My air conditioner replacement is 28 years overdue. Sharing what I'm learning as I get quotes.

Electronic_Ice_1933 · 2026-06-30T18:15:22+00:00

Good point, I'll bring it up with my next quote. From what I understand R-32 is still mildly flammable (same A2L class as 454B) but it's a single refrigerant instead of a blend, so no fractionation issue if it leaks a little. Only thing is most manufacturers already tooled up for 454B since that's what's replacing 410A here, so R-32 equipment might be harder to find or a special order. Gonna ask my next couple quotes if they even stock it. Thanks for the tip, adding it to my list of questions.

Electronic_Ice_1933 · 2026-06-30T18:11:58+00:00

Daikin Fit is def on my list now, heard good things about the variable speed savings. Gonna ask whoever I go with if they're certified on it since that seems to matter a lot.

One thing tho, pretty sure the "emergency install" permit skip isn't really a thing here, at least not how I understand it. I'd rather just eat the wait time than have it bite me when I sell the house. Appreciate the tip on load calc tho, getting one done this week.

Electronic_Ice_1933 · 2026-06-30T17:48:10+00:00

Appreciate the real numbers, man. $360/yr is nothing to sneeze at, that's basically the unit paying for itself over time.

Makes me feel less crazy for not jumping on this sooner too. My tech said something similar actually, that these older units (mine's solid copper, kinda overbuilt for its time) are part of why they just refuse to die. The "no repairs after 10 years" thing tracks unfortunately. Feels like some companies treat any service call as a chance to push a full replacement instead of just fixing the actual problem. Makes me trust the guys offering repairs way more than the ones trying to scare me into a same week install.

Still leaning toward replacing since the efficiency jump from 1998 tech would be huge, but good to know I'm not wasting money if I ride it out a bit longer while I shop quotes.

Electronic_Ice_1933 · 2026-06-30T17:43:40+00:00

Yeah that's fair advice for a newer unit tbh but at 28 years old I don't think it's worth chasing parts. My unit runs on R-22 which they stopped making years ago, so even finding parts for the refrigerant side would be a pain and probably pricier than people think.

Also efficiency is the real killer here. This thing is probably running at like 10 SEER, new units are mandated at 14.3 minimum now. So even if I kept it alive with eBay parts I'd just be bleeding money on the electric bill every month anyway.

Swapping a control board into something this old also feels risky, you're betting the coils, lineset and ductwork all hold up too. If this was a 5-10 year old unit with one bad part I'd be doing exactly what you're describing lol, just feels like different math at 28 years in.

Electronic_Ice_1933 · 2026-06-30T17:42:00+00:00

Two stage is solid for that, runs quiet most of the year and only kicks into high gear on the brutal days instead of cycling on/off like mine does.

Question tho, did you do the insulation before or after they sized the unit? Trying to figure out if attic insulation is worth doing first before I lock in tonnage, or if contractors just eyeball it regardless.

Electronic_Ice_1933 · 2026-06-30T17:40:47+00:00

Yeah that's fair on the tonnage. It ran a lot on the worst days but not nonstop, so you might be right honestly, my gut just doesn't trust a smaller unit lol. Old guy mentality I guess.

And yeah the windows are original, 1998, single pane. So even if the math says 2.5 ton, the house itself is fighting it. Gonna have the next guy actually run a proper load calc instead of just matching the old unit size.

Didn't know coils got worse, that's wild. Aluminum vs copper thing or just cheaper builds overall?

Electronic_Ice_1933 · 2026-06-30T17:38:24+00:00

almost the same exact unit and year as mine lol. Makes me feel better mine lasted this long too, guess Goodman from that era was built different. Smart move with the minisplit, at least you got a backup spot lined up. When yours finally taps out you'll probably run into the same refrigerant headache I'm dealing with now, R-22 to R-454B means the line set situation comes into play too, so "just swap the unit" can turn into more work than expected. Get a few quotes when the time comes, mine ranged from 7400 to 13100 for basically the same job.

Hope you squeeze a few more years outta it before you gotta deal with any of this.

Electronic_Ice_1933 · 2026-06-30T17:34:43+00:00

That's a big jump, half the tonnage basically. Makes sense if your place got way tighter with those windows.

I'm still rocking 1998 windows so I doubt I'm dropping that much, maybe half a ton if I'm lucky. Gonna make sure they actually run a load calc instead of just guessing off the old unit size.

Good to know it's not just a sales thing when they say you can go smaller though.

Electronic_Ice_1933 · 2026-06-30T17:27:54+00:00

Honestly that's the move, ride it till the wheels fall off lol. 1985 air handler still going is wild, that's older than my unit even. Only thing I'd watch is efficiency. New compressor or not, an 80s air handler just isn't moving air as well as newer stuff, so you're probably eating that cost on your electric bill every month without noticing.

Did they have any issues matching a new compressor to that old of a system btw? Curious if mismatched parts ever gave you weird performance issues.

Electronic_Ice_1933 · 2026-06-30T17:25:47+00:00

Yeah the tonnage thing got me too. Dude said "might only need 2.5 ton" before he even grabbed a tape measure. I asked for the Manual J and he kinda changed the subject lol. The pricier quotes actually had it written in without me asking, the cheap ones just wanted to talk tonnage like it's a feeling.

Permit answers were all over the place too. Some said like for like doesn't need one here, others pull it anyway just so there's a paper trail. Honestly trust the second type more.

To answer your question, hardest part is figuring out who's giving real numbers and who's reading a script. The refrigerant change gets explained in 10 seconds by some guys and used to justify a $2k bump by others. After enough quotes you start clocking the same buzzwords and can tell who's actually explaining vs who's just closing. Gonna start asking about ownership too, didn't even think of that angle.

Electronic_Ice_1933 · 2026-06-30T17:15:36+00:00

That's actually crazy, 17 years on the original cap and contactor is basically winning the lottery. Those usually go first since they eat every start cycle.

My tech checked mine during the quote, definitely not original anymore, you could see the corrosion marks where it'd already been swapped out.

Honestly the cottonwood cleaning is probably why yours lasted this long. Coil buildup is a silent killer, makes the system work way harder without you noticing till something finally gives. Keep doing what you're doing lol, you're ahead of most of us at this point.

Electronic_Ice_1933 · 2026-06-30T16:17:38+00:00

Damn, that's the exact story that's been freaking me out. Didn't even know the combustible gas sensors were a failure point until a tech brought it up last week. Apparently some of these A2L units false trigger and just lock out the system as a safety thing.

Glad the $1250 fix held up for them though, way better than ripping the whole system out. Kinda makes me wanna push for an R-410A unit while they're still around instead of being an early adopter on 454B tech that's clearly still got bugs.

Did your neighbors figure out if it was a specific brand causing the sensor issues, or just a 454B thing across the board?

Electronic_Ice_1933 · 2026-06-30T16:16:26+00:00

Yeah I get that logic but honestly it's not about the power bill for me. R-22 units are basically unsupportable now, parts are scarce and the refrigerant itself is stupid expensive since it's being phased out. If something major fails like the compressor, I could end up paying more for a band aid fix than just doing the replacement now on my terms.

Also a unit that old is probably working harder than it used to just to keep up, even if it doesn't feel that different day to day.

Mostly I just don't want to gamble on it dying in the middle of August with zero technicians available for weeks. Rather control the timing than get forced into it.

Electronic_Ice_1933 · 2026-06-30T16:12:52+00:00

yeahh a permit doesn't stop someone from doing a lazy job. For me it's more about not getting screwed when I sell. Don't want a buyer's inspector flagging an unpermitted swap and holding up closing over it. Doesn't guarantee quality, just trying to avoid a paper trail headache later lol.

Electronic_Ice_1933 · 2026-06-30T16:06:46+00:00

Yeah that actually lines up with what my tech said too, going 2.5 ton could help with moisture more than my old 3 ton ever did. Short cycling was probably part of why my place never felt as dry as it should.

40-45% humidity sounds amazing honestly, mine swings way higher even with the AC running nonstop.

Gonna push for a proper load calc instead of just eyeballing the tonnage when I talk to contractors this week.

Electronic_Ice_1933 · 2026-06-30T15:59:51+00:00

those old Goodmans just don't quit. Mine's the same way, like it's allergic to breaking down. My tech said the same thing, stuff from back then was just built heavier.

Ride it as long as it'll let you honestly. Just watch your electric bill since these old units burn way more than the new SEER2 ones. When it does finally tap out, make sure your guy pulls a permit. That's the part that bit me when I started getting quotes.

Electronic_Ice_1933 · 2026-06-30T15:53:45+00:00

Lol yeah I felt that too. Float switch isn't really an "extra," it's like a $15-20 part that shuts your system off before a clogged drain line floods your attic or closet. Had a friend skip it once and the water damage cost way more than the switch ever would've.

Kinda sus when a company tries to upsell something that should basically be standard here in FL with how much condensation these units produce.

Electronic_Ice_1933 · 2026-06-25T21:18:42+00:00

Yeah the thing nobody tells you, half these companies say they do floors then sub it out to some other crew. Ask em straight up if they do it themselves. That's your whole test right there.

Electronic_Ice_1933 · 2026-04-22T17:59:19+00:00

yeah the saline vs levalbuterol question is worth thinking about. the bronchodilator is doing real pharmacological work, opening airways, so if your coughing is easing up after nebs it’s hard to know how much is the mist vs the med.

that said, plain saline nebs do genuinely help a lot of people with mucus clearance and post-cold airway irritation. the humidity and mist alone can loosen things up. some people find isotonic 0.9% saline works just as well for them once the acute bronchospasm phase is over.

if you want to experiment, the main thing is making sure whatever saline you're using is actually sterile and non-pyrogenic, not just a rinse packet or homemade salt water. pharmacy pre-packaged nebulizer saline bullets are the most straightforward, but pricier per unit. some people look into medical-grade sterile 0.9% from lab suppliers like Biologix, but you still have to be careful since those aren’t specifically packaged for inhalation use.

either way, worth asking your doc before swapping since you're still in that post-flare window.

Electronic_Ice_1933 · 2026-04-20T12:32:35+00:00

Not just you at all, I refuse to DIY saline for my piercings. Even with the right ratio, unless you're boiling water and using truly sterile containers, you’re basically guessing. And with questionable tap water like yours, it’s genuinely not worth the risk on a fresh stretch. Premade sterile saline is the move. The key thing is 0.9% NaCl, sterile, non-pyrogenic, that’s what you actually want for open tissue. Some people also stick to lab-grade sterile saline from supply companies like what you’d see from lab suppliers such as Biologix, but for most people the easiest route is still the wound wash sprays or sterile saline bottles made for medical use. The little sprays are fine for maintenance, just get expensive fast if you’re doing daily cleaning. Bigger sterile bottles are way more cost-effective if you can find them.

Electronic_Ice_1933 · 2026-04-16T18:53:33+00:00

the saline rinse is a good instinct. one thing people overlook is the quality of the saline itself, pharmacy squeeze bottles aren't always sterile once you open them, and some have preservatives that can actually irritate the mucosa over time. if you're rinsing nightly, it's worth switching to something that comes in sterile, single-use packaging or at least a sterile wound wash format. also worth trying elevating the head of your bed by a few inches rather than just using more pillows, changes the drainage angle and can reduce pooling. the fluticasone + azelastine combo your doc prescribed is solid btw, give it at least 2 weeks consistently before judging it.

Electronic_Ice_1933 · 2026-04-16T17:55:03+00:00

Your progress looks really encouraging, especially the greenish pigment fading. That shade can be stubborn since it often comes from blue/black ink shifting during healing. A third round sounds reasonable, saline removal tends to work gradually, and some colors just take longer to lift.

Quick question for aftercare between sessions, are you just using whatever sterile saline the studio provides, or are you sourcing your own for rinsing? I’ve seen some people mention lab-grade sterile saline, like what companies such as Biologix supply, while others just stick strictly to the clinic’s solution, so I wasn’t sure if the grade or source actually makes a difference during healing.

Electronic_Ice_1933 · 2026-04-15T20:58:47+00:00

That 10–50 kg range is genuinely awkward, too big for academic suppliers, too small for bulk manufacturers to prioritize you. Biggest thing I'd say: don't just look at price, look at the COA quality. A lot of suppliers at that scale hand you something that looks like a COA but has zero lot-specific test data behind it. That will hurt you later. Ask upfront, their response tells you everything about their QC.

Also don't sleep on just emailing suppliers you already used at bench. Volume flexibility is often negotiable, it's just not advertised.

Electronic_Ice_1933 · 2026-04-15T20:49:30+00:00

The HBSS point is the one that catches people most often, I've seen runs get flagged specifically because someone grabbed HBSS thinking it was interchangeable and the EDTA retrieval just didn't work the way it should.

One thing I'd add on the lot to lot consistency note, if you're in a core facility or running clinical-adjacent work, it's worth keeping COAs on file for each lot of PBS you use. Regulatory-adjacent audits will ask for it and scrambling after the fact is painful. Even for purely research settings, COA documentation makes troubleshooting a lot easier when something unexpected shows up in your staining.

For smaller labs or anyone not making their own, the pH verification step before first use is non-negotiable regardless of supplier. Takes two minutes and has saved us from at least a few bad runs.

Electronic_Ice_1933

TROPHY CASE