Gas and Oil Home Heating Furnaces - central air DIY

does anyone know if there is a package C/A unit on the market that a do it yourselfer can buy & install to your house furnace.
IE: COMPRESSOR, COIL & EVAPORATOR W/ ALL THE HOSES

It's out there.. You'll have to look for them.. We sell them at Home Depot, and I try to talk the customer out of it if they have no skills at all!

A guess on size of unit is not good.. You need to do a heat load on the home to know what size system you need.

Also, is the current furance able to handle Central Air??

Duct sized right??

These units are quick connect line sets, so that means they are pre charaged, and you will not be able to cut the line to size.. So you may have extra rolled up or not enough..

So, my advise, get a pro to install the A/C unit, and you know you can get someone to service it if something did go wrong..

Lot of tech out there will not work in DIY units out there..

precharged units are no longer made (lineset, etc with piercing fittings) except for mini split systems. you can get your equipment online, but have a pro hook it up (refrigerant wise), pull a vacuum, etc. home depot should not be selling equipment to consumers, and are not allowed to here in georgia due to federal epa regulations. it is against the law to sell equipment to someone who does not have a state liscence, once again here in georgia.

I have a refriderant licence & hvac experience! I heard about these complete units for sale & i wanted to know where. By the way grainger sells them complete.
"SEMPER FI"
what were you a mp!

Mitchell B.:

We cannot give out sealed system repair info as it is against EPA and environmental regs to do this work without being qualified and properly licensed.

If you were qualified, you would know that there is no "d" in refrigerant and would also know where to get these units.

An HVAC person (who's now in a different line of work), said a single piece system could be easily installed by a DIY (he even offered to purchase one for me). Running new ductwork being the most difficult part. A split system on the other hand, requires someone that can charge the system. Though I see no real reason why a DIY'r couldn't install it and then have it serviced.

The real question is, is anyplace going to sell you a system without the licenses. Grainger doesn't sell to the public, so their out. I've never seen a DIY HVAC system advertised at any home improvement center. I have seen units being sold on eBay though.

While I am sure many DIY folks could install their own refrigerant bearing units, here are several reasons taken from real life experience why they should not do so:

1) EPA regulations prohibit the sale of refrigerants and major refrigerant bearing components to anyone not certified to handle said refrigerants. Violations of these regulations are subject to fines of up to $25,000 per violation with hefty rewards offered to those who report violators. (in this day and age, your neighbor may be looking to pick up a few bucks...hint, hint...and it is one reason why many wholesalers do not sell to the general public)

2) Unit manufacture warranties require that any units be installed according to national and local codes. Not knowing these has resulted in severe damage to the home from collapse, fire and leakage, not to mention quite a few deaths because of incompetence. (not many DIY'rs know their local building code, much less the national code...perhaps that why the manufacturer prints warnings about codes in their paperwork)

3) All unit manufacturer's require their units be installed by licensed HVAC contractors in order for warranties to be binding. (which is why home centers such as Home Depot, Sears, etc. are supposed to be selling the units along with installation by a licensed contractor...read the fine print on the ads)

4) Improper sizing of HVAC equipment results in a waste of the homeowners money and brings with it the misery of unnecessary operating/maintenance costs as well as an uncomfortable living environment. (bigger is not always better nor is smaller always cheaper)

5) Many service companies will not honor HVAC warranties when installed by DIY'rs, subjecting the homeowner to doing without or paying for parts and labor unnecessarily. (you can pay me now or pay me later...either way you're gonna pay)

6) It's dangerous stuff to deal with, HVAC isn't a tinker toy that comes with clear cut instructions...is your life, or that of your family, worth saving a couple bucks?

I live and work in an area where many people build/renovate their own homes and businesses. I can't count the number of times over the years our company has been called in to find what is wrong with someone's HVAC system, only to discover it was improperly installed and resulted in hundreds of dollars worth of repair. The overwhelming statement I hear from customers about HVAC work is this, "I can handle the little stuff around the house, but when it comes to doing something major I'll let the more experienced people take care of it because I don't know enough about it"

If your still going to attempt it yourself, at least consult with someone who is truly experienced throughout the whole project (most licensed compentent contractors offer consultation for those who insist on doing it themselves to save a few dollars)

after all, isn't common sense the best sound advice?

You can't really lump all "refrigerant bearing" items into the same basket, otherwise, we'd need a license to buy a fridge, or a window a/c, or freezer or a.. but I get your point, and never suggested that you should try to charge the system yourself (you can't get the stuff to charge it with anyway).

As far as installation, having it installed by someone licensed, bonded, insured, trained and certified does not mean by default that it will be done correctly. My own system was installed by the above, a few years later when the electrical feed MELTED, the new place that came and looked at it said 'wow, these wires are way to small for this load and definately don't meet code'. They then proceeded to patch the wires together. I've got bigger wiring running the 35 watt grip heaters on my motorcycle. Had I installed it, it would have been done correctly, the first time.

As far as saving a 'couple of bucks'.. $1200 or less for a system DIY, or $7000 for one installed by a 'pro'. That's more than a few bucks to me.

I'd think trying to patch together an A/C system to a heat system not designed for it would be more cost and hassle than just replacing the entire unit. A newer one would be more efficent and cost effective in the long run anyway.

Sorry for the typo Greg! just off by 2 keys to the left!
It has been a few years for me & i just heard about this & i forgot about you geeks online.
I found my unit. I may not be a geek like yourself but i know some good old hvac friends to help me out. Now this is a DIY community & sometimes people have alot on there mind. So do me a favor, Stop throwing the wood into the fire! LEAVE IT ALONE!

What did you find?

There are different levels of DIYers. I myself do not work in the HVAC field. I work in civil construction, but I do hold a universal hvac card. I also did my own electrical, plumbing, concrete and roofing with no problem. As far as HVAC, I went to a local parts house, paid cash , walk out with unit. All day long I keep hearing the same story, only a pro can do this job. BS. If you got cash and a card Grainger sells to you.


I believe its my house I can tear it up if I want too, with some of the pro helpers out there, I would not let them in the yard.

Instead of the same story, You cannot repair it yourself if you not a pro just geive him the right answer and let him take his own risk.


Grainer sell them, Johnstone sell them, local parts house and people that deal with Mobile Homes Hvac.


As far as DIYer HVAC, its really not that hard, most pros are just protection their territory.

You are absolutely correct. That was a rude and unthoughtfull thing to say.
Please accept my sincere apologies.
Spelling is not an issue here and made no difference to understanding your post.

I have the word refrigeration in my business name and I constantly remind people there is no d in that word. (Especially when they write me a cheque.)
That is an error that is quite common, caused I think because of the fact that the word fridge is correctly spelled with a d.
Because of how common this error is, "guys" in my trade joke about it in a sense that if you can spell the word you must be qualified.
I'm afraid my comment was in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Again please accept my apologies.

On another note, I hope you don't take offense to not answering your question with regard to DIY airconditioning sealed system work.
Twenty years ago refrigeration and a/c repair and installation was an anything goes field.
Today it's a little different.
Environmental concerns with regard to refrigerants have made this industry a completly different story. Most of the changes are really not seen by someone not in the field.
All jurisdictions are also not the same. The US is way behind Canada in these laws but they are slowly creeping South and are in place in most States now in one form or another. They have been in effect here since'91.
Some basic requirements we have here in addition to being licensed and the holder of a refrigerant card are mandatory evacuation and recycling equipment, required leak detection equipment, record keeping relating to refrigerant inventory, useage and product on hand, required reporting to authorities of refrigerant leaks over a certain size, tagging of equipment as to work performed, having to stock eight different types of refrigerants and the requirement to have refrigerators evacuated before disposal. (Canada is also working on a plan to begin destroying CFC's (Freon).
http://www.achrnews.com/CDA/ArticleInformation/features/BNP__Features__Item/0,1338,24463,00.html

These are requirement to be able to legitimately work in this field. How close do you come to meeting any of these legal requirements.

Another poster has made the comment that we are just protecting our turf...........Not so!
Are the hours I spend here answering questions protecting my turf? I think not.
I can only recommend to you that you be fully qualified and licensed to do this work.

If you wish to persist in doing your own thing then so be it. In addition to the legal issues, you also have to answer to your conscience for the damage you will potentially do to the environment.
You can join the people who poison their groundwater with auto anti-freeze in an outside boiler, fill their buried oil tank with sand, and risk their families safety by saving a buck in going against our advice.

Good luck.

GregH

ps: Spelling corrections welcomed.

just saw that MP comment. i was 2nd force recon, 2nd fssg 4 years. i served in beruit lebanon in 83. nuff said. BTW if you have a refrigerant card and experience, whay are you asking here where to get equipment? i stated the law here in georgia, just the facts.