Advice Needed - A/c Installation Not Done Properly

[reenie 0]

Hi,

I need some advice on what steps can be taken now as I am not getting anywhere rectifying the problem. I had an exisiting system 4, which was hardly used before, I engaged an aircon company to do the installation for me for almost 1.2k. The aircon was installed while my reno works were still going, that was some time in May. I moved in at the end of May and I realized that the trunking in the hall is wet and has drops of water every morning (the only fancoils that are used are in 2 bedrooms), but the leakage is in the hall area.

I have called the company and they came to "fix" the problem. They basically put more insulation in the affected area and instructed me to not switch the temperature lower than 25 degress and it has to be full fan as the aircon is inverter type also they said it was due to humidity and hot weather.

I did not quite think that made sense, as i have used the unit before and I have not had to set anything and it worked fine.. Besides, if that was the case, why would there be a temperature selection on the remote control.

Needless say that the problem did not go away, so they came second time and third and still nothing. One fine day, the bedroom trunking started to leak as well. They came and told me that my a/c is dirty and they charged me 350$ for chemical cleaning of 2 fancoils and normal cleaning of the other 2. The room leakage has stopped, but the hall trunking still had the same problem left. By now, my renovation works are ruined from their constant removal of the trunking and spraying some green stuff, which they told me would stop the leak. it has finger prints all over, dirt all along the trunking affected, stains and fungus/color change from constant moisture. All in all they came about 7 times to date and every time all they did was put more insulation.

I got pretty tired of this and i decided to call the a/c manufacturer to come and check. The findings were as follows:

The trunking used too small, heavy condensation, poor insulation and even the brackets used are of a wrong size as the compressor is sitting on top of it, rather than in it. And of course the suggestion of setting the temp to 25 was ridiculous. The only solution suggested was re-installing everything. I informed the company and they said they will rectify the problem, only to send 2 technicians who did not know what they were supposed to do, so i asked them to leave as i do not need them to open the trunking for the 1001th time and dirty the place yet again for no reason.

I am wondering what steps i can take now, I am quite tired of chasing them as their attitude does not help much. They told me they have done everything possible and now sent someone to rectify the problem but did not inform the workers what they are supposed to do exactly.

Some trunking runs under the false beam and paint work is ruined in the bedroom and the hall and if they were to re-run everything there will be more damage done to the renovation. They are not in a hurry to fix it and I find this totally unacceptable by now, as they waste my time and create a mess, dirt but the problem is still there. I do not think they are going to re-install as suggested but just re-do the affected area and they never said they will touch up the reno that they have ruined. Any suggestions? thanks

Edited September 20, 2010 by reenie

[chronograph 0]

Sorry to hear this, 1.2k to install a system 4 inverter already sound fishy to me. My system 3 non-inverter already cos me 2.2k.

Your only option is to go to case with the report from aircon manufacturer. Ask to reinstall and compensate on the damage cos to renovation.

Edited September 20, 2010 by chronograph

[reenie 0]

Sorry to hear this, 1.2k to install a system 4 inverter already sound fishy to me. My system 3 non-inverter already cos me 2.2k.

Your only option is to go to case with the report from aircon manufacturer. Ask to reinstall and compensate on the damage cos to renovation.

Thanks very much, I am thinking Case too now but was not sure.. Its not just poor install but the damage to the renovation as well as lots of inconvenience.

[gavirus 0]

Thanks very much, I am thinking Case too now but was not sure.. Its not just poor install but the damage to the renovation as well as lots of inconvenience.

i think just get gain city to do it. my boss installed cheap aircon in my office and ended up calling someone to repair once every 3 months. it's a good thing none of our computers are under the aircon.

He later got gain city to put up new aircons and all the problems are over.

[hihihi 0]

1) Get your priorities right. Look into the problem, not around the problem.

- things getting dirty = not the problem

- unit not sitting inside bracket = not the problem

- dirty finger prints = not the problem

End of the day, u want to solve the condensation problem, correct?

So let's now look at the problem, i.e aircon leaking.

What is the root cause?

- Aircon unit got problem?

- Aircon unit eventually died upon installation?

- How old is the aircon unit?

- Wrong size piping, is this really causing condensation?

- piping too long? Too many bends? Not installed at a gradient? How was the old unit installed?

- When will the condensation occurs? Day? Night? ON all units? ON one unit?

All these u'll have to find the answer b4 going forward. Yes, u can whine abt the fingerprints, dirt, but end of the day, think of solving the aircon problem.

If it is proven that the aircon trunking is the problem, then u'll have to approach the company to redo it. Seriously trunking alone doesn't cost even $100, so asking them to redo isn't too much to ask. If only they refuse, then u go 1 step further to CASE.

[terumo 0]

I think the user was quoted $1.2k to remove the aircon unit from 1 location and install @ another location. Its for labour only. The user decided to reuse her unit as it as seldom used.

Is it Mit ac?

[reenie 0]

Its Sharp aircon. I only paid for installation services for an existing system 4. There is nothing wrong with the aircon itself as it is quite new, have not been used for even 6 months before, the problem is with the size of the trunking and insulation as per Sharp, whom I paid to come for an assesment.

The advice to solve the issue was reinstallation, the company refused to do it. The problem has become worse now. They put it down to hot and humid weather, but this excuse does no longer make sense when this so-called "sweating"and rusty water dripping from the drunking occurs in the room where the ac is on.

I want to fix the a/c problem, however I also will have to repaint and touch up the newly done reno, because the installation job was not done properly before the renovation works begun.