Meritage Built home air conditioning

[Danny Shen]

Hi,

I recently saw an article on WFAA regarding Meritage built homes around 2008-2009 having extensive issues with their air conditioning units. The story focused on a community in Roanoke but I wonder if it also extends to our community as well since the sub contractor involved, Airtron, was used for our builds. I personally, in phase II, had to completely replace my unit inside of 5 years of ownership when most units have a 10-12 year lifespan. I wanted to see if anyone else in the community has had extensive issues with their units?

The wfaa reporter is willing to talk with individuals that wishes to be part of the story.

Article:  http://www.wfaa.com/news/consumer/Roanoke-neighborhood--269076431.html

-Danny Shen

[Jonathan Kusel]

Hi Danny,

The problem is more of a Goodman AC system problem (certain models) rather than Airtron issue - Airtron just services the AC but builder chose the AC but then again Goodman made a design mistake in their HVAC system.

If your AC runs out of Freon and it is still under warranty ensure that they perform a leak search - your AC should not run out of Freon. If it turns out that your evaporator coil is leaking - you probably have a copper evaporator coil (serial number starts with 09) - request that it be replaced with an aluminum one.

For more info you can visit: http://www.central-air-conditioner-and-refrigeration.com/goodman-evaporator-coil-replaced.html

Hope this helps.

Best Regards,

Jonathan Kusel

1019 Lucy Ln

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[lisa pinc]

I saw the story too. I moved into my unit 12/2010. 3/12, Airtran performed their spring tune-up and pronounced the a/c good. 4/12 discovered that the pan was cracked during the original installation (with an extensive use of bondo) and had to be replaced by Dallas Plumbing, luckily still under warranty. However, Dallas Plumbing has since discovered that I have a slow freon leak but have not be able to locate exactly where. These problems caused water to collect in the duct work over my laundry room so now I have a hole in the ceiling (made to allow the water to drain out). Yes, I would be more than happy to talk to them.

Lisa Pinc
--------------------------------------------
On Fri, 8/1/14, Danny Shen <danny...@hotmail.com> wrote:

Subject: Meritage Built home air conditioning
To: "the-villas-a...@googlegroups.com" <the-villas-a...@googlegroups.com>
Date: Friday, August 1, 2014, 7:39 AM

Hi,
I recently saw an article on WFAA regarding
Meritage built homes around 2008-2009 having extensive
issues with their air conditioning units. The story focused
on a community in Roanoke but I wonder if it also extends to
our community as well since the sub contractor involved,
Airtron, was used for our builds. I personally, in phase II,
had to completely replace my unit inside of 5 years of
ownership when most units have a 10-12 year lifespan. I
wanted to see if anyone else in the community has had
extensive issues with their units?

The wfaa reporter is willing to talk with individuals that

wishes to be part of the story.Article:  http://www.wfaa.com/news/consumer/Roanoke-neighborhood--269076431.html

[Heather Anderson]

OMG!!!!! Thank you so much for sharing Danny

YESSSSSSSS.  We have had extensive, extensive, extensive HVAC issues in our units  It is unprecedented.

I have very detailed history of all the HVAC issues with invoices showing work done and replacment.   We spend about 30k on HVAC/heating repairs each year, most of that in the Villas.

Warmest Regards,

 

Heather Anderson | President & Broker | ABR, CHMS, SFR, TCLPM, TCLS

Heather's Hours of Operation: M-F 10am-6pm Sat: By appointment only Sun: OFF :)

 

Janus Real Estate Group | allen ∙ mckinney ∙ frisco ∙ plano

1333 w. mcdermott dr. | ste 200 | allen, tx | 75013

t: 214.317.1964 | f: 866-856-9144

e: heather....@janusregroup.com  

w: www.JanusREGroup.com

 

Like us @ www.facebook.com/janusregroup#!/janusrealestate

Tweet us @ twitter.com/janusREgroup

 

Click HERE for a Copy of the Information About Broker Services Form, an informational document about Brokerage Services in Texas

 

 

   

On Fri, Aug 1, 2014 at 7:39 AM, Danny Shen <danny...@hotmail.com> wrote:

[Randy Delfs]

We also have a freon leak. Likely in the evaporator but recent service also noted a back-pressure "pop" when the filler cap was removed. There is a seal in the cap. So it may have a second source of the leak. May want to make sure the filler caps are tight. Our unit in Villas I was built in 2007. And I first discovered the leak in 2013... just after the automatic 5 year warranty expired. And the paperwork was never submitted to activate the 10 year warranty. 

Made the decision that long-term I want the Goodman replaced with a Lennox and plan to babysit the freonleak year-by-year until I replace the Goodman. I grew up near the original Iowa Lennox plant and have a bias toward that brand.  Researched certified Lennox dealers in the area, checked BBB comments and online user comments and decide to try Plano Heating and Air Conditioning.  Happy so far, time will tell as years pass. Experience so far is they are honest and understand my plan to keep what I have going for a few more years and in return they will get my replacement business in the future. The compressor tests good, so hopefully that plan will workout. 

Randy Delfs

---

From: Jonathan Kusel <kus...@gmail.com>
To: Danny Shen <danny...@hotmail.com>
Cc: "the-villas-a...@googlegroups.com" <the-villas-a...@googlegroups.com>
Sent: Friday, August 1, 2014 9:02 AM
Subject: Re: Meritage Built home air conditioning

[Richard Musgrave]

Danny

I was told that our units had substandard cooling coils. I closed on the last unit Meritage built here in Nov 2011. In the spring. Airtron replaced my coils and replumbed the drain system. The CLAIMED the replacement coils were better quality and basically they were replacing them regularly, in the warranty pereiod. My suggestion to every one is to keep your unit serviced annually or buy the extended warranty. (Buyer beware on the warranty, may not be worth it) I've used another company for a number of years to service my AC that is very reliable,

 

Otherwise, Meritage turned into a pack of Jackals after closing.  I was rushed to close, even though at walk through, there were SEVERAL items incomplete, and below standard; I made the mistake of trusting the superintendent when he said they'd make things right. My driveway is cracked all the way across and and the crack is expanding. The wrong grout on my kitchen backsplash has totally blemished the decor of the main room as it doesn't blend with the rest of the house. My mistake was not hiring sdomeone to read the microscopic font on the option list as the girl that entered our decorative choice failed to "save" the changes we made from the specs they were using if it was unsold. Looking back, I'd have NEVER closed until the job met specs.........My intention has been to write the BBB now that the warranty period has expired to warn others NOT to close until Meritage makeds the house look right.

 

Send that reporter my way and I'll load them with info and correspondence that shows just how careless Meritage is when it comes to standing behind themselves.......

 

 

Richard Musgrave

214 406 7680

Formwood Industries

www.formwood.com

 

www.texasawi.org

Supplier Member/Director

 

---

From: the-villas-a...@googlegroups.com [mailto:the-villas-a...@googlegroups.com] On Behalf Of Danny Shen
Sent: Friday, August 01, 2014 7:39 AM
To: the-villas-a...@googlegroups.com
Subject: Meritage Built home air conditioning

[Richard Musgrave]

Sorry, thought I plugged my AC tech folks......

Acme Air Conditioning 972-530-8060.....family owned and operated by the Waddle Family. They are coming to do PM on my unit Monday.

 

Richard Musgrave

214 406 7680

Formwood Industries

www.formwood.com

 

www.texasawi.org

Supplier Member/Director

 

---

From: the-villas-a...@googlegroups.com [mailto:the-villas-a...@googlegroups.com] On Behalf Of Richard Musgrave
Sent: Friday, August 01, 2014 10:57 AM
To: 'Danny Shen'; the-villas-a...@googlegroups.com
Cc: waddl...@aol.com
Subject: RE: Meritage Built home air conditioning

[Shank Sadasivan]

I had issues with my air conditioning as well. I ended up getting AHS warranty just to get the home A/C unit replaced. Obviously the inside unit had corroded and had to be replaced. But the warranty did not allow for an aluminum replacement, instead got junk replaced with new junk. My property was completed around Sept 2009 and I replaced the unit during the summer of 2012. I have had plenty of financial losses behind this too..!!

Shankar

1008 Lucy Ln

[Greg Hodges]

This sounds familiar.  Our unit in phase I was finished in 2007, and we had A/C issues since day 1.  Meritage wrote us off after the 2 year warranty was over.  Our A/C still freezes up at the beginning of every summer and we have to have freon added to it every year.  Airtron was the contractor as well on our unit.

Greg Hodges

214-215-2216

greghod...@yahoo.com

[Danny Shen]

Hi,

Thanks for everyone's response. When I closed on my house, I asked about a type of freon used on the A/C unit and Meritage mentioned that my unit was of the older model and could not be changed for the newer ones because of what they had in stock in their warehouse. My build was one of the last few being placed in homes, so I do not know how many of the later buildings had these units. My unit did have the copper coils that corroded and was replaced with aluminum.

Those who asked to be contacted by the reporter, I have passed your contact to him.

-Danny Shen

---

From: danny...@hotmail.com

To: the-villas-a...@googlegroups.com
Subject: Meritage Built home air conditioning

Date: Fri, 1 Aug 2014 07:39:23 -0500

[Camille K. Hedrick]

Just thought I'd mention that, as a member of Angie's list, I noticed in the May edition of their monthly magazine that Meritage had been in their "Penalty Box" for three months prior to May. Thank goodness I haven't had any AC issues, but all your stories are pretty scary.

Camille Khattar Hedrick

1043 Audrey Way
214-537-7999

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Camille Khattar Hedrick
camille...@gmail.com
+1 214 537-7999

[Donna McGowan]

I discovered in the past month I also have the coil issue and was told they are leaking because of a bad design they just missed manufacturer warranty.  I had the iced over pipes outside caused by the low freon due to leakage in coils.  I have an estimate to change the coils of almost $1k. I'm on lucy lane 

~Donna McGowan

[Camille K. Hedrick]

My goodness! How can we check to see if we have a leak or any other problem? If I do, I'd like to take care of it right away (I moved here in December 2010).

Camille

[sovereign_1100]

I would recommend calling a service once or twice a year to check the system.  Unfortunaty, my coil was rusted out causing a freon leak and required a new coil.  

I hired The Air Doctor to do the work.  Nice guy.  Fought the manufacturer to cover the warranty the builder forgot to file and won.  He then got a better aluminum coil (instead of steel) installed the next day.  

Coils do tend to rust out after 8 to 10 years so get your system checked.   

Jason

Sophia phase 1

Sent via the Samsung GALAXY S® 5, an AT&T 4G LTE smartphone

[Camille K. Hedrick]

Forwarding this response to the groupo since it only came to me. I think it was meant for everyone.

Camille

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: stretc...@yahoo.com <stretc...@yahoo.com>
Date: Wed, Aug 6, 2014 at 1:05 PM
Subject: Re: Meritage Built home air conditioning
To: "Camille K. Hedrick" <camille...@gmail.com>


you'll know if you have a leak because your pipes outside will freeze up and it wont get as cold as it used to be able to get to. If that makes sense.

I had to pay to get AC guy and used Angies list - it cost me around $400 for the check and the freon   :(

Anyone having issues with their dishwashers not wanting to start?
I'm pretty sure its because of the door latch. I have to mess with it a lot to get it to start the wash.
Once it gets going its fine.



--------------------------------------------
On Wed, 8/6/14, Camille K. Hedrick <camille...@gmail.com> wrote:

 Subject: Re: Meritage Built home air conditioning
 To: "Donna McGowan" <stretc...@yahoo.com>
 Cc: "<the-villas-a...@googlegroups.com>" <the-villas-a...@googlegroups.com>
 Date: Wednesday, August 6, 2014, 11:58 AM

 From: danny...@hotmail.com


 To: the-villas-a...@googlegroups.com
 Subject: Meritage Built home air
 conditioning
 Date: Fri, 1 Aug 2014 07:39:23
 -0500






 Hi,
 I
 recently saw an article on WFAA regarding Meritage built
 homes around 2008-2009 having extensive issues with their
 air conditioning units. The story focused on a community in
 Roanoke but I wonder if it also extends to our community as
 well since the sub contractor involved, Airtron, was used
 for our builds. I personally, in phase II, had to completely
 replace my unit inside of 5 years of ownership when most
 units have a 10-12 year lifespan. I wanted to see if anyone
 else in the community has had extensive issues with their
 units?



 The wfaa reporter is willing to talk with
 individuals that wishes to be part of the

 story.Article:  http://www.wfaa.com/news/consumer/Roanoke-neighborhood--269076431.html

[Sarah B Tompkins]

Hi Fellow Homeowners,

Our unit was built in spring of 2008. We have had a problem with the compascitor that starts the outside fan in summer of 2012. Once it was replaced, the system worked fine until three days ago, when our outside compressor frosted over and the inside evaporator formed ice around all the coils.  We have defrosted the ice a few times and the a/c will cool again until it freezes up.  We're sure it's a leak so we are having it diagnosed.  

Does anyone have advice regarding getting the freon topped off and waiting to have the coils replaced?  Or go ahead a replace now?  I know someone mentioned replacement was estimated to be $1,000 expense.  Has anyone had to follow through with that?

Thank you,

Sarah

[Sarah B Tompkins]

FYI:I'm on Sophia Street in Phase I.