Home > Lawsuits > Goodman and Amana Defective Air Conditioning Units Class Action Lawsuit Goodman and Amana Defective Air Conditioning Units Class Action Lawsuit New York, NY: A class action lawsuit filed against Goodman Global, Inc., and certain affiliated companies, alleges that central air conditioning units and heat pumps sold under the Goodman® and Amana® brands since 2007 are defective. In particular, the plaintiff contends in his lawsuit that these units have defective evaporator coils. Evaporator coils are generally located inside a consumer’s home and they are essential to the proper functioning of any central air conditioning system or heat pump. According to the lawsuit, Goodman and Amana central air conditioning and heat pump systems contain defective evaporator coils that improperly and prematurely leak refrigerant (a.k.a. Freon®). The defect allegedly renders the systems inoperable because the cooling cycle will not work without refrigerant. Although Goodman sells these units with a warranty, that warranty is limited in a way that provides insignificant protection to owners of the units.

In particular, the Goodman warranty, by its terms, covers replacement parts, but not the labor costs associated with the replacement. According to the lawsuit, the result is that, when a defective evaporator coil fails, Goodman provides the owner with a replacement coil, but does not pay to have the old coil removed or the replacement coil installed. As alleged in the lawsuit, those labor costs typically run in the hundreds of dollars, and in some cases, thousands of dollars. Thus, in at least some instances, the owner is forced to spend as much or more to replace the defective evaporator coil as the cost to purchase a new Goodman unit. The complaint also alleges that Goodman has known that its units sold since 2007 contained defective evaporator coils, but the company failed to inform consumers about the problem or issue a recall. Indeed, according to the lawsuit, Goodman continued to tout the quality of its air conditioning systems??"claiming they were durable, dependable, and long lasting??"

even though it was aware that the defective evaporator coils would cause the units to fail prematurely and at rates far above the industry average. The lead plaintiff in the case acquired his Goodman unit when he purchased his new house in September 2011. how to wire a hvac unitAccording to the lawsuit, in or about July 2013, after only one summer of use, the unit stopped cooling the plaintiff’s home. problems with hvac heatingA service technician allegedly found that the unit was low on refrigerant and added four pounds of refrigerant, which immediately leaked out of the system. quiet room ac unitAfter observing this, the technician determined that the evaporator coil was leaking and needed to be replaced. According to the complaint, the service technician returned the old defective evaporator and replaced it with a new one, charging plaintiff approximately $650 for this service.

The civil action was filed in North Carolina state court on behalf of all consumers in North Carolina that purchased a central air conditioning unit or heat pump bearing the trade names Goodman® and Amana® from 2007 to the present. Plaintiff is represented by Tycko & Zavareei LLP. Class Action Legal Help If you or a loved one has suffered similar damages or injuries, please fill in the form to the right and your complaint will be sent to a lawyer who may evaluate your claim at no cost or obligation. Get the latest on class action lawsuits, settlements & more! Subscribe to our feww weekly newsletter. Been wronged by a similar product or service?Click here to send us your complaint. Add Your Comment on This Issue Fields marked are mandatory. Please read our comment guidelines before posting. One of the hottest discussions (pardon the pun) within the air conditioning and heating industry is the difference between two refrigerants – R-22 and R-410A.

As a homeowner considering a purchase, it’s important that you understand the difference so you can make the best decision for your system. We’ve outlined below the main differences and why they matter. Often referred to by a brand name like Freon® As of 2010, R-22 was discontinued for use in new air conditioning systems R-22 is a hydro-chlorofluorocarbon (HCFC) which contributes to ozone depletion Often referred to by a brand name like Puron® Has been approved for use in new residential air conditioners Is a hydro-fluorocarbon (HFC) which does not contribute to ozone depletion Will become the new standard for U.S. residential air conditioning systems in 2015 Newer air conditioning models are designed to be used with R-410A for reliable and more efficient operation. Because R-410A can absorb and release more heat than R-22, your air conditioning compressor can run cooler, reducing the risk of compressor burnout due to overheating. R-410A also functions at a higher pressure than R-22, so new compressors are built to withstand greater stresses, reducing the chance for cracking.

If you were to put R-410A refrigerant into a system designed for R-22, the pressure would be too much and the unit would break. All air conditioners use an oil to keep the compressor lubricated during operation. R-22 air conditioners use mineral oil and R-410A systems use synthetic oil. The synthetic oil is generally more soluble with R-410A than mineral oil is with R-22. This means the R-410A system operates more efficiently reducing wear and tear on the compressor. While R-22 was outlawed in 2010 for use in new units, some companies are taking advantage of the law by producing what’s known as ‘dry charge’ units. These are new units that don’t have the refrigerant installed at the factory. Instead, a technician is required to come out to your home and install the R-22 refrigerant. While this practice is technically legal, this isn’t the best option for the following reasons: There is a limited supply of R-22 and its price will increase as supplies diminish R-410A offers greater efficiency, saving you in energy costs, and is much better for the environment