re: AC Frozen in a Block of Ice UPDATE

Was there a leak in the freon in July? Meaning, did they have to charge it up any? I had an older unit using R22 and it seemed to lose a pound or two every other year or so. I'd end up getting a normal service, and add a little, usually around July/August, and it would work great that year and through the next summer, then the heat would hit again and I would do the same. When it got too pricey for that, we replaced the unit last summer. I want to say it was a 2004 or 2006 unit, so to make it 14-16 years is pretty good. If yours is 10 years old, you'll see a greater efficiency and it will do a much better job cooling your home.

As far as them doing something that would mess it up, I wouldn't put it past them. Find a reputable company or contractor that you can trust and it will go a long way. That unit I mentioned I have now replaced was causing me issues, and the guys in their fancy wrapped van showed up and it went from not cooling to somehow not coming on, and he couldn't figure out why. A salesman shows up about 20 minutes later and starts quoting us $14k-22k on new systems. He hadn't even looked at the unit, just assumed it was dead. I thanked them and sent them on their way.

Asked my neighbor for a recommendation since he works for a construction company and always knows a few good subs, and the guy he recommended had my unit working again that night. It was a blown capacitor, and that is when I learned to always have one on hand and how to change them out. I got this guy to do my annual service from then on, and when the time came last year to replace it, I spent about $7k on a new Rheem.