While the summer months are boom business times for many air conditioning service contractors, the workload can also push customers to the competition, when service crews are stretched too thin and service calls are not attended to promptly.
Losing impatient customers is the ongoing concern of residential, commercial and industrial contractors, because once customers have gone to someone else, they usually stay away, according to GO Distribution.
GO Distribution is introducing to Australasia, a sealant proven in North American markets to help save time for busy contractors, by removing the need for laborious and expensive fault-chasing and repairs to air conditioning and refrigeration systems.
Super Seal sealant is especially formulated to permanently repair leaks in evaporators, condensers and pipelines that impair plant efficiency and could necessitate overhaul, replacement and interruptions to production or service.
Super Seal sealant has been proven internationally in numerous applications, including the experience of Jim Gates, President, State Automatic Heating and Cooling, of Batavia, Illonois, in the USA.
State Automatic’s six service crews could handle many service call escalations; however a combination of low-refrigerant central air conditioning systems during the peak annual maintenance check and start-up season could create backlogs and force regular customers elsewhere.
Typically, State Automatic found that a leaking condenser or evaporator coil resulted in two or more trips to the site involving hours of leak detection, component repair or replacement, and refrigerant re-charging. This service costs anywhere from US$500 to US$1,000, depending on the leak’s severity. However, now customers are offered an option of sealing the system with Super Seal HVACR, at only 50 percent or so of the cost.
Sealing the system saves the customer money, but more importantly, the service crew is tied up for only an hour or two instead of a day or more, which is critical during the start-up season.
The 77-year-old State Automatic, which is now run by second and third generation family members, is deeply entrenched in the luxury home heating/cooling installation market in Chicago’s western suburbs, with over 250 systems installed annually. Those new home owners with two and three- zoned systems totalling 8 to 10 tonnes of cooling, typically call the original installation contractor for service, so quick responses to service calls are vital to keeping customers happy.
State Automatic’s move to sealants is part of a trend, according to Super Seal distributor Munch’s Supply. There is definitely a trend of contractors using sealants, especially in situations where the leak is undetectable or inaccessible, the emergence of cooling and refrigeration system sealants in the HVAC industry in the last three years has changed leak detection and repair dramatically.
While many contractors are sceptical of sealants, State Automatic has successfully applied it to 34 central air conditioning systems since 2004. Gates, who keeps detailed records on all 34 systems, all but one has remained sealed. The lone unsuccessful attempt, which Gates suspected was damaged in its underground line-set by other contractors, had hole(s) too large for sealing.
Super Seal has a patented formula designed to seal holes of 300 microns (about the diameter of a human hair) or less. The product is a formulation of organosilanes that once injected, flow throughout the system as a liquid with the refrigerant and oil. When it leaks from an exit point in the system, atmospheric moisture causes it to crystallise and form a bond. Because of the moisture reaction, as per Gates, the system’s filter/dryers must be replaced before applying the sealant. Evidence of moisture requires evacuating the system.
State Automatic’s leak detection/repair policy requires all service techs to first search for field installation-related leaks with bubble soap and electronic leak detectors, around brazed joints and visible, accessible connections with hopes that a leak can be located and repaired quickly.
If the leak is not found, the service tech then offers the homeowner two choices:
1) System pump down; with recovery machines; high pressure nitrogen leak detection with ultrasonic equipment; and followed by component or replacement repair; or
2) Injecting Super Seal and re-charging the system.
In many cases, customers choose the sealant route, even though Gates warns them there is no guarantee. This option sells itself via product brochures (carried on all tech’s trucks), combined with explanations of the great record had with 33 previous applications. Plus, if their system develops another leak, the sealant will probably seal it as it occurs because it stays in the system and continues working. Many customers also have environmental concerns and realise leaking systems are contributing to global warming.
Proven internationally in professional applications ranging from commercial and hospitality, property maintenance to food and automotive manufacturing, Super Seal HVAC refrigerant sealant is available throughout Australasia in three varieties, for systems from 0.7 kW to 5.3 kW; 5.3 kW to 17.6 kW; 17.6 kW plus. (1/10hp to 7hp; 7hp to 23hp; 23hp plus).
According to GO Distribution, the product’s effectiveness on leaks of up to 300 microns covers a wide range of leaks that are hard to find and cause major and expensive losses in energy and service calls, not to mention production losses.
Super Seal is effective in applications ranging from, residential, small individual outlets – such as motels or shops, supermarkets, hospitals, right through to equipment used in major industries, such as one of the plants of the Ford motor company and an ice-cream manufacturer who has successfully employed it for ongoing savings.
Features of the Super Seal sealant, made by Cliplight Manufacturing Co of Toronto, Canada, include:
- Suitability for all air conditioning and refrigeration applications
- Complete kit for one-time use (Super Seal ACR (947KIT) for systems .07 to 5.5kW; Super Seal HVACR (944KIT) for systems 5.3 to 17.6kw and Super Seal 3 Phase (948KIT) for systems above 17.6 kW
- Compatibility with all oils and refrigerants
- Blended formula that seals leaks permanently in evaporators, condensers and lines
- Remains stable within the refrigerant stream
- Will not interfere with compressor valves, capillary tubes or TX valves
- Easily installed in minutes.
Super Seal sealant can be used to revitalise equipment that could otherwise end up prematurely in the junkyard. Whether it is applied to a walk-in freezer or a complete HVAC system, it has proven potential to save users considerable money.