Refrigeration/HVAC srvc provider in Fort Myers, FL area

[chrtucke]

Searches did not produce any hits so...

I am looking for recommendations (or warnings) on refrigeration/HVAC service providers in the Fort Myers, FL area.

Thank you,

[chrtucke]

For what it's worth...I used Felix Marine and they sent out a very nice and knowledgeable guy who made a few recommendations but no work needed. Glad to see that the "upsell" was not attempted. In fact, he even gave me some ideas of ways I could deal with it myself to save some $$.

I would happily recomend Felix Marine of Fort Myers for refrigeration/HVAC work.

[bstreep]

Just my $0.02.

I'm beginning to believe that this is an area where most good DIYs can do their own work. After a bunch of refrigeration problems, I found out this is NOT rocket surgery. Also, techs don't like working in hot boats/bilges. There's plenty of work on dry land.

For $25 you can get your very own EPA license to buy and work on systems with 5lbs or less. A set of gauges is $80, a decent vacuum pump less than $200, and then some freon. Typical cost is less than a single service call.

[pesarsten]

As a former licensed HVAC contractor and technician, with some reading and a reasonable skill set, many people could do their own repairs. Just remember to get the EPA license and in addition to the tools you mentioned get a recovery pump and cylinder, refrigerant scale ,and a set of torches.

Hopefully you can fix it without doing any damage .

[Akka]

I agree wholeheartedly about DYI. We've had our refrigeration repaired/redesigned/rebuilt by "experts" all over the world. That cost us a fortune and we had to correct much of their work. We switched to DYI and have been happy ever since. There's lots of advice on the internet on how to build and repair 12V and engine-driven systems (we have both). R134a is readily available everywhere and works great.

If you do hire an "expert", make sure you get somebody who is actually familiar with boat systems. Also, try to arrange a payment schedule that doesn't involve the technition sitting around for hours evacuating and then recharging your system -- and charging $100/hour for it!

I do have one peculiar bias -- toward flare connections instead of o-ring ones. The latter might actually be better, but flare connections can be made with a copper-tube cutting tool ($5), a flaring tool ($15?), and, of course, a nut ($.50?). Just remember, PUT THE NUT ON THE TUBE BEFORE YOU FLARE IT