Not Happy With Heil Central Air Conditioner

by Nancy
(Columbia, SC, USA)

I have 2central air conditioner units. At five and half years, the larger central ac unit which I paid $7200 for has an evaporator coil leak. Heil says the part is $4800 to replace and so far I haven't found anyone to fix the part (why pay that much for a part that is obviously not reliable).

I understand from a Heil tech blog that it may be repairable for $1000+. My second central ac unit is only 3 yrs old and still running. The company I bought the central ac units from says Heil, like other manufacturers these days, constructs their hvac units as 'throw aways.' If it breaks, they expect you to get a new one.

Chester replies:

$1000.00 seems reasonable to replace an out of warranty condenser coil. I would first check with the manufacturer giving them the model number and serial number to see if the coil is in warranty. Some companies warranty coils longer than others.

If the coil is under warranty, you should only have to pay for the installation and recharging.

The $4800 quote must have been for a complete new condensing unit, and that sounds to high to me. A 13 SEER condensing unit goes for about $2800 installed in my area of the country.

Labor costs in S. C. are probably higher than here but not high enough to raise the price by $2000.

Do not rely on one company's quote as I am sure there are other qualified dealers in your area. If you replace the outside unit you do not have to buy a Heil, any major brand with the same SEER will work just great for you.