My AC Was Stolen

Message

#1 Post by **littlebeast13** » Tue Jun 17, 2014 8:28 pm

Let this be my token post for the day.... <grumble®>

lb13

Beebs52 · #2 Post by **Beebs52** » Tue Jun 17, 2014 8:35 pm

How the fuckety fuck does THAT happen!?!

TheConfessor · #3 Post by **TheConfessor** » Wed Jun 18, 2014 2:52 am

I've had that happen. Drug addicts can be pretty resourceful with a screwdriver and a hacksaw if they think they can score 30 bucks from the "scrap" copper buyer by destroying your $2500 A/C compressor. I think some copper thieves have won the Darwin Award.

Estonut · #4 Post by **Estonut** » Wed Jun 18, 2014 3:58 am

littlebeast13 wrote:Let this be my token post for the day.... <grumble®>

They tore a box from a window sill? It could have been worse. They could have come in through the new opening.

#5 Post by **littlebeast13** » Wed Jun 18, 2014 6:33 am

Estonut wrote:
littlebeast13 wrote:Let this be my token post for the day.... <grumble®>
They tore a box from a window sill? It could have been worse. They could have come in through the new opening.

My central air unit.... or probably more specifically, as Ed mentioned, the compressor. I am no expert on AC's (then again, neither was the cop who came to take the report, so I didn't feel so bad...)

Spoiler

The vacant house across the ditch from me (Which fans of my Saturday Squirrel feature might recognize from numerous shots of it in the background) got the same treatment...

Spoiler

So it's going to be a fun morning trying to sort this out with insurance and getting a new unit installed as fast as possible (and making sure it has security precautions my old AC didn't)...

lb13

themanintheseersuckersuit · #6 Post by **themanintheseersuckersuit** » Wed Jun 18, 2014 7:02 am

They probably stole the radiator, where most of the sellable metal is. My office got hit about 2 years ago. Now the exterior units are connected to the alarm system. I had video of the theft but it was not clear enough to ID the perps. I did not take the but a few minutes to do the job.

Bob Juch · #7 Post by **Bob Juch** » Wed Jun 18, 2014 8:26 am

themanintheseersuckersuit wrote:They probably stole the radiator, where most of the sellable metal is. My office got hit about 2 years ago. Now the exterior units are connected to the alarm system. I had video of the theft but it was not clear enough to ID the perps. I did not take the but a few minutes to do the job.

It seems by the photo that the radiator is still there.

Beebs52 · #8 Post by **Beebs52** » Wed Jun 18, 2014 8:33 am

Yikes, Beast. I totally forgot about the copper issue. That completely sucks and I hope you get cooled down soon. People are creepy.

geoffil · #9 Post by **geoffil** » Wed Jun 18, 2014 8:36 am

Wow that is awful. Did any other neighbors get robbed?

Did any of your neighbors hear or see anything or have any type of security camera?

Bob Juch · #10 Post by **Bob Juch** » Wed Jun 18, 2014 8:37 am

That's one thing I don't have to worry about here. It's a Florida heat pump and heats and cools by using water from the well. There's not even an external unit; everything's under the house. In three months after we move to Tucson that will be an issue again.

Bob Juch · #11 Post by **Bob Juch** » Wed Jun 18, 2014 8:38 am

geoffil wrote:Wow that is awful. Did any other neighbors get robbed?

Did any of your neighbors hear or see anything or have any type of security camera?

In Beast's neighborhood they'd steal the security cameras.

themanintheseersuckersuit · #12 Post by **themanintheseersuckersuit** » Wed Jun 18, 2014 9:32 am

Bob Juch wrote:
themanintheseersuckersuit wrote:They probably stole the radiator, where most of the sellable metal is. My office got hit about 2 years ago. Now the exterior units are connected to the alarm system. I had video of the theft but it was not clear enough to ID the perps. I did not take the but a few minutes to do the job.
It seems by the photo that the radiator is still there.

You are right, looks like they left a lot of copper behind

#13 Post by **littlebeast13** » Wed Jun 18, 2014 9:49 am

themanintheseersuckersuit wrote:
Bob Juch wrote:
themanintheseersuckersuit wrote:They probably stole the radiator, where most of the sellable metal is. My office got hit about 2 years ago. Now the exterior units are connected to the alarm system. I had video of the theft but it was not clear enough to ID the perps. I did not take the but a few minutes to do the job.
It seems by the photo that the radiator is still there.
You are right, looks like they left a lot of copper behind

The repairman was able to piece together what happened... he said the perps were obviously spooked by something halfway through the job, which is why a number of parts that would normally be taken are still there. He showed me where they had just started to hack through the line connecting it to the disconnect box. My guess is the thieves worked on the house across the ditch first (knowing it was vacant), then spotted mine and decided to take the chance... only to get cold feet once they already ruined the fucking thing.

It looks like in the end, I'll only be out my $500 deductible... as well as a couple of days riding out the heat since they are backed up with installations now. The boys will be thrilled...

lb13

kayrharris · #14 Post by **kayrharris** » Wed Jun 18, 2014 9:52 am

I'm really sorry about this, LB. It's very aggravating to say the least. Your insurance should pay for it minus your deductible.

kay

SportsFan68 · #15 Post by **SportsFan68** » Wed Jun 18, 2014 10:07 am

Poor Odie and Bisqt!

I hope it's fixed soon.

BackInTex · #16 Post by **BackInTex** » Wed Jun 18, 2014 10:19 am

littlebeast13 wrote: It looks like in the end, I'll only be out my $500 deductible... as well as a couple of days riding out the heat since they are backed up with installations now. The boys will be thrilled...

lb13

Well, you will save $20 or so on the electricity you would have used, so now you are only out $480.

#17 Post by **littlebeast13** » Wed Jun 18, 2014 10:24 am

BackInTex wrote:
littlebeast13 wrote: It looks like in the end, I'll only be out my $500 deductible... as well as a couple of days riding out the heat since they are backed up with installations now. The boys will be thrilled...

lb13
Well, you will save $20 or so on the electricity you would have used, so now you are only out $480.

That may be (irony alert) a liberal estimate. I always use my AC in moderation. I can proudly claim to have never had a monthly electric bill over $160 in the entire time I have lived here. My summer average is just south of $150...

lb13

tlynn78 · #18 Post by **tlynn78** » Wed Jun 18, 2014 10:55 am

That sucks, beastie. Here's hoping you and the boys find ways to keep cool in the interim.

Bob Juch · #19 Post by **Bob Juch** » Wed Jun 18, 2014 1:33 pm

The good news is that they'll have to replace everything, including the heat exchanger, because your old unit seems to be an R-12 or R-22 model. The new ones are R-32 or higher. The energy efficiency of the new one should be much better too. Your old unit probably would have needed replacing within the next five years. You're getting a $2500+labor unit (assuming you need just a two-ton one) for just $500. I wouldn't complain at all.

If I had been crooked I would have "stolen" my unit myself when the one in South Carolina died about two months after I bought the house.

ghostjmf · #20 Post by **ghostjmf** » Wed Jun 18, 2014 4:32 pm

Sorry that the kits (& you) will be hot for a few days; if you don't already have one or more, buy the kits (& yourself) a fan. Any self-respecting cat I've ever known (which is all the cats I've ever known) will avoid it like the plague, because it ruffles their fur, & not in a for-them good way. But they ought to have the option. Also, when Tuck was a panting kitty, the vet said to put ice cubes in his water dish. I did, & he gave me the stink-eye for "why are there ice cubes in my water dish". But, again, its the gesture that counts. The cat(s) may take advantage of it if they want.

The vet also said "if his tongue goes blue, bring him in".

Bob Juch · #21 Post by **Bob Juch** » Wed Jun 18, 2014 4:40 pm

If the boys get too hot use this to cool them off:

Spoiler

ghostjmf · #22 Post by **ghostjmf** » Wed Jun 18, 2014 4:50 pm

I dunno about lb's house, but in my apartment that (well, mine is a plant sprayer that never had plant-sprayer-chemicals in it) is a punishment device. About the only one that works when Tuck goes into "I must bite & claw you to death" mode. Also "I must scratch up whatever you left out within my reach" mode.

christie1111 · #23 Post by **christie1111** » Wed Jun 18, 2014 6:15 pm

Husband1111 has pointed out that if they are smart they will be also be selling the refridgerant. Some of the ones they aren't allowed to make anymore are very expensive.

Something like R22 is like about $50/lb. Even small units can provide several pounds of coolant.

ulysses5019 · #24 Post by **ulysses5019** » Wed Jun 18, 2014 8:12 pm

Too bad they weren't doing this...

http://www.nydailynews.com/life-style/h ... -1.1094953

#25 Post by **littlebeast13** » Wed Jun 18, 2014 11:13 pm

ulysses5019 wrote:Too bad they weren't doing this...

http://www.nydailynews.com/life-style/h ... -1.1094953

The repairman told me that's the #2 cause of vandalized AC's behind copper theft. I guess kicks just keep getting harder to find...

lb13

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