Wanted a 22 yr old ID coil cleaned!?!

[PaysonHVAC]

I had to go check this job out today.
Ev one of our techs was here and the home was just sold. The realtor company wanted the tech to "clean it up" consisting of the ID coil and blower.

Well, this is a 22 year old condo with one of the apartment special/in the ceiling air hadlers. There hadn't been a filter in place for a very long time. The tech told me it was VERY loaded with debri and attempted to get it to at least function and the owner knew they needed to replace it. The tech told the realtor and owner he could only get maybe 80 percent of the coil clean and that was it. Then after he left the owner for some insane reason calls back and wanted us to come back and get it ALL clean. So the office sent me to check it and possibly clean it more free of charge!

When I got there to the job I could see the other tech was right. What was left was so crusted it was like concrete. The coil was falling apart. When I attempted to CHISEL off some of the concrete like debri, the fins just fell apart. This coil is toast and I told my office that there is no way to clean this and the last tech was correct with what he said.

The owner needs to replace this air handler, no ifs ands or buts. I can't believe what they expect us to do at times!

http://www.wwwebworks.com/talkpics/wallofshame/1009210127_5.jpg

The air handler in the ceiling.


http://www.wwwebworks.com/talkpics/wallofshame/1009210725_1.jpg

Just think, the inside of this coil is full of this stuff! This was AFTER the other tech cleaned the MAJORITY of the debri!


http://www.wwwebworks.com/talkpics/wallofshame/1009210127_4.jpg

The coil is so erroted, one section of tubing is exposed?

I told them any more cleaning would surely make this thing LEAK!

Some customers just don't understand when it's time to give up on a piece of equipment. What's funny, is this is in the hallway, where there was NO FILTER ran for a long time. They could see the damage with their own eyes! It's not like it's in the attic and have to take our word for it.

[Edited by Boss on 12-29-2003 at 06:01 PM]

[vaporlock]

My company does the same crap to me, send someone back and so called "finish the job for free" but the office person, or whoever makes that decision has no IDEA! what they are getting you into, I had a coil and an Electronic Air cleaner that was about as dirty, and all the crap would'nt come off because there were HEAVY smokers in the house and the coils, and EAC cells were coated with Tar and Nicotine so bad you could smell it, (Disgusting!!!) I told H.O. they should start smoking outside, well, I politely reccomended it. when they have to replace this stuff.

[mcfly007]

Thats sick!! I would not even attempted to clean that.
People only think that the reason you put in an air filter is to clean the air. Too bad you can't press charges for abusing Heating and air equipment. One question though did that coil smell the way it looks?? And what is that red crap?? Very nasty.

[Steve Wiggins]

The fault here is in EV's judgement. He should never have attempted to clean this coil. Next call will be for water damage because the drain pan overflowed and it will be all EV's fault.

[Breeze]

Me too! Will not attempt most in place cleanings. As Steve said, you will be back on a water leak next and maybe even a lawsuit.

[swat]

I have started to ge sick over this crap. To just think this is what the people are breathing. Totally disgusting.I would have been quoting replacement not cleaning.

[PaysonHVAC]

Yeah don't remind me.

OH BTW, his name wasn't EV. I type-o'd the other night and don't remember now what I was trying to say other than another tech was there before me.

We try to "walk away" from some of these jobs. But when a realtor or builder wants us to do something, the office makes the decision.

That's stupid too. The "office" has been resposible for me doing plenty of NASTY jobs I'd never volunteer for!
And it's worse when a tech tells the owner or whoever that it's a lost cause, and then the owner turns around and demands to the office for us to TRY to do something for them anyway.

[a\c don]

had something similar last week.got called by local realtor to clean coil after a pre sale home inspection.told her the only thing i could do was remove ceiling ahu and install new wall hung unit in closet for a grand above normal cost and she would have to get someone else to patch the drywall (popcorn ceiling).
BTW unit was 17 years old.

[pilot]

nasty,yuk,yuk! Did you ever find out what that red stuff was?

[a\c don]

Originally posted by pilot
nasty,yuk,yuk! Did you ever find out what that red stuff was?

Seen something like that in a horror movie. It crawled around and ate people. Ugggggh.