Looking for Code Info on residential HVAC repair in City of Houston

[red95gts]

I have been quoted a price on the replacement of a 2.5 ton Trane Evap Coil and I'm afraid I smell something fishy. I had no luck trying to contact the local building inspector and need to get some info. If anyone would mind answering these couple questions, that would be greatly appreciated.

1.) In the City of Houston, is a Permit required when changing out an Evap coil? I'm being quoted a price of $125 to obtain a permit. That seems excessive. Is that something I can obtain or does a licensed contractor have to do that?

2.) Is a license required to dispose of the old Evap Coil? $75 for that

3.) I have a 2-story home with 2 HVAC units. Currently, the Evap drain lines from the 2 units tie together in the attic floor and a single line is run down to the foundation and out to the sewer. I'm being told that does not meet City code and that the lines would have to be seperated. $280 for that... (This house passed Haris County inspection when it was new (1991), but this area did not fall under the Shitty of Houston until several years after that.)

Any of this sound true? This is an American Home Sheild Warranty Claim and I know they are incahoots with the contractor. Obviously, the more they can make me pay, the better for them... Needless to say, I don't want to shell out $800 without doing a little homework.

Thank God there is a breeze today...

Thanks in advance!

[Rusman]

Holy crap! I can't answer your question, and I'm sorry to get your hopes up, but maybe try calling around to a couple of AC repair shops.

A friend of mine's dad owns Dave Lane AC (they are a few doors down from Westside Machine in Spring Branch) and they used to do all our work when I lived in that area. I'd recommend them. Using my name won't get you far since I don't know his dad that well. Anyway, whoever you call, I'd recommend being upfront that you won't be using their service and are only out for some info.

[red95gts]

Thanks Rusty! I'm going to call the local inspector in the morning and get the scoop from the horse's mouth.

Turns out the Warranty company (American Home Shield) and the service company (ARS - Service Express) are owned by the same parent company - Service Master Corporation.

I know of Service Master as they are a competitor (and I use that term loosely) to my employer. The way they run their operation is, well, exactly what I've seen with AHS and what I expect to uncover with Service Express - complete bullshit.

Liz....I would strongly recommend that your clients avoid AHS. I can give you all the details if you want. Although, now that I've said that, I don't know if any of the other "home warranty" places are any better... :(

What a scam.

[AGirlWithACoupe]

I wish I remembered the name of mine... it was a piece of crap, too. :-/

[red95gts]

UPDATE:

I spoke with the City of Houston Assistant Chief Inspector for this area this morning. Here's what I found out:

1.) Yes, a permit does need to be pulled. The cost of that permit is 10% of the repair total +$30. Any homeowner can get the permit, providing they are the one doing the work. If a Licensed HVAC person is doing the work, they have to pull the permit. So, not much I can do there.

2.) According to the inspector, you can throw the evap coil in the garbage. No hazardous removal fee is necessary. That one is $75 - I'm not going to fight that one. If they haul off all their shit for $75, I'm ok with that.

3.) Drain Lines - This is where it got interesting. I was quoted $280 to re-route the primary evap drains into two seperate lines because that "the city code had changed since my home was built." When I asked the inspector, he laughed and said that is a pefectly acceptable way to do it, providing that one A/C unit is not at a considerably higher elevation than the other and the drain line is large enough to support the flow from two units. In my case, both are perfectly fine the way they are.

So, I call the A/C company to demand that they remove the $280 charge from the estimate. Only then am I told that $140 of that was to seperate the lines and the other $140 was to re-run the secondary drain lines in PVC. Again, I was told that PVC was required per City Code. I guess they thought I wouldn't go check on that one....even though they knew I was sitting outside the inspector's office. So, I walk back in and find out that is bullshit, also.

Long story short - I'm having a new Evap Coil installed tomorrow for $495 out of pocket. I can live with that...

One other thing I noticed throughout all this is - This industry must not be very strict. Seems like if you ask 10 different people what is code and what is not, you'll get 10 different answers. I figure I can count on the City Inspector more than anyone else... :)

And BTW, the inspector recommended very strongly that I don't renew the home "warranty." "It's the biggest rip-off out there" were his exact words...

A Learning Experience...

[Blue91]

So even though you can throw it in the trash, you'll pay $75 for them to do the same?

I'll come over and get it / haul it off if you pay me $75! Hell, I'll do it for $50. lol

[Rusman]

Wow...thanks for that D. It's interesting that the Home inspector states home warranties are crappy. I was thinking about getting one, but probably won't (especially since I have a new home) lol.

ARS - Assholes, Ripoffs and Scammers!