Early Merry Christmas.....

The AC died today.  It was 24 years old, unheard of in AC lives.  I called the company that I have done business with at my house for nearly 9 years.   The company consultant came by, I gave him the history (new buy, Home warranty, old thermostat, high electric bills, long run times).   I was informed that the Fed laws prohibit the repair of my unit without a complete overhaul because it used freon, now outlawed in the US.  I could get recycled freon, but the cost of rebuilding the old AC was more than buying a new one.  
      Sooo, you know how this story ends.  We started pricing a new unit out. Seems the Fed law prohibits using old lines, it contaminates the new type of coolant, so that price was added on, there is an inside and outside unit, they both need replacing because one isn't compatible with the other (different kind of coolant).
     Then, silly me, I didn't think the ductwork had been looked at in 24 years, as that was when the villa was built so we looked at the ducting in the attic.    Gee, 4 of the 7 vents were detached and the heat/cool air was cooling the roof!  Now we are pricing duct repair.  
     And, since we were up in the crawl spaces, we discovered there was plenty of insulation down the center of the villa...  all within code.  BUT.... the space over the left third of the villa, the whole length had none.  AND... the section over the right third of the villa had NONE!   Two thirds of the crawl space had no insulation to keep the cool in and heat out!   So...... now we are pricing the cost of blowing in insulation.

    It makes no sense to me, to fix this situation half way.  It is a lot of money to fix all of this, but if I don't do it right, I will still be paying high electric bills, the new equipment will be working twice as hard and I won't be comfortable inside.  I plan on living here for several more years.....
      So, Merry Christmas, Joyce.  You are getting your Christmas present early!       LUCKY ME!!!!!!!!!!!