Shortly after we took possession of this house last year but before we moved in, the downstairs air conditioner went on the blitz. Since it was October, we didn't worry about it too much because we shouldn't need the AC much until around March. Well, March rolls around, and sure enough, the downstairs AC isn't working, though thankfully the upstairs one is. We call the home warranty people, who send someone out to fix it. 2 weeks later, the AC is blowing warm air. We were going through a cooler spell, so we almost waited too long before calling to have them come back out. They came back and put more freon in it but didn't check to see where the freon had gone. weeks later - more warm air. So we call again, this time immediately. The same guy comes out and takes a look. He determined that the problem was actually with a part that wasn't under the home warranty policy and would cost us $700.
DTTF thought that was B.S., so he had someone else come out and take a look while waiting for the home warranty people to find someone else to give a second opinion. The person DTTF had come out said that the freon was leaking from the compressor and even showed DTTF where it was leaking. This guy was very nice and did the assessment for free. Shortly thereafter, the home warranty people sent someone out for THEIR second opinion. The guy they sent out (let's call them Company B) said the freon was leaking somewhere in the line between the compressor and the main unit in the attic. Now, this line runs down the wall in my closet, behind the drywall. Company B does not tear out drywall, so they proposed cutting a hole in the outside wall of the house and running a new hose down the outside of the house. DTTF wasn't really thrilled with this idea, so he talked to Company B, and they agreed to replace the line inside the wall if we tore out the drywall. We made an appointment for today, when I planned to be home anyway due to Tree Faerie's 6-month shots. So last weekend, I took almost everything out of the closet and hung it in the office closet upstairs.
This brings us to yesterday.
Yesterday, DTTF starts tearing out the wall in my closet. The plan was just to remove enough drywall to change the hose. DTTF marks the spot in the closet where the hoses were and tries to find something to cut it out with. The razor knife was too dull. We couldn't find the jigsaw. The Dremel tool didn't have enough torque. So, DTTF decides to try the circular saw.
Well, as he was cutting, he nicked the freon hose to the upstairs AC, spewing freon out into the closet, the bathroom and our bedroom. This was like the final straw. Thankfully he started from the bottom of the wall instead of the top, though, because after removing more drywall, he discovered an electrical wire just above where he stopped cutting. I'd like to take this as a sign from the gods saying, "Hey, it could have been worse," especially since we were suddenly COMPLETELY without AC. In Memphis, TN. In 90+ degree weather.
Independence. Owning our own home. Not much fun at this point.
We got through the night, though, and I took Tree Faerie to get her shots this morning. After the doctor's appointment, which went really well, I called DTTF to let him know we were done and found out that Company B had already called to say they were on their way. When I got home, the guy from Company B was waiting on me. He worked on it for a couple of hours, said he was done, then tried to collect money from me for the work, money which the warranty people are supposed to pay him. So, I picked up the phone and called DTTF, and he picked up the phone and called his office. I did not relay to the guy from Company B everything my dear husband said, but let's just say he was off the phone before I was and apparently was straightened out by his office.
As he left, he said it would take a couple of hours for the AC to catch up, since it was trying to cool off hot air. So I'm sitting here in as little clothing as possible trying to keep cool, and I keep going over to the vent to make sure it really is blowing cool air. All I have to say is that if this didn't fix the problem and the AC is blowing hot air again in a few days, SOMEONE will soon be headless, and I'm not really picky about who!
Can you tell I'm a bit irritable about it?
1 comment:
ergh. that's no fun at all. i'm now remembering why i was so relieved to get rid of our house...
i hope the AC holds out the rest of the summer for you guys!
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