window unit servicing price?

[nissan_crawler]

So, I have a 3 year old 12k btu window unit that's not working as well as it used to.

The thing holds 25 oz of r22, which it can't be too low because it doesn't freeze up, and it still does a half decent job of cooling.

If I carry this in to a HVAC place, what's a normal charge for servicing it? I know, it will vary a bit by how much is needed, but the thing holds very little to start with.

I'm wondering if I should just go buy a new one today, or if it's worth getting this one serviced.

 

[tatra]

try seicing yourself by just pulling the cover off and cleaning the coils .............did this myself and worked greta for the next few years before it died and now just buy new ones as needed...........cheep like borscht now and the electronic timers and tstats are cats ***...........

 

[nissan_crawler]

It's completely clean, needs serviced.

 

[nehog]

It probably is not worth the cost of servicing... But the best thing is to just give a shop a call, and ask them.

 

[Norcal]

Cheaper to replace it then service it, with our throw-away society it means window shakers are not worth repairing anymore. But then there is disposal (recovery) costs.

 

[rickairmedic]

Nissan I charge a $25.00 bench charge for diagnostics on window AC units . Most likely there isnt a charging port on that unit so they will charge you for a saddle valve $25-$30 for it and then most likely a pound of R-22 thats in the $25-$30 range so your looking at $100-$150 roughly to charge it .5000 BTU unit toss it 12,000 BTU unit its a toss up .


Rick

 

[nissan_crawler]

Thanks Rick, at least I know what I'm shooting for. I really hate throwing things away when they can be fixed, but at the same time, I just bought a new 10k btu unit for the garage for $200.

It's hard to justify tossing $100-150 into a 3 year old, $300 max unit. I also saw corrosion on the evaporator copper tubing...

Also, It's keeping me cool (kind of) right now in the 100* heat, so I don't want a ton of down time.

My neighbors son works for an hvac company, might call the neighbor up and see what he can do, if it can be done for really cheap.

I might just get a new one, and put this one on craigslist for $50, and get rid of it. I'll make it known it doesn't cool as well as it should, but it still would make a nice garage unit.

 

[Gary S]

It probably is not worth the cost of servicing... But the best thing is to just give a shop a call, and ask them.

Agreed. You can spend a couple hundred bucks getting it working, or you can find a good sale and spend a couple hundred bucks for a new one. Your choice.

Today's products aren't something you repair. You use them once and throw them away. Repairable products left the world years ago.

 

[klhitman]

i like to mess with them for fun but i charge for the parts and most of the time its not worth fixing. but spraying the coils with a hose isn't good enough. i would buy some good coil cleaner and give it a try. if that don't work take the R22 out and scrap it and take that money and buy a new one.

 

[787B]

I think you can do some significant basic diagnosis yourself without much beyond a screwdriver and thermometer.

Measure the indoor outlet temp. If it's 60-ish it's working fine, it's just not big enough. 70-something+ and it's not working right.

Is the fan moving air both inside and outside? Outside coil fins not bent up?

If you have an IR or contact thermometer, measure the temp at the inlet and outlet of the interior coil. You can usually just remove the plastic fascia. Should be low-40-something at the inlet. When it first starts it should drop below freezing but then come up to that 40-something.