Activity
Mon
Wed
Fri
Sun
Dec
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
What is this?
Less
More
The DIY HVAC Community
229
Free
9 contributions to The DIY HVAC Community
9d •
When to replace lines
I’ll be replacing my 3.5 ton Goodman soon. How do you determine if the lines need to be replaced? I’m on a concrete slab, so not sure how they are run.
3 likes • 4d
Not enough info shared to provide a reliable answer. Refrigerant changed with different oil? Distance of run? Did original line have proper sizing? Age of current line? Difficulty to change existing line set? Money freely available? Is existing system holding pressure? I'd say change it is best option when there are too many unknowns.
29d •
R22
is this a legit seller of refrigerant? https://www.crefri.com/products/r22-refrigerants?variant=48332873007359 or https://ontapcold.com others? thanks!
1 like • 27d
There are companies that buy up "old stock" and resell it, but you don't know what you're getting, and some will sell reclaimed but not reprocessed refrigerant, so you may be getting something with water or air mixed in it. That's why they'll offer lower prices, just to get it off their hands. That said, make sure you have a 608 certificate prior to buying. Fines for handling it without the certificate are not worth it and I'd hate to see someone caught up in a 'trap' operation to go after people buying it without the cert.
Sep 15 •
How to get EPA 608
Hi! I am a young homeowner (about 2 years now) and when my wife and I were getting the general inspection it was noted that our AC used R-22 refrigerant and might need to be replaced if it started leaking. After hearing how much it would cost to replace a system (and having some ideas of my own for improving IAQ) I have started down the road of getting prepared for a DIY replacement should that happen in the near future. From reading a few posts it sounds like getting the universal EPA 608 is a good first step. Are there any recommendations for online training courses that teach the material well? A quick search showed SkillCat but I am curious if anyone had any preferences. Thanks!
3 likes • Sep 22
I also recommend SkillCat. I ended up going down a rabbit hole and have kept the monthly subscription going, as I keep finding more courses that are fascinating. I had trouble with the Type 3 low pressure 608 section because I had no idea how chillers work, but then went down a path of learning out of curiosity, and ended up getting the universal certificate just for the challenge. My normal work is in IT, but if AI takes over, at least I know I could get my toes in an HVAC career! I bought everything I need to do a replacement for my 3-ton natural gas system and HVAC, but then I ended up just needing to add 2 lb of R22 in my old 20-year-old system, and it's blowing colder than it did the day we moved into this house 9 years ago! I wish I hadn't spent the $8,000 on new equipment, as my old system is blowing cold now all summer with no signs of losing pressure. I am now prepared to replace the system, hopefully with something more energy efficient. I definitely recommend that you consider getting a bottle of R22, I was able to find one a few months ago for $129 for 2.5 lb. keep the old running as long as you can, but start collecting your supplies, manifold, and all the other supplies you'll need to do the job. it'll save money when you can find deals on things, rather than having to quickly acquire your materials when you're unable to see through the sweat.
Aug 15 •
One warm room
Hello everyone! I’ve got one room that is consistently warm. The air duct is getting cold air, but I have to keep the door open to the hallway to keep it from getting warm. There is no return in that room. Do y’all think installing a return will help? It’ll cost thousands. Thanks in advance!
4 likes • Aug 17
I saw an awesome video (sadly, can't find it now) on fluid dynamics and how vents are just about pushing high pressure into lower pressure. Sounds like the same thing is going on with your room, unfortunately, where the vent can't move sufficient air to press the other air out of the room (without the aid of a vent, at least). If it's a basement, sometimes the leakage of air from the gaps in the framing can cause higher pressure. If it's an upper level, sometimes adding insulation (if it's possible) or putting a reflective radiant film on the window(s) can help in the summer. If the room allows it, just adding a vent to the door or wall (to allow the air to be displaced to another room with a vent) or cutting the bottom of the door such that it has a slight air gap to allow escape of air can also help. Or adding a powered fan to the one air vent that you do have to increase the pressure in the room (they flip on only when a temperature of either hot or cold air is detected).. Those are all lower-cost options than from adding a return vent, but not as effective as adding a return vent. If you're adding a return vent, be sure to consider the effect of any new sound getting echoed back (windy or insulated vents can help, but at the cost of increasing air friction). The cost might be reduced in your situation if you're able to do some of the work yourself (such as offering to do the drywall repairs after the metal work is completed). Also beware that while you're adding vents, most installers won't be able to predict whether something will be in the way (like a plumbing air vent, gas line, or electrical wire), so if possible, drill a hole and inspect with a camera or borescope before going all-crazy on tearing down drywall.
Jul 29 •
Condensing unit troubles
Hi, we have a situation with our 8 yr old ac unit. It stopped cooling and I called an older hvac technician that we had used on another property. He came out and looked at the condensing unit and said the caps were loose on the high /low lines and as a result we lost most of the freon. We paid $800 for the freon and trip charge. Well about a week and a half later it quit cooling again. (We are in Dallas in the midst of a heat wave) We called him out again and he said the board red light code said the board is bad. He ordered a new board and came out again to install it. Then it had a yellow code I think, and this is where it gets murky, I don't really know what the reason is (I'm not sure he knew either) Anyway apparently the unit is low on freon again and he said there must be a leak somewhere. So Wednesday 7/29 he's supposed to come again and put dye in the line and try to find the leak, but we will have to pay for more freon - potentially another $800 which we don't really have because we've lost our main jobs and are doing side gigs to pay bills. Shouldn't he have checked the lines with the dye the first time to cover all the leak possibilities? to avoid this thing from happening. We think he should refill the freon on his dime from his negligence to check all possibilities the first time instead of assuming just the caps were at fault? We'll be happy to work with him for his time (he charges very reasonably), but freon is horribly expensive. What do you think? We thought about calling out the company that originally installed it because the parts are still under warranty, be he said their labor cost would be 3-4x his labor cost and therefore still more expensive. But there is trust lost from them leaving the caps loose to speed up a freon call back.
1 like • Aug 2
What kind of Freon does your system have? I was quoted over 600$ a pound for R22. Ended up getting 2.5 pounds of it online and added 2 pounds of it in my system. Online price was less than $150. First time I had to put anything in my system in the life of it (19 years) and it's cooler now than it was when we moved into the house 10 years ago. Sadly, I had already purchased a new 2 stage furnace/ 2 stage AC (Goodman 3 ton) with all the supplies I could need that are now sitting in my garage awaiting for a week where I have time to do the install. That said, good job doing your own research. If you can learn more, spending that repair money on your own tools would end up saving money. Loose caps is silly, those are there to provide secondary protection to the Schrader valves that keep the refrigerant in the system just like bike tires keep air. The valves could be loose or defective and need changed. Before adding dye, perhaps a 10 dollar bottle of "soap solution" could be sprayed around the valves to detect bubbles. Dye would depend on how much refrigerant is added. If it's losing a lot, the valves would be the first thing to check for leaks.
1-9 of 9
@jason-bengel-6227
I make 20 minute brownies in 18 minutes! I'm about to replace my home 3 ton system (equipment is sitting in the garage/basement!).
Active 4d ago
Joined Jul 24, 2026
ISTJ
Kansas
Powered by