re: Any HVAC Professionals here? [Updated - Evap Coil Pics pg 4]

I wouldn't say that, flex duct in my book is a hack job.

Also it looks like a slab coil. Do we even know if its a lennox? Could have been changed before...

Also you have to unscrew the plenum & transition from the coil to get a look at it, thus rendering your ac inoperable for awhile. I recommend you call someone who knows what they are doing.

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sorry but i don't know what i'm looking at when i look at that picture. near where the copper pipe is running in? or where the condensate line is leaving?

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In the pic. Your coil is where the copper enters. The space between the furnace and the coil is just a sheet metal connection. The blower motor is in the large furnace. If you want to open up the coil to look, follow the copper and peak. It just takes a nut driver.

I had a leak like that in my 2007 Lennox inside evaporate coils. It was so bad that there was an oily residue in the drip pan. I just had the interior coils changed for around 1500$ rather than replace the whole unit. The inside coils can be tricky to access if the access panel was sealed with "the white goop". You'll know what I'm talking about when you see it. It's usually covering the sheet metal screws that hold the access panel on. You'll have to use a pocket knife to remove all that goop to even be able to put a socket on those screws. It's doable but is a pain in the arse. If there is any oily residue in the drip pan however don't even bother removing the access panel - your coils are leaking and will need replacing. Good luck

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I had a leak like that in my 2007 Lennox inside evaporate coils. It was so bad that there was an oily residue in the drip pan. I just had the interior coils changed for around 1500$ rather than replace the whole unit. The inside coils can be tricky to access if the access panel was sealed with "the white goop". You'll know what I'm talking about when you see it. It's usually covering the sheet metal screws that hold the access panel on. You'll have to use a pocket knife to remove all that goop to even be able to put a socket on those screws. It's doable but is a pain in the arse. If there is any oily residue in the drip pan however don't even bother removing the access panel - your coils are leaking and will need replacing. Good luck

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i'm going to check that out this afternoon. honestly, i just want to find the underlying problem, pay to have it fixed, and move on with our lives.

i've sunk $2k into this mess already.
Will need to put another $200 into sheetrock work to patch ceiling and one wall.
And whatever it costs to fix the underlying problem.

it's making me sick.

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Lynn Blackwell with Cool Tech. 225-916-1500

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he in the Spring / Woodlands, TX area perhaps?

yep. Cypresswood neighborhood in Spring, TX.

Ryno. I have no idea if you are being sincere or not.

hmmm. this does spark my interest.

further background. the previous home owner lived there 13 years with a wife and 2 daughters. complete cheap arse and slimeball from what my neighbor buddy has told me.

in 13 years the only upgrades they made to the home were paint 2 rooms hunter green and put down an ugly tile in the kitchen. he had a wife and 2 small children living in that house without a single fricking GFCI outlet. And never once labeled the Breaker box. How does a grown arse man not have his break box labeled? what do you do when you need to swap out a light fixture or outlet?

so it would not surprise me if he made a warranty claim on it and withheld some info.

Coils on outside unit:


See that hatch on the AC Handler of the attic portion of my A/C system:


The best pictures I could get from inside that hatch looking at evaporator coils:





any thoughts on how the evap coil looks or how my outside unit coils look? I honestly didn't see much in the way of what is supposed to look like a leak. Of course I couldn't see the entire evaporator coil and again am not an HVAC expert.

also found a guy an HVAC pro in the area with a great YouTube channel. Happened to call him up and shoot him straight, that I was clueless and had been given the run around by my Home Warranty Company. Super nice guy, called me yesterday evening and spent 15-20 minutes on the phone with me giving me advice based on my issues.

learned more from him in 20 minutes than i have anyone my POS Warranty Company sends out.

He agrees with most everyone here that it's definitely a freon leak causing the issues and since my system is a Lennox from 2012. He's confident that it is more than likely that Evaporator Coil without being there or seeing any pictures.

He suggested I call Lennox and find out if the original home owner registered the A/C Air Handler portion of my unit for a warranty when it was installed. If they did it'll have a 10 year warranty, if they didn't it'll have a 5 year warranty. Depending on when it was installed i may fall under both (because it could've sat in a Lennox warehouse a year or two). So i'm going to do that today. He says if it's under warranty they'll send me a new Evaporator coil for free. Then all I'll have to do is pay out of pocket to have someone install it (which shouldn't be bad $ wise) and then run a hydrogen based pressure test to ensure my system is sealed up for good.

This whole process has taught me 2 things:
1) Home Warranty and big HVAC shops are out to do nothing but rip people off.
2) I'm better off reaching out to the good folks of the OT and good ol boys in the HVAC industry who will give me honest answers for nothing because they've seen #1 too many times.

Again, I appreciate everyone's advice, help, and kindness.

I'm well over $2k into this problem. And it'll probably be another $1k to get it all resolved from what it's sounding like. I'm a new home owner. That's $3-4k I'd rather spend on a lot of things: painting rooms, new carpet for the 2nd floor, a security system, landscaping, etc, etc. This is super frustrating.