insulation was not installed properly? Appreciate any and all help...thanks!

[16x80]

rick

Welcome to the Home Repair Forums

You state that the unit comes on then goes off a few seconds/minutes later, and that it only happens in the heat of the day? It would appear to me that the unit is kicking out on an overload, Whether it be a high pressure overload or an electrical overload in the compressor. [u]This is abnormal and should not happen.</u>


You also ask about wiring or humidity! I doubt is is the humidity or a wiring problem.

Finally you ask about the noise of the unit and feeling it inside the house! The myth of being able to feel the vibration thru the wall is a cause of improper insulation installation is purely a myth forget that theory.

On a personal note, An air condtioning/furnace unit is only as good as the people who put it in. The Comfortmaker brand is a good builders line of equipment and carries a strong warranty along with any other brand sold today.

I would call out a second Reputable Company to give you an opinion. What you should be looking for in a company to do this would be references/referrals. Check the BBB to see if they have any complaints filed against them. Have them check to see if the equipment is installed correctly according to the house requirements, It is possible that your unit or unit's were not installed correctly. Save all your bills and charges for if they do find a problem you can take action against the previous service company and have them reimburse you to have it repaired. You will have to pay out of pocket for this.

As for the vibration you hear! This is usually caused by the sound from the compressor being transmitted thru the line set to the building. If your compressor is what we like to refer to as a hard start or rough running compressor it is possible that that may be the cause of your noise.

I tend to feel as tho your current company has replaced parts that were unneeded because the are not smart enough to find the real reason of your troubles. To many times I have seem Contractors under bid a reputable companies to get work and do a hack job putting in equipment for the builder who is only interested in putting every last cent into his pocket.

My personal history of being HVAC certified,Trained, Installing, Design, and Sales have led me to be a tough critic of contractors! They have the proper certifications to buy and install the equipment but I would not have them touch any damn thing I own because of lack of knowledge of the proper installation methods, service, and diagnostics!

Your product should have a warranty for at least five years! Call the manufacturer and explain your problem and service history. They designed this equipment they know how it works. They will not give you anything but they will offer you technical advise.

Please keep us informed I will help and advise you as much as possible.

16x80

[rick]

Thanks for the info; you hit the nail on the head concerning the hvac company the builders have used; apparently they have a terrible rep among the other companies; FOUR compressors have been replaced on our street, each home less than 1 year old! We're waiting to hear back from the builder who is supposed to send someone else out(have suggested they contact Comfortmaker-but contacting Comf. ourselves does make more sense!)- but I have a feeling we'll be calling in someone from a reputable company; have already checked out one that's been around for years and spoke with people who have used them and are very happy; I would gladly pay good money to be able to fall asleep while hearing the unit come on and just run smoothly! Thanks again-you might be hearing from our neighbors!!!