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mowtime

Another GOODMAN fiasco

mowtime
12 years ago

replaced accumulator on the upstairs unit and a set of coils on the downstairs unit. Now upstairs coil is bad. approaching $2000.00 worth of repairs in 2 months. Parts are covered but not labor, installer is doing everything possible but noticed they changed coils to aluminum from copper. unbelievable. Their customer service is dead end and rude. They tell you to write corporate and they have to answer the other line. I am contacting the attorney general in our state to investigate shoddy parts.

Comments (11)

  • heatseeker
    12 years ago

    you ought to investigate a shotty installer and or repair person cause you are being taken for a ride. Is this a heat pump? Also if I had a costomer that was having this many problems and I installed the unit I would eat the labor instead of charging you. Another thing labor does not cost 2000 bucks to change a coil. So if I were you I would discontinue services from said company and search for new one who can really determine whats going on with your goodman unit.

  • Jack_Mason
    12 years ago

    While a Goodman is no Trane, Carrier, York, or Rheem, you should be careful in immediately assuming there is a problem with the product rather than the installation. Many contractors will blame the manufacturer rather than admit that they made a mistake because that can cost them money and create a situation where they are liable to you. Try Service Magic or Quality Smith - they will match you with local contractors, free of charge.

    Here is a link that might be useful: HVAC and Water Site - Great Info on A/C Units

  • mowtime
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    It is not the installer and I understand your concern. Parts are under warranty not labor. I was with him when we checked for leaks, his detector pinpointed the coils and the exact leak site. Corroded beyond belief copper coils replaced now with all aluminum, i have searched and found a site where mainly all Goodman coils in the last year have been failing at a mad rate. Several homeowners have replaced coils 6 times or more this summer. This guy did a great install as I built my own house and he went above and beyond.He has come asap to fix and I can't expect him to eat the freon and other expenses for nothing. This is a situation that is nationwide to a scale you would not believe. I have had no luck or return correspondence from Goodman at all. On some forums the supply houses have been reimbursing the cost of labor but my repair guy has even given me the number to convince them to do the same with no luck

  • cebury
    12 years ago

    >>> mainly all Goodman coils in the last year have been failing at a mad rate. Several homeowners have replaced coils 6 times or more this summer.

    What site is that, please?

    These are the kind of posts that start worrying me about purchasing a new Goodman today. Yet I've heard other companies are also facing the exact same problem. Something along the lines of "bad copper in the entire industry". I thought the majority of all the low+mid range units all use copper, except maybe "aluminized fins" on the coils. I believe I read this at one of the hvac-talk contractor forums (not the diy'er help site).

  • heatseeker
    12 years ago

    If the guy went above and beyond why did he install goodman there are so many brands that are much better.

  • mowtime
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    Here is the site for all of the Goodman repair issues

    http://www.furnacecompare.com/air-conditioners/goodman/reviews/

    Heatseeker, I was the one who researched on this website what brands and models that were recommended at the time we built our house (2008) a respected installer on this site said he had great success with Goodman with the proper install.My installer does all the work himself and was the only one who insisted on doing a comprehensive load calculation. He has been in HVAC for over 20 years an installed the units that I asked for. Research yourself about Goodman and you will understand they are a dead end company without any customer service (worst customer service of any company I have ever dealt with) I hate to bash anyone over a product but replacing 3 major components (2 sets of coils and an accumulator) in 60 days is ridiculous. There are hundreds if not thousands of people this summer with the same issues and several people initiating possible class action lawsuits. I do not want anyone to go through what our family has been through this summer with a two year old unit. To compare brands and warranty, a friend had a Trane compressor go out on his heat pump just after one year. The original installer wanted $700.00 to replace, he called corporate and complained one time and Trane sent a repair person out that week to fix free of charge. I can substantiate all of my claims if someone needs proof

  • cebury
    12 years ago

    Thanks for sharing the site. Obviously everyone knows the majority of people who do reviews are unhappy, followed by a distant second group of very happy customers.

    The most the avg homeowner can do is rate them against each other on such sites, if the # of respondents is high enough:

    For A/C's:
    ---------------
    Amana is #1 for a/c with at least 25 reviews (#19 overall). Only 44% customers recommend it (of 83 reviews), 35 are Very Satisfied, 41 Very UNsatisfied

    RUDD ranked #20: 43% of 76 reviews, 29/39 (Satisfied/UN-Satisfied)
    Rheem ranked #22: 40% of 111, 43/55
    Trane ranked #23: 39% of 295, 105/152
    Am Std ranked #26: 39% of 41, 16/22
    Goodman ranked #34: 28% of 427, 110/271
    Lennox ranked #43: 21% of 154, 28/110

    By far Goodman has the most reviews for all A/C, Furnaces (42% of 256, 100/118), and Heat Pumps (31% of 383, 105/225). Trane is the 2nd most reviewed for all three, too. Some other interesting facts: Furnaces have a higher customer satisfaction rate, and Heat Pumps is lower with A/C in between.

    As these types of rankings are NOT a valid statistical sample and are only taken from consumer reviews, how much do others find this type of info helpful to make conclusions of a product, especially w/out the "installer factor"?

  • heatseeker
    12 years ago

    I think most problems come from incompetent technicians who are afraid of losing there jobs so they go for the parts change mentality to bring in cash for boss. Just my two scents. Two bad evap coils in two months yea right, sounds really fishy to me maybe the installers are dropping them on their way up the latter or overheating them. I don't buy it. those electronic leak detectors can be very misleading. Esspecially when testing an evap coil.

  • mowtime
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    Heatseeker, maybe you are just an instigator or a nonbeliever but read the comments from hundreds of GOODMAN customers across the country who are having the same issue with the coils. If you could think logically you would understand that the components are the problem, not the hundreds of inept installers that you blame. I came on here to let everyone know to beware of these problems and of the extreme lack of customer service from the company. I am not bashing anyone directly, I have replaced two sets of coils and an accumulator in a total period of within 90 days. Goodman has changed the design of the coil because of these issues.I can show proof and am not here for kicks, if you knew how to spell or could use the simple spell check that is on this forum maybe someone would take you seriously.

  • brickeyee
    12 years ago

    A significant number of the problems appear to be sizing and installation issues.

    Leaking brazed joints are ALWAYS an installation error.

    One of the reasons Goodman gets a bad rap is that any tech can purchase and install the equipment.

    Brazing is not that hard, but TXV equipment requires a nitrogen purge during brazing, and you must use phosphorous bearing rods to avoid using flux.

    This tends to also require a slightly higher silver content, raising the cost of the filler rods.

  • heatseeker
    12 years ago

    Excuse me My point is not that all installers are bad but that the technicians who are pressured to sell sell sell and cover their arses are changing parts weater they need to or not. Gee my job or 7 or 800 bucks in bosses pocket for a part that dosen't need replacing. I've been in the biz for a while I know how it works. especially on the residential side of life.