[katezbox]

Originally Posted by handieman

Good questions everyone. I'll try to bring you up to speed on this issue. April 2010, this issue (copper line sets) was brought to my attention. Being a Rep. for the VHA I brought it to the attention of the warranty department. For the next 9 months the most the VHA could accomplish is a extended warranty of 5 yrs from house closing. That makes homes built in 2006 near expiration. The problem exists in newer homes and now has been discovered in designer homes (previously patio villas).
The developer is well aware of this and the home warranty department continues to "blow smoke" in my face.
After much soul searching I and another Rep of the VHA decided to hand our research papers over to the POA. If you read the article you will see they wish to pursue a fair rebate to the hundreds of homeowners that have paid hundreds of dollars out of pocket.

IF YOU HAVE HAD PROBLEMS, please fill out the questionaire and send it to the POA. You may have noticed that patio villas now have the AC compressor located along side the villa instead of behind. This is on purpose. They realize that the length of the line is increasing the odds of failure.

ALSO Do not under any circumstances use vinegar to flush the condensate line. The AC copper lines are enclosed in conduit along with the condensate line and IS NOT PROPERLY SEALED. After digging up 6 abandoned underground lines, we found them sealed with publix shopping bags, pepsi cans, roofing, and bubble wrap. I'm not kidding I have the pictures to prove this. The Vinegar is 5% acid and will seep down to the exit of the copper lines and copper and acid don't get along. DUH !
I actually suggest you extend the condensate line away from the compressor area. Other wise this area is constantly moist.

handie
J-Wharton@comcast.net

[handieman]

PS:
The POA has a website www.poa4us.org which I find to be interesting reading
Handie

[Russ_Boston]

Originally Posted by golfnut

I agree, Kudo's to Handie, as a VHA rep turning information over to the POA is occupational suicide, yes I know technically it's not an occupation but I think you know what I mean. Hijack, Russ how's it going up north....gn

Always envisioned a time when POA and VHA could work together for all of us.

Hijack back - Doing well GN but home sales are slow up here. I'll be there 8/27 to 9/5 for a quick visit to check on the house etc.

[handieman]

Originally Posted by Russ_Boston

Always envisioned a time when POA and VHA could work together for all of us.

Hijack back - Doing well GN but home sales are slow up here. I'll be there 8/27 to 9/5 for a quick visit to check on the house etc.

Hi Russ!
Take a look at the VHA website "www.thevha.net" and click on the history tab and look at the founding of the VHA. it will give you some incite on how the VHA was born and the conditions on how it operates.

Handie

[Pturner]

Originally Posted by handieman

Good questions everyone. I'll try to bring you up to speed on this issue. April 2010, this issue (copper line sets) was brought to my attention. Being a Rep. for the VHA I brought it to the attention of the warranty department. For the next 9 months the most the VHA could accomplish is a extended warranty of 5 yrs from house closing. That makes homes built in 2006 near expiration. The problem exists in newer homes and now has been discovered in designer homes (previously patio villas).
The developer is well aware of this and the home warranty department continues to "blow smoke" in my face.
After much soul searching I and another Rep of the VHA decided to hand our research papers over to the POA. If you read the article you will see they wish to pursue a fair rebate to the hundreds of homeowners that have paid hundreds of dollars out of pocket.

IF YOU HAVE HAD PROBLEMS, please fill out the questionaire and send it to the POA. You may have noticed that patio villas now have the AC compressor located along side the villa instead of behind. This is on purpose. They realize that the length of the line is increasing the odds of failure.

ALSO Do not under any circumstances use vinegar to flush the condensate line. The AC copper lines are enclosed in conduit along with the condensate line and IS NOT PROPERLY SEALED. After digging up 6 abandoned underground lines, we found them sealed with publix shopping bags, pepsi cans, roofing, and bubble wrap. I'm not kidding I have the pictures to prove this. The Vinegar is 5% acid and will seep down to the exit of the copper lines and copper and acid don't get along. DUH !
I actually suggest you extend the condensate line away from the compressor area. Other wise this area is constantly moist.

handie
J-Wharton@comcast.net

Great job, Handie
Thanks for the info and for all your efforts on behalf of homeowners!

Pturner

[Russ_Boston]

Originally Posted by handieman

Hi Russ!
Take a look at the VHA website "www.thevha.net" and click on the history tab and look at the founding of the VHA. it will give you some incite on how the VHA was born and the conditions on how it operates.

Handie

Will do. thanks

[handieman]

I am meeting with the POA, an outside private AC consultant, and a 50 ft piece of failed copper for lab analysis, Monday the 18th. Stay tuned.
Handie

[getdul981]

Originally Posted by drdodge

any copper that is run underground and comes up thru the concrete should be in a conduit to prevent the concrete eating away at the copper. There are chemicals in concrete that will cause the copper line deterioate and therefore fail after a few years. I eas a construction superintendent for 25 years and we would never bring copper up thru concrete without some protection
drd

What is the difference in running like this and running through a concrete basement wall like we had up north? Sounds like the dirt and not the concrete is the culprit. Although I agree that the line should be protected from whatever the problem is by being in plastic conduit.

[MaryEllen]

Originally Posted by handieman

I do hope that everyone that has had an air conditioner failure, read the July issue of the Property Owners Association (POA) newsletter. The line set failures are now spreading from patio villas to designer homes. It is imperative that you fill out the questionaire in this newsletter and forward it to the POA.

Handie,
I am in New York and i was just informed that my a/c unit is not running. Can you recommend someone that is fair. I know air conditioning,but i am not there until october 1 st
John Blankenberg

[Snowbirdtobe]

Here is a post from another thread. It might not be the tubing but it could be lightning blowing the capacitor that is required to start the motor.

When your AC goes wrong or you need a tune up most of the big AC companies send out a sales person. When you insist on having it repaired then they will then call out the repair person. I use Greg Theorides - he's an independent AC repairman - when our AC quit last year he came out and installed a new dual capacitor for $100 - checked the gas and other stuff while he was at it - 20 minutes no nonsense. Allan.

[Bryan]

Check out this month's issue of the The Villages Voice, the newsletter of the VHA. It will be a supplement to this coming Tuesday's issue of The Daily Sun. They have a good article from Seniors Vs Crime on HVAC repair scams. That is not exactly the same as this problem (buried, unprotected lines) but it does get close in some aspects, like the annual checkups.

[Virtual Geezer]

Originally Posted by MaryEllen

Handie,
I am in New York and i was just informed that my a/c unit is not running. Can you recommend someone that is fair. I know air conditioning,but i am not there until october 1 st
John Blankenberg

John

Try Chuck Farrell Air Conditioning Company Telephone 753-9497. More good recommendations for Chuck than any other company for A/C on TOTV.

VG

[Bogie Shooter]

In todays (9/16) Daily Sun, there is an article announcing that the reimbursement plan has been extended to a full 10 years. There is a copy of the extended service agreement signed by the developer H.Gary Moorse also in the article. I could not find this information anywhere on a website.

[graciegirl]

Originally Posted by Bogie Shooter

In todays (9/16) Daily Sun, there is an article announcing that the reimbursement plan has been extended to a full 10 years. There is a copy of the extended service agreement signed by the developer H.Gary Moorse also in the article. I could not find this information anywhere on a website.

It also said ...I think I remember correctly, that this problem affected less than one percent of homeowners.

Anyway, I read that article and thought...well, that is good.

[bestmickey]

HANDIE FOR PRESIDENT !!!!
(And I don't mean President of the VHA.)