By James Allen
Maria of Baltimore:
I have recently moved and the landlord is now trying to charge me with repairs to a outside A/C unit. They state that the damages were caused by animal urine. Is this possible? The funny thing is I did not even have an animal. However, the rental office would not repair the back gate, and thus it would not close. Stray dogs would roam in my yard. I had to chase them away several times. When I informed the office of the incidents, they did nothing and now they expect me to pay. Could animal urine really damage an outside A/C unit?
If what you say is true, you are probably not responsible for the damage. Contact the city government and ask about a Tenant/Landlord office or commission for possible help or mediation. (I presume they are trying to snag your security deposit.) Good luck.
Ronald of Apache Junction AZ:
I feel my ac unit is the wrong unit for my home. My home 1600 square feet (Arizona) will not go below 81 degrees, sometimes 80 in afternoon. Air conditioner runs all day and evening till 10 o'clock at night. What degree of comfort should I expect from this ac unit? Air conditioner was also supposed to run my Arizona room which is 400 square feet. I can't even run my main house without discomfort.
One cant just rely on a suggested square foot figure for AC units. How much glazing, insulation, and infiltration, as well as square footage, are some of the factors that go into determining load. Get an opinion from an AC contractor. In our area, the power and gas suppliers offer energy audits. Sure, they're all trying to sell something, but you dont have to buy.
