Replace my Central A/C

Sorry. I know I have catching up to do on my stories, but it is Summer, my time and funds are limited, and I'm querying the universe to see if anyone has any suggestions/recommendations before I put actual leg-work into getting this thing fixed/replaced/bid on.

Okay, so most of you know I biffed when playing with the tiller in the backyard last month and what you see above is the result of my incompetence. The tiller, a minute after I started it, "kicked" up and banged that lil' lower corner. Freon proceeded to blow out like a cartoon steam whistle, and when it finally stopped? I couldn't really look inside to see what exactly was wrong. It seemed like a small hole, and (what I was secretly hoping) a small fix that my Utility company would be able to rectify. (I am, as you know, on the Service Plus plan. Ahem. <--Fancy Pants McGhee)

Anyway, after the record-setting heat and the fact that I was put on a wait list for the repair I ended up purchasing a window unit in the interim to make sure that at least my 2nd floor stayed marginally cool when it gets dirty hot this summer, and waited sweatily until the repair person showed up with their diagnosis. I had a show on repair day, so I told them what the issue was and tasked my roommate with taking meticulous notes to let me know what the issue/fix was for when I got home. (He's really, really good at that sort of thing) And the news, it turned out, seemed pretty bad.

So I'm listing the issues/repairs below, and I have to tell you- I think it's kind of bunk. At least, I have a hard time believing it. The bottom line, per the dude, was that it's irreparable. My thought was, at best, someone could replace the copper tube and replace the freon and away we go. Worst case, I find a similar model, chuck the old one, plug the (used) replacement in, away we go. Apparently, that isn't the case. And from the people I've spoken to- Both people who know a/c and other friends? It seems weird that they'd say that it can't be fixed. So HERE'S WHERE I'D LIKE YOUR HELP pleeeease:

(Notes were taken by my roommate. I've made comments/questions next to the bulleted list in italics)

The repair record card said: Coil Cannot Be repaired, Need New A/C (Ooookay...why? )

The Bean's notes, based on the dude who inspected it:
-Repair not possible, and if someone says they can do it, they're fools. (S#it. I pity fools)
- Replace outside "RZZ" possible with NEW "RZZ" - NOT old, or used equipment. (Wait, so then I can just replace the parts and it can be repaired? I'm confused)
- OR replace the inside/outside w/"R410A" (Wait...what about the hole?)

DIAGRAM'd!!! "Outside" hardware means the a/c unit, "Inside" is the thing that it connects to, that's built into the furnace.

OUTSIDE HARDWARE<---CONNECTING HARDWARE---> INSIDE HARDWARE
"RZZ" <-----MUST BE COMPATIBLE WITH WHAT'S INSIDE---> "RZZ"
(Apparently, my 10 year old central a/c is now obsolete. Why? Oh. R410A)
"R410A"<----IN SHORT, THE MODELS MUST MATCH---> "R410A"

(So then it's just a parts issue. Right? Why should I replace this again? Why are they fools? Confused Copernicus!)

Repair person's closing thoughts:

-Shop anywhere you want for new hardware, including CenterPoint

-Repair theoretically possible, but would contaminate the system sooner or later. (What the s#it does that even mean? My web research shows contamination to be a microbe or dust problem for folks with allergies. WTF does this mean? OUTBREAK?!?!?

So there is my issue in a nutshell. If you've clicked on this link via FB to see my a/c issue, and aren't a family member, and have something constructive or beneficial to say? You have my deepest thanks. Stay frosty, readers...come August I'm gonna be a sweaty beast.

-

Rapture Crapture

Wasn't there something about the end of the world this last weekend? What with the goody-two-shoes being grabbed by an invisible hand and being taken to heaven or something? (It kind of reminded me of the episode of "Six Feet Under" where the woman is driving along and the truck full of inflatable x-rated blow-up dolls loses it's cargo and she gets into an accident watching all the bodies "ascend" into heaven, mistaking it for the rapture. Anyone? Anyone?)

Well it didn't happen, whatever it was. I was kind of hoping for a zombie apocolypse (*). At least that was something I was prepared for.

Pictured: Far too many sharp objects for a person to have laying around and not be used for beheading zombies, or dicing produce. Please note, I was all set to have a party. You know. Bring your own shotgun, canned goods, bottled water, etc. Hole up in the basement. Take out a zombie one at a time as they come down the stairs and enjoy a cheese flight. That sort of thing.

Instead of the rapture, we received a mini-smoting that took the form of a tornado that remarkably didn't come ripping up through the Southern and Western parts of the metro and decided to just touch down whereever it darn-well pleased: Meaning the Northside.

Of COURSE I only found this out as I was leaving the matinee and I received a few frantic voice messages from my mom and later when listening to NPR on my way home and hearing the damage reports. (And yes, once again I found myself in a show during storm season completely oblivious to the weather outside. It was different from the old summers 7-8 years ago where CRPC was pretty much right next to a storm siren so if it went off, we'd stop, then re-state our line and keep going. Now I'm in a black box and we managed to barrel through a 68 minute matinee with a group of sassy seniors and didn't hear boo. And to think we were worried about the musical in the theater next to us being distracting.)

Anyway, I got home for a quick damage assessment and then started to check Facebook for the remainder of the afternoon and evening to see what was the status of my friends who live in North Mipples... only now realizing (due to Facebook) that I have quite a few more buddies on the North side than I thought. Further still, being grateful that other people in the world were throwing their good will and concern into cyber-space, and more over that everyone who responded (and their pets) are all okay. Joplin, MO got f#cked yesterday by their tornadoes, and as always it could have been a lot worse.

Speaking of- I don't have any pics to show you since I didn't have even a knocked over herb pot to show for it. (Really? I think I've experienced at least 8-9 tornado-y severe weather systems in the last 6 years that I've been in my house and nary a ONE decides to knock that decrepit pine tree over onto my s#itty garage? Right. Right. Gratitude, Michael. Please.) Poor FeeJ, however, took some pretty impressive damage to her home and needed some emergency chainsaw action for her tree. This, of course, made me realize that the closest chainsaw I have is in my mom's garage where she currently isn't using it and if it was in MY possession I could have totally been a hero yesterday and lent my services.

Come to think of it...a chainsaw would have tooootally been useful for the zombie apocolypse, doi. Two birds with one stone and all that.


*Zombies have been on my list of unnatural fears since I was 7-8 years old and the concept of death was very scary to me. That and the "Thriller" video running ad nauseum on MTV made me fret every time we drove past a cemetary. I fully expected to see the dead burst forth from the earth and start break-dancing or showing jazz hands.