Air Conditioner Repair

Our air conditioner system does not work. The repair technician says the power lines between the heat pump system and the air condenser has been damaged. The heat pump system is located within our unit, in the attic and the condenser outside on a cement slab. The damaged wiring is located on the Southside of our unit within the exterior wall. It is suspected that mice traveling in the area may have damaged the wiring.

The Air Conditioner repair technician says the best repair is to run new wiring from the heat pump system to the nearest exterior wall, existing the wall to the outside and running new wires in a conduit horizontally along the exterior wall to the end of the building and then down the exterior wall to the condenser unit.

Audrey, the questions I have are as follows:

1.Will the HOA provide us with written authorization to repair the air conditioning system which involves changes to the exterior surface of our unit?

2.Does the HOA have any written rules, regulations or guide lines related to this type of electrical repair?

3.Will the HOA provide an on sight inspector to provide guidance during the repair process?

The bottom line is what are the proper procedures for making this type of repair involving the exterior surface of our unit?

* * * HOA Reply * * *
Hi,

I wanted to let you know that the Board discussed this issue. They will not allow any wiring on the exterior of the building.

Thank you

Audrey

My question is: Do you own the house or is this a condo? In our HOA we own the house and the lot underneath it. The HOA controls everything outside this lot plus is responsible for keeping the exterior appearance of the homes uniformed. Basically, they can control what color to paint the house and what type of material the siding is. (Masonite, vinyl, brick etc...)

I can see the point of the HOA for saying "no" to this repair. I believe it will make the side of the house have a metal piece of conduit attached to the side of the home. Pretty much will stick out like a sore thumb even if you paint it the same color of the siding. In this case, I might even say this is for your own good. When you try to resale the home, this is going to be a question that many potential buyers will question. Major repairs like this aren't easy to hide and can make one "nervous" about what else they will find out later.

Honestly, I would get another contractor out for an evaluation. I would even suggest atleast 3 bids. Hint: Don't tell ANY of the other contractors what the repair suggestion was originally. You need to be able to "judge" that the repair called for is the correct one. If you get 3 different answers go for a 4th and the BBB.

I also question this repair. This sounds like the "poor-man's" repair. The cheapest and easiest route. Running the wire through some conduit and slapping it on the house is soo much easier and cheaper of a repair. It's a band-aid repair. As a home remodeler/builder myself, I know the route that should be taken. It's NOT something you want to hear and it won't be cheap. They may have to remove the outside siding and wall to get to the damaged wiring. I suspect it's not that high up. Rats may not climb that high after biting into electricity. They may also be able to "snake" the wiring through the wall without much damage. Just a few holes here and there to use to fish the wire through.

Go shopping for more estimates. Try your best to keep the repair as invisible as possible. Not just for the HOA but for your home's resale value as well.

Thanks MelissaP1

We do own the second floor condo that was built in 1989.

Getting access to the exterior wall from the attic would be a very big problem because the distance between the attic and the vaulted ceiling is about 15 feet then you have about 15 feet of vaulted ceiling and then the exterior wall which contains a large bundle of A/C wires and cables in a tube. In my opinion, I really don't want to think about this. But the best way to make this repair is to go in via the exterior wall. Routing the wires between the two units would be a very tough job. The next question is who pays for the repair? From what I learned, the exterior wall a responsibility of the HOA. Am I correct?

Michele

Your in a condo and it's the exterior wall correct? I would review my condo agreement on repairs. They may be responsible. However, there is some "gray" area when it comes to the space between exterior and interior. What's inside your walls (like electrical) may be your responsibility. My rule of thumb is: drywall-your wall.

I am an electrician (Industrial mostly). My bet is that the AC wiring is inside a PVC pipe. This may make it much easier to repair. I would suspect it was done to be able to access in case of problems later. It should be easier to "fish" a line or two in it. However, that makes me question the whole "A rat ate my electrical" diagnoses. It would be difficult for a rat to get into the PVC piping. NOT knowing how the pipe sits in the wall, it would be difficult to analyze. The PVC pipe is also used so the wiring won't get damaged by the installing of concrete during construction of the slabs. The PVC could be surrounded by some concrete.

Ironically, I am in the middle of my own AC repair! It involves my second floor as well. I live in a 2 story house. I wasn't getting much air upstairs. The AC repairman told me that I either needed a bigger unit or close off some vents downstairs. Something told me this wasn't the full issue. For 2 years I just lived with it. This past weekend, I decided to knock down a wall that seemed to be hiding something. Turns out I was right! Behind the wall was a space about 4 feet across and 3 feet deep! There inside also contained my upstairs vent. Turns out my old house was modified for Central air and this was an old closet. The air vent was a wreck. Not only was all the duct tape coming off, but one of the vents was too big for the one below it. That left almost a 1/4 of an inch gap. I was able to purchase some special caulking to fix the gap and resealed the insulation/connections on the vent. The difference is significant. I can feel the air coming from the upstairs vents! First time the upstairs and downstair were the same temperature in years! Another benefit of this repair is that I now have more closet space. There's enough to make a nice sized coat/shoe closet and access for future repairs.

My point is that it's good to get multiple bids. If I had taken the first bid, I would now be the proud owner of a bigger AC unit and still no air upstairs. It pays to look at things yourself. Take a look and see if there are things that could be effecting the AC. Ask plenty of questions. Find a buddy who may know a few things. Believe me, many paid professionals like AC, plumbing, and electrical know how to turn a dime on the blind. I am a woman, and they try it every time!

Michelle:

Anytime you have a major repair or are unsure of the diagnosis it is a great idea to get another set of eyes to look at it. Most places if they know a potential bill is coming in will give free estimates. I would ask at least if not two more people their opinions. I am no expert on AC units so I won't dive into what I think about the diagnosis.

The EASIEST repair is to run new wiring on the building's exterior.

The PROPER repair is to run inside the wall(s) like the original.

The wiring is LOW VOLTAGE control type just like a doorbell's, except better grade 6 conductor 'bundled and wrapped'.

I do not believe your HOA will permit exterior and IMPROPER 'Rube Goldberg' type repair.

You may need a more experienced 'technician', ask the company to send out one of their installers.

Old Thread reactivated for the purpose of posting spam.

SuraiyaA

This thread is 13 years old!

It was already revived once for the purpose of spamming.

PLEASE start another thread.