Coming home from vacation to no A/C is a bummer. After seven years in harmony on the roof two small copper pipes decided to vibrate together to create a pin-hole resulting in the total loss of the R-22 coolant. On the upside it was relatively easy to find with soap bubbles and repair with sand paper, heat and solder. On the downside R-22 is expensive especially when the unit needed 230 oz.
Valley Services was very responsive and the A/C was back on line within four hours of the original phone call. There was a flat rate charge which could have meant more detective work but this time the remedy was straight forward. I watched the whole process and even helped out by carrying the remainder of the R-22 off the roof. Still no discount but it was a task where an expert was required.
Considering the various A/C parts from compressors to electronics that may have needed repair I felt I got off easy. However, after watching the process and how much open space was available for those two copper tubes I feel like writing a "strongly worded" letter to the manufacturer. One would think the manufacturer would have thought ahead to failure mechanisms of vibrating pipes with the constant mechanical motions of motors and fans. The two copper pipes should have been separated several inches apart instead of in the same vicinity next to the coil where one pipe could mechanically rub against another.
Yes, a letter to the manufacturer is probably in order. Maybe even a strongly worded letter?